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The Chicago Transit Authority needs help closing its $300 million budget gap for 2010, and it’s turning to transit unions to bend a little on their current four-year contract.

Wages for transit union employees rose 3 percent from 2007 to 2009 in an agreement signed in January 2007 by the CTA and two local transit unions. In 2010 wages are due to rise by 3.5 percent – unless the transit authority can convince the unions to forgo the raise. If they don’t, CTA President Richard L. Rodriguez said at a recent board meeting, roughly 1,000 union workers will be terminated.

CTA currently employs 11,035 workers. Of those, 9,825 are union members.

“Because 90 percent of our workforce is union,” said Rodriguez, “and because it’s tied to bus operators and rail operators, it’s not as if I can lay off employees and not directly impact customer service. So, unfortunately, it’s the customers that bear the brunt of any layoffs that are put into place.”

CTA management has called union leaders to a closed-door meeting Friday to discuss amending the contract.

Robert Kelly, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, said last week by phone that his union will say no to any negotiations.

“My stance is very simple,” Kelly said. “We entered into a contract two years ago.”

Kelly said he realizes the CTA needs help funding its budget but that union workers should not agree to the CTA’s request until the authority solves its own funding problems.

“First the deficit was $25 million,” Kelly said. “Then it was $40-something million. Now it’s $300 million. We’re already starting in the hole for 2011. It’s not adequate [to cut union wages]. They’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Darrell Jefferson, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, was not available for comment by press time.

CTA spokeswoman Shelia Gregory said transit union workers have been relatively sheltered from the agency’s financial troubles during recent years compared with their non-union colleagues. In 2010 non-union employees, most of whom work in upper-level CTA management, will be required to take up to 12 furlough days as well as unpaid vacations. Gregory said that their salaries will be cut by 10 percent, and 100 administrative (non-union) positions will be terminated.

“CTA is not asking [the transit unions] to do anything that other unions throughout the city haven’t been asked to do,” she said. “Whether you are talking about the city, the Sun-Times, or any number of companies, unions have stepped up to the plate to help organizations get through this economy. It is far better for employees to make salary concessions rather than eliminate service and all the positions that support it.”

Kelly said the average trained supervisor with tenure in his union earns roughly $56,000 per year. The average beginning worker makes about $30,000 per year.

The unions are right to hold a firm stance against the CTA’s request, said
Charles Paidock, who is active in the transit advocacy group Citizens Taking Action.

“Now it’s all give-back mode – gimme, gimme, gimme,” Paidock said. “There is a failure …at the state and local level to adequately manage and fund public transit. Don’t try to fund public transit at the expense of the unions.”

Meetings between the transit authority and the unions are ongoing, said CTA spokeswoman Katelyn Thrall by e-mail Thursday.

“A number of options are being discussed,” Thrall said. “However, it is important to note that deferring a wage increase for non-union employees would not provide sufficient savings to completely eliminate layoffs, the proposed fare increase or service reductions.”

Kelly said he might consider negotiating with state representatives and members of Congress. But that’s it.

“It does me no good to talk to CTA,” he said.