Union sues CTA, says agency won't let it pass out 'Transit for Chuy' fliers

The union that represents the city’s bus and rail workers is suing the Chicago Transit Authority, claiming the CTA won’t let it pass out fliers in break rooms backing Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in next week’s mayoral runoff election.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 241 and 308 filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court, arguing that the CTA violated workers’ freedom of speech by prohibiting the “Transit for Chuy” flier from break rooms.

But CTA spokesman Brian Steele said the ATU is the lone CTA union “seeking to violate long-standing state laws that prohibit political activities on government property and government time, at taxpayer expense.”

“The laws clearly state that 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.”

In its lawsuit, the union said “people working for former Mayor Richard M. Daley” distributed his campaign material in break rooms during previous elections.

The mayoral runoff election between Garcia and Mayor Rahm Emanuel is on April 7.