CTA offering new incentives to help hire and retain employees

CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority has announced new incentives to hire and retain bus and rail workers.

According to a CTA press release, new employee incentives have a budget of about $80 million over two years, and CTA is working to address the labor shortage.

These incentives are for newly hired union members in specific positions, according to the release.

• Bus operators, mechanics and rail car repairers hiring in 2022 and 2023 will receive a $1,000 hiring bonus on their first paycheck. The employee is required to stay in her CTA for her one year.
• Eligible employees can receive rewards for every six months of service. This equates to 3% of his hourly wage for hours actually worked at a maximum of 1,250 hours per period.
• Salaries for bus mechanics and rail car mechanics range from $39 to $40 an hour.
• Salaries for bus and rail operators start at $28 an hour or higher. By 2024, the time to reach 100% of the top price will be reduced to 33 months.

According to the release, CTA already provides employees with health insurance, paid time off and other benefits.

The CTA said the incentive is part of Meeting the Moment: Transforming CTA’s post-pandemic future action plan.

“Our employees are the agency’s most important asset,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. said in a release. “They are the unsung heroes of the city, working hard every day to provide the services so many people rely on.”