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.
4 Replies to “Overtime no problem at the Chicago Department of Water Management”
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One candidate for US Senate that has been not been mentioned here is Commissioner Frank Avila of the MWRD. He is a top vote getter. The Senior Latino elected official. More popular than Luis Gutierrez or relatively unknown Gery Chico.
For a Congressman to replace Rahm Emmanuel (who had great constituent service) is an underdog and darkhorse is JOHN JOYE who is a MARINE, FIREFIGHTER, Vietnam Veteran, and a son in Afghanistan. He is a populist ordinary citizen who could win this race. He is getting a lot of calls and a lot of smaller community groups are wanting him to be appointed and run for Congress.
Privatizing Midway for 99 years will be the biggest boondoggle ever.
Maybe leasing it out for 20 years might make sense but no one working on this deal will be around to see what happens at the end in 2107!
And while there is what sounds like big money at the front for the City/Da Mare note that the city/the taxpayers will provide FREE FIRE AND POLICE FOR MIDWAY for 99 years which will cost more over time than the quick money Daley will get now.
Also, its unclear how FOIA will work so how will anyone know what’s happening with the money.
The FAA public hearing on this was less than a joke-it was scheduled to allow for up to five hours of testimony but only 3 people spoke for about 15 minutes total -Volpe (the wolf) for the City on how great the deal is, a man with the company getting the deal saying how wonderful the deal is and a citizen/advocate wanting more info on the general aviation aspects of the deal which are left very vague in the proposal. The deadline for filing writing testimony/questions/comments with the FAA is December 22, 2008. See http://www.regulations.gov and search for Midway privatization to get details.
The unions did not show up, the civic watchdog groups did not show up, the environmentalists did not show up, the neighbors did not show up, the elected officials for the area did not show up; the airport-haters did not show up.
This is essentially a major transfer of a major transportation asset and its happening with very little public input. What the f— is wrong with the people of this city?
The same questions were asked back in the 1890’s when a similar grab of public assests was attempted by Charles Tyson Yerkes and others–with the help of crooked mayors and alderman. The difference between then and now is that there were legitimate newspapers in Chicago that opposed the theft of these assets. Today the media cheers it on.
Well let’ see pat. 17 hrs of stright and OT would cme out to 8 hrs regular time and 9 hours of overtime. Possible the OT was a broken main where a section had to be cut out and might have included an extended shutdown, and possible a car that had to be towed off a valve??
If the crew started again at 7AM (reguar working hours) they would go back on stright time NOT overtime. And also do the math on the pay, not over 1K as you say. In addition, the private contractors doing water main work have had permission to shut down valvs as needed to do their work. As long as there is a licensed plumber on the valve at the time, no problem. What could possibly create a MAJOR WATER EMERGENCY DISASTER?? Come on Pat get real, you got to be kidding with statements like that.
(Response) Called out for overtime this weekend also! What you say now boyo!