On May 31, 2020, Erek Slater, a Union representative and ATU 241 Executive Board elected member, addressed his co-workers to share the official public statement of the ATU International President regarding to refuse to drive police. This ATU statement was released in the context of the mass protests over the murder of George Floyd. Erek, in his capcaity as a union representative, raised questions about CTA bus drivers being instrumental in the arrest of Chicago citizens who were demonstrating in the streets demanding Justice for George Floyd and other victims of police violence. The CTA has retaliated against Erek by taking him out of service and accusing him of illegally advocating for a wildcat strike, a charge which is false and could lead to him being fired. Erek’s legal counsel has filed federal charges against the CTA for breaking the US Constitution’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.
We have launched a public petition– our ask is that comrades spread the word, sign on, and share the petition in all of our sites of intervention to build the broadest level of support and solidarity for Erek’s reinstatement. – https://www.change.org/p/chicago-transit- authority-drop-all-charges-andreinstate-chicago-bus-driver-erek-slater
We also provide here a sample letter to be used for those who are able to get unions or their organizations to sign on the solidarity campaign to get Erek reinstated below. You can email statements of solidarity and messages to this email:
workersvoice-lavoz@protonmail.com
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Dear friends and comrades,
We are writing you today to share an urgent request for solidarity for Chicago bus driver and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 241 Executive Board Member Erek Slater. On May 31, 2020 Erek, in his capacity as a union representative, addressed his co-workers to share the official public statement of the ATU International President regarding the right to refuse to drive police. This ATU statement was released in the context of the mass protests over the murder of George Floyd,
“our members have the right…to refuse the dangerous duty of transporting police to protests and arrested demonstrators away from these communities where many of these drivers live. This is a misuse of public transit.”
The CTA has retaliated against Erek by taking him out of service and accusing him of illegally advocating for a wildcat strike, a charge which is false and could lead to him being fired. Erek’s legal counsel has filed federal charges against the CTA for breaking the US Constitution’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.
We are organizing with Erek’s co-workers, family, and supporters of in Chicago to launch a public campaign to build support for him to be reinstated. We need to stand up for workers rights to speak out against injustice and for active solidarity from the labor movement!
Will you sign our petition and share with your friends and comrades?
Make sure to follow our Worker’s Voice / La Voz de l@s Trabajadores Facebook page for more developments on this campaign.
In struggle,