The Chicago Transit Authority applauds Father Pfleger's leadership on this important issue. The CTA Apprentice Program has given a second-chance for hundreds of people to turn their lives around, and honestly provide for their families. With the full support of Mayor Emanuel, the CTA has fought to retain this program for people with no other options, who could easily fall prey again to the lure of alcohol or drugs or back into a life of crime.
The ex-offender program supplements the cleaning efforts of our regular crews, which helps us elevate service to customers. It’s a win-win for everyone, and Bob Kelly's repeated efforts to kill the program make no sense for his own workers or for CTA customers. He — and he alone — refuses to continue this critical program. For reasons he has not explained, he is treating the dues-paying rail apprentices in his union are second-class citizens undeserving of his representation.
