Politics

Labor Coalition Announces Public Transit Reform Bill, Calling for Big Changes but Not a Merger

State lawmakers debating the future of Chicago-area transit have a new proposal to mull over Thursday, after a labor-backed coalition announced it would file a bill calling for reforming public transportation finances and governance but stopping short of merging CTA, Metra, Pace, and RTA into a single agency.

The group of more than 30 area unions, calling itself the Labor Alliance for Public Transportation, is behind what it’s calling the United We Move Illinois proposal (Senate Bill 1938) sponsored by state Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Assistant House Majority Leader Marcus Evans Jr.

“As someone who’s spent a lot of time on both Metra and CTA and has seen some of the great things you can do with a well-coordinated system, I’m really, really excited about what this could look like,” said Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter, who said he envisions riders being able to seamlessly transfer from riding a Metra train to an “L.”

Villivalam’s backing is significant, given his role as head of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee and his sponsorship last year of a bill calling for creating a new, unified Chicago-area transit agency.

“Alongside the 15,000 union members that deliver public transit services through CTA, Metra and Pace, I am committed to ensuring that working- and middle-class families have an integrated public transit system that connects them to economic opportunities, services and each other for decades to come,” Villivalam said in a statement.

The legislation comes as CTA, Metra and Pace are headed toward a $750 million fiscal cliff, after COVID-19 relief money making up for a loss of ridership revenue dries up.

Pennie McCoach, the president of alliance member Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, which represents thousands of rail workers, said she recognizes the importance of a funding source.

“Because without the funding, we’re looking at drastic service cuts, we’re looking at drastic layoffs,” McCoach said.

The umbrella labor group says it’s key to incorporate sustainable revenue sources into the budget lawmakers are due to pass by May 31 for the upcoming fiscal year but has yet to offer nitty-gritty details.

“We’re not looking to avoid that conversation, but we’re looking to make sure that we’re on the path to doing it,” Reiter said. “We believe that when we get tothe point where we talk about revenue, we’re giving everybody the system that they’re willing to invest in.”

He said first, competing visions for transit’s future and governance must be reconciled.

On the website promoting the proposal, the alliance says it’s “currently looking at various funding opportunities and working with lawmakers to find a fiscally responsible solution for the state to fulfill its obligations to fully fund our public transportation networks in Illinois.”

Another fiscal reform the alliance is proposing would reduce the ratio for how much of transit agencies’ operating revenue must come from passenger fares, a far more onerous requirement for Chicagoland’s public transportation system than in other peer cities.

The bill’s backers are also calling for better coordination among transit agencies; improved safety efforts; ensuring board members have relevant expertise; and better accountability for transit boards and changes in governance, including holding back funding for transit agencies to ensure reform.

Over several hours-long hearings last year, Illinois senators heard from a wide array of stakeholders who shared their thoughts on transit’s future. While many expressed interest in the idea of a transit merger, current leaders of CTA, Metra, Pace, and RTA pushed back hard at the notion that a merger would create the kinds of cost savings or operational efficiencies some advocates hoped for.

Similarly, labor leaders – including representatives of the bus and train operators, mechanics, and other unionized transit employees – threw cold water on the notion of a merger.

“The Labor Alliance for Public Transportation represents the diverse perspectives of those working within our region’s transportation systems,” Tim Drea, Illinois AFL-CIO President, said in a statement. “Our proposal ensures that our hard-working transit agencies are well equipped to address regional transit’s complex challenges and serve their riders better.”

Reiter told WTTW News that one massive, merged transit agency is “not the direction we want to go” and that the emphasis should be on building more accountability.

He said the union coalition wants to keep “important stakeholders” like the governor, Chicago mayor and suburban county board leaders involved.

“We think that the right balance can be struck by maintaining stakeholders that, you know, drill down to the regional players, with expertise in their communities, while also holding the RTA accountable for making sure that it’s acting as a facilitator to bring people to the table,” Reiter said.

The labor group’s plan does nod to one of the frequent criticisms of the current public transit system – the byzantine appearance of its four-board structure, with 21 different authorities making 47 appointments.

“Having one board is not adequate,” the alliance says on its website. “Each board, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), CTA, Metra, and PACE, have vastly different systems and unique needs. Instead, we propose to make changes to the composition of the current boards. The Labor Alliance for Public Transportation’s proposal offers a solution for better coordination among agencies to ensure fiscal accountability and an improved rider experience.”

McCoach said because the different agencies provide different benefit packages to their employees, combining the various systems “would not alleviate the financial problem … that we’re facing right now … a can that has been kicked down the road for a long period of time and never been addressed and never been fixed.”

In a statement, the group that had backed the bill calling for replacing the current agencies and merging their transit operations into a new Metropolitan Mobility Authority said it welcomed Thursday’s proposal.

“The hard-working Illinoisans who operate and maintain Northeastern Illinois’ transit systems are essential to day-to-day reliability and operation, and we’re thrilled to see them joining the conversation about our system’s future,” the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition said in a statement to WTTW News. “We appreciate the work the Labor Alliance for Public Transit put into this thoughtful proposal and look forward to continuing the conversation to ensure Illinois’ transit system coordinates smooth, accessible and equitable service, connects folks to affordable active modes of transportation, and mitigates air and climate pollution.”

The Labor Alliance’s measure also mandates the creation of a “transit ambassador” program to help improve riders’ experience, and the creation of a RTA police force with jurisdiction over Pace, the CTA and Metra.

McCoach said since she began serving as the local rail union’s president last year, she’s been advocating for armed security because neither the public nor employees feel safe, which deters people from taking the train.

“We have to make sure the public feel safe, right? And the only way we’re going to be able to do that is by showing the public that we’re serious about their safety and concerns, as well as our employees,” McCoach said.

McCoach that labor’s voice should be taken seriously.

“We’re all trying to get to that common denominator, to come up with something that will have a long-term fix for transportation,” McCoach said. 

This article was updated with additional comments. 

Contact Nick Blumberg: [email protected] | (773) 509-5434 | @ndblumberg

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