Month: November 2008

Jesse Canet worked overtime again today for many hours. The City of Chicago has broken water mains all over and one site at Courtland today had over 5 accidents including a car that went into a gate for the junk yard. If you know Daley, tell him having Chicago Department of Water Management employees taking days off costs more in the long run. I hope Chicago drivers slow down when water mains break in the street; in this cold it is called black ice! Patrick McDonough.

The other foreman are so rich they do not need the overtime. Do do you have any solutions? Poor Jesse. Patrick McDonough

The Chicago Department of Water Management has several promotions that are very nice for the pocketbook. The Sewer division of our Department has two spots up for grabs that pay $45.00 an hour. The Foreman of Sewer Cleaning is a nice job. The bid is worded funny to allow some applicants not members of Plumbers' Local 130. Also look at the Assistant Foreman of Sewer Cleaning bid. This pays $44.25 per hour. All the guys wanted for the promotion have been picked a while ago. This bid is a joke. I am amazed what you overhear at the Department of Water Management. I hope when these guys get the position, they contact the Plumbers Union for their Plumber's License. Ask Tom McManus the procedure and whammy, you are a Plumber! Patrick McDonough

Please check out this blog, it is off to a good start! http://stopjimhoulihan.blogspot.com/2008/11/call-for-real-transparency.html Make sure all you political experts enjoy a website taking a stab at figuring out how assessments really work in Cook County. When I first started my Chicago Clout, I liked the Capitol Fax Blog; they did a great job organizing information. I hope the couple starting this new website continues to focus on the ridicules tax breaks some clouted people are getting; if they do, they will be on to something. Remember, this new website is just starting and will need some work. I also suggest you contact them if you hear of some unfair Cook County Tax bills. Patrick McDonough

The same foreman that I reported working 17 hours straight last weekend got more overtime this Saturday morning. Please call James Sullivan of Plumbers Union Local 130 312-421-1010 and ask if you can pay dues based on overtime or money made. Jesse, I know how you worked on that 1st ward political campaign, but leave some overtime for the other guys. I promise I will not leave that money at the gaming table; I will spend it on clothes for my kids. The HDO still has lots of power Mayor Daley, what is going on? Patrick McDonough.

Today, the pink sheets were handed out in full force. People are now losing their jobs at Chicago City Hall and other Departments. And thanks for all the hard work, Obama won the election! More heads rolling soon. I suggest you apply with the Daley friends and family, business is booming! Patrick McDonough

The City of Chicago approved tons of overtime last night and one foreman got over 17 hours of straight time and overtime. When I showed up this morning one guy was sleeping in the truck and the others were waiting in their cars for 7:00 a.m. The Foreman was going to get another eight hours of overtime but word got out quick. How would you like a check for 24 hours straight? The foreman made over $1,000.00 for this quick 16 hours. (I am not including the benefits) I do not know how the same guys still get the overtime, how the same guys are called out, time after time. I guess I am not willing to drop money like some people do; I was not brought up that way. In a major concession to Benchmark Construction, Benchmark was given permission to shut off the City of Chicago water valves. This means no accountability if a major water emergency disaster should occur. This happened today in front of Laborers Union 1092 located at 3841 South Halsted today. Please ask Carol Loverde why you are paying those Union dues. Please call Plumber's Local 130 at 312-421-1010, ask why you pay thousands of dollars in dues. Remember Daley's contractors paid tons of political money to get Barack Obama in the White House, and they will work around the clock as Chicago City Workers get laid off and fired. Enjoy the payback. Patrick McDonough.

Chicago Clout is in the middle of assisting numerous City of Chicago employees receive a fair and equal chance at justice. This endeavor has taken a massive amount of time as of late. In fact, I have also been very ill with the flu. One of our largest groups of Chicago City employees are getting prepared to launch a massive lawsuit that will certainly get the City of Chicago's Law Department's attention. Some progress has been made with several Unions to protect their member's rights, but some Unions allow member's rights to remain unprotected. These Unions are exposing themselves to costly litigation. I hope the Unions in Chicago that think they will call a judge and get a favorable result to reconsider. I hope the Chicago Unions that continue to hide in the background wake up and start to aggressively protect worker's rights. Many of the workers we are helping are scared of retaliation; I want you whistleblowers assured any and every action against you will be recorded. We have also been in close contact with several future litigants that will wait until the last minute before revealing their identity. So have faith, soon the justice begins. Patrick McDonough