Posted on 11/03/2013 6:51:49 AM PST by KeyLargo
Metra union members in line for 20 percent pay hikes over 6 years
By Richard Wronski, Chicago Tribune reporter
6:03 p.m. CDT, November 2, 2013
Members of one of Metra's biggest labor unions could get raises worth more than 20 percent over the next six years and a $3,000 "signing bonus", according to a proposed contract negotiated between the commuter rail agency and the union.
The proposed pact, awaiting approval from about 337 clerical workers and ticket agents belonging to the Transportation Communications Union, was announced last week and comes as Metra continues to negotiate with 12 other unions, including engineers and the commuter rail agency's police.
" Siriano's letter said. "We were determined to reverse the trend of public employee concessions."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Astonishing that Chicagoland and the State of Illinois have so much money to spend when their bond ratings keep falling, they have no idea how to cover existing pension guarantees, and the area’s population is going down, year by year.
Alright. I’ve had enough. I’m starting a new union for social security recipients. It will be called “Union of Social Security Recipients (USSR) and we need to demand the same sort of pay raises. I mean those of us that are retired probably do as much or more than these asshats. Of course our motto when I was still working was “We do less by 7 a.m. than most people don’t do all day.”
‘Twas a time when 3% a year was not so outre’ as it kept up with inflation and moved the workers a little bit further away from the poverty line. These days, it doesn’t keep up with inflation even as it keeps those union workers ahead of the curve where the average income has declined over the last 5 years. If Obama was not the tool in the WH - it wouldn’t be such an anomaly because the whole Nation would be doing better.
Metra drivers make more than most of the pilots flying out of O’Hare.....
MERTA is a case study in how to rip-off the government...
Patronage-based hiring, outrageous Exec Contract buyouts and Double-Dipping (Madigan flunky Patrick Ward was collecting a $52,700 pension in 2009 when he began working his $57,000 job at Metra.), METRA cops making $150,000+ milking overtime, astonishing retirements, etc...
The list goes on and on, and it’s like a contest to see which Democrat Political Crony can carry the most money out the door.
Madigan Asked Metra To Give Pay Raise To Associate
July 12, 2013 8:16 AM
State hearing into Metra severance deal explodes with charges of “hush money” and Madigan role
BY ROSALIND ROSSI and DAVE MCKINNEY Staff Reporters July 11, 2013 1:58PM
Metra chair: Ex-CEO threatened to sue, wanted more than $700,000
Updated: August 13, 2013 6:31AM
A Metra Board member claimed that his colleagues issued a lucrative severance package to ex-CEO Alex Clifford that was largely “hush money.”
Speaker of the House Michael Madigan’s office was described as lobbying Metra to give a friend of the powerful Democrat a raise.
Frustrated lawmakers accused Metra Board members of “rolling over” to Clifford’s settlement demands.
Those were the most explosive fireworks at a state hearing Thursday before the House Mass Transit Committee.
But most of the witnesses asked to appear before the committee to discuss Clifford’s controversial 26-month, $718,000 separation agreement never showed up.
“We were determined to reverse the trend of public employee concessions.”
But the people who have to pay those salaries; they can do with less every year. Not a problem.
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