The Reverend Jesse Jackson met with union leaders and the CTA president Wednesday morning. The unions continue to say they are not willing to make new concessions. Without them - or a new source of funding - slower service and fewer express bus lines will be the norm.
"Non-union employees are taking unpaid furlough days, they've deferred their merit increase, and we're hoping our union partners will join us. And they've decided that they're not gonna open up their contract and make concessions," said Terry Peterson, Chicago Transit Board chairman.
"The union cannot really concede to give up health care and 401K and vital services for their members. On the other hand, the city has a limited revenue stream, and Washington must see Chicago as ground zero," said Rev. Jesse Jackson, RainbowPUSH Coalition president.
Reverend Jackson says he will lobby to restore nearly $250 million in urban transit funding from the federal government that was cut more than a decade ago.
