CTA cuts 200 jobs, revises sick and vacation policy

CTA cuts 200 jobs, revises sick and vacation policy
Flickr/Steven Vance
CTA cuts 200 jobs, revises sick and vacation policy
Flickr/Steven Vance

CTA cuts 200 jobs, revises sick and vacation policy

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The Chicago Transit Authority cut more than 200 jobs, the agency announced on Monday.

The move comes as the CTA is preparing to release its 2012 budget.  The CTA is also revising its sick and vacation policies, according to a released statement. The CTA said the cuts will save about $22 million annually.

(Flickr/Steven Vance)
“Following Mayor Emanuel’s leadership, we have continued to make the CTA more efficient by eliminating unncessary and duplicative positions, while creating sound and reasonable sick and vacation leave policies,” CTA President Forrest Claypool, said in the statement.

The cuts appear to be targeted at white collar administrative jobs and were done in July.  The cuts included a mix of layoffs and vacancy eliminations in positions including vice-presidents, general managers and directors.

“Today’s cuts and reforms are about making management as lean as possible - to cut the beaurocracy down to the bones. So we can say and make it clear that we’ve got our own house in order first,” Claypool said in an interview with WBEZ.

The statement kept the steady beat of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s battle against city labor forces.  

Among the changes listed:

  • Elimination of off days for employee birthdays (non-bargained employees)
  • Sick days will accrue at 1/2 day per pay period, earning up to 26 a year maximum, replacing the previous policy of 6 months (again, for non-bargained employees)
  • Vacation days will be maxed at 25 days a year, compared to the previous policy of 35 days (again, for non-union employees)
  • Payout for unused vacation days will be maxed at 25 days after December 2012. Previous policy allowed for a payout of 88 days (for non-union)
  • Employees cannot buy back unused vacation days

The CTA’s labor force is 70 percent of its budget, with 91 percent of workers unionized.