A Chicago Transit Authority union has accused the CTA of illegally banning the sharing of mayoral election-related literature between workers, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The Amalgamated Transit Union, which endorsed mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and represents more than 10,000 CTA employees, accused the CTA of “violating the First Amendment rights of transit workers.”
A statement by the ATU claims that the CTA posted memos in bus garages and rail terminals barring employees from “communications normally protected by the First Amendment.” The union also states that the CTA’s General Counsel wrote letters warning of possible fines issued if off-duty workers hand out election-related literature to co-workers in non-work areas of CTA property.
CTA Spokesman Brian Steele says the ATU is “alone” among the unions representing CTA workers.
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“[The ATU is] seeking to violate long-standing state laws that prohibit political activities on government property and government time at taxpayer expense,” Steele said. “The laws clearly state the activity ATU is proposing is prohibited because of its political nature, and the law is clear that political activity – regardless of who it is for or against – is prohibited.”
