SERVICE CUTS? FARE INCREASES? LAYOFFS? FIGHT BACK!

Time is running out for the transit riders of Chicago. According to the Chicago Transit Authority, January 2nd 2005 is Doomsday if extra money is not found to solve their $55 million budget shortfall. This looming disaster includes a 20% cut to services, meaning the elimination of numerous bus routes, the elimination of night and weekend service on many other routes and the complete elimination of overnight L service. Over 1000 pink slips have been handed out to CTA employees already, mainly to bus operators. Whether or not additional funding is received, paratransit users are facing a 100% fare increase.

While CTA officials have been trying to direct all anger towards the state legislators in Springfield, we continue to hold CTA president Frank Kruesi and his gang of bureaucrats responsible. It is the CTA who has known this crisis was coming and has made the decision to dump it on the backs of workers and riders. They are the ones who ignored it as they built their new $119 million Lake Street office. It is also Kruesi and his buddy mayor Daley who are still talking about spending almost 2 billion dollars on a new Circle line, just so rich folks can get from their neighborhoods to the airport a little bit quicker. If there is money for such luxury, there is no excuse for cutting our service and raising our fares!

In response, we are inviting CTA riders and workers to an organizing meeting. If you are interested in putting pressure on the CTA please attend:

Wednesday November 17th
6 p.m.
Spertus Museum
618 S. Michigan
2nd Floor

A fare strike and others demonstrations are on the agenda. Free coffee and tea will be served.