ChicagoClout

"...Mayor Daley, what is going on?"

Business as usual.

What did you think was going on?

Daley's favorite phrase:

"Let them eat cake."

Thank you Patrick McDonough. Channel 7 news reported the City of Chicago is reversing privatization, I did not hear your name, but thanks to you, many City Workers will have food on the table this Christmas. Thanks and God Bless.

By Sarah SchulteCHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago labor leaders have reached a deal with the city that could save more than a hundred jobs.
They have agreed to drop their opposition to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's plan for a partial shutdown of city government around the holidays.
Buyouts, furloughs and reverse privatization are all part of agreements the city reached with over three dozen labor unions.
The city of Chicago is $469 million in the red. Layoffs were announced last month as a way to shore up the budget deficit. City officials and union leaders have been working for weeks to hammer out a deal.
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As city workers do their job, their union bosses have been working behind the scenes with City Hall to save jobs. Facing the worst budget crisis in years, Mayor Daley originally announced nearly 1,000 layoffs. But now that number is going down.
"By working together with organized labor, I am pleased today to announce we've reached agreements that can reduce the number of layoffs by more than 145," said Paul Volpe, City of Chicago chief financial officer.
Some jobs are being saved by reverse privatization. Once considered a way to save money, the city is now taking some water department work away from private contractors and giving it back to city employees.(Thanks to Patrick McDonough)
"Our first choice is always to work with our in-house work force. If we can keep those costs down and be innovative in the way we deliver those services, we're glad to do it," said Volpe.
And several jobs are being saved by agreeing to furlough days. Chicago Federation of Labor's Dennis Gannon says taking days off without pay beats losing a job, especially in this economy.
"It goes against the grain with what organized labor is about, but at the end of the day, it means the families we represent have food on their tables," Gannon said.
And the laborers union, which represents thousand of employees, including garbage men and women, agreed to an additional furlough day in exchange for a bigger severance payment for employees with 10 or more years of service who volunteer to leave.
"I talked to a number of our members, and our members said if it came to saving jobs they wouldn't mind taking a furlough day," said Lou Phillips, Laborers Union Local 1001.
While 34 unions have come to an agreement with the city, one remains a hold out. Leaders with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees say the sticking point are those furlough days.
"It amounts to both a reduction in services for residents as well as a pay cut to some of the lowest paid city employees. We're just not going to roll over and accept that," said Anders Lindall, AFSCME Local 31.
AFSCME continues to work with the city to come up with a deal, but so far, the union will not budge on the furlough days.
The layoff numbers are likely go down even more depending on how many union employees take buyouts and what kind of deal is struck with AFSCME. The city council plans to vote of Mayor Daley's 2009 budget proposal on Wednesday.

What do you think Patrick,
Now come on, its H D O again, who the hell you think runs the yard and the leak desk? There is a game being played, You want to know how the game is played? Subpoena me!!
I got the stuff to show how this game is played with Mr. Canet. But its to soon to show. Wait till the time is right!! When I come forward Patty, HDO is going to have me killed.
I got more than Jesse Canet, I got others involved here too, What protection do I have when I come forward? I am not a city worker, but I am associated with one, I been to meetings with this city worker, HDO meetings, precindt work with Mr. Canet. I got names and phone numbers!! also picture's from my cell phone. Some one is going to JAIL. It doesn't matter if they hide this now!! I got it already!!
I will call you Patty when I am ready to come forward, then I got to leave the country, and go back to Puerto Rico.

If they want to save jobs why don't they offer a regular buyout where you can buy up to 5 years of service if you are 50 and have 20 years of service or 70 points like they did in 2004?
(Response) The buyout in 2004 was a duck for all the guys involved in the Hired Truck Scandal, the Hired Truck Program, and other criminal activity. The word was out, Patrick Fitzgerald was not for sale. We will be in court to explain this soon.

Possibilities:

1. a not so subtle, reverse psychological warning to anyone, perhaps a specific someone, who might be thinking about exposing corruption

2. an authentic heads up, containing, however, way too much specific information to avoid detection and identification

3. a bogus 'notice of future intentions', from an individual disgusted by egregious corruption, and intended to stir the pot

4. a bogus 'notice of future intentions' meant as an implied threat to a specific someone suspected of intending to expose corruptions

5. the revealing of a subconscious suicidal impulse in the mind of the comment's author

6. a fed attempting to stimulate panic and, thus, less effectively clandestine behaviors, in those participating in said corrupt activities

7. a non-hispanic attempting to realign the corruption hierarchy, to 'spread the largess' around more evenly

If the referred to commenter truly was interested in exposing corrupt activity, we'd be reading about the indictments in the news today.

I fell off of my union made chair laughing when I read Pat had something to do with the agreement between the unions and the city to reduce the number of layoff. Let’s look at the agreement and where Pat might stand.

The agreement was reached thanks to both sides giving and taking. It looks like Laborers Local 1001 led the way and saw some reality in a $460 deficit. The City also gave some $$$ to encourage retirements.

If Pat was a union leader he would price the cost of labor out of the market. Pat’s idea of given and take is the city gives ad the union takes. His demands would cause the City to privatize everything because it would cheaper or he force a strike and the city would permanently replace all of the strikers.

Pat contribution to the agreement is making up stories where he is the focus of the story or miss stating facts such as the question about the buy out in 2004.

Pat that early retirement buy out required the approval of the state legislator. Pat does not mention that and why it would not work here. He just adds very insulting comments as to why it may have been done. Another reason was to save money so we would not have to possible lay off more employees now. But that would give the Mayor credit which is beyond Pat’s ability.

(Response) Please be careful when you laugh. I know I did a great job, your comments only prove it. Patrick McDonough

"But that would give the Mayor credit which is beyond Pat’s ability."

No, it's actually beyond any honest, intelligent citizen's ability.

That's what makes them honest and intelligent.

You, however, being not honest and far from intelligent, stay true to your obsession.

As only the mentally ill can.

We can 'save' our money, by either moving somewhere else, or ridding ourselves of the thieves in the next election.

The only true reality in this budget shortfall is that, if it exists, it is due solely to the rampant thievery by those who falsely proclaim their honesty.