Chicago Streets Rot, Chicago Workers Fired, Hired Trucks Roll Protest

Chicago Trucks Idle 1.jpg Many Chicago Teamsters from local 726 sit a home unsure of the next meal or mortgage payment. The trucks they drove rot on a parking lot hidden from public view. The City of Chicago still uses the trucks they lease, while these trucks they own, sit idle. Mayor Daley’s Hired Truck Program is back on track providing work to non-union trucking firms while the taxpayer’s trucks rust. Chicago pays the former employees to sit at home on un-employment and do nothing as the city trucks rust. Trucking companies from the suburbs work as Chicago workers sit at home. We are organizing a food drive for these workers August 13, 2009 at Wright College 4300 North Narragansett in Chicago, after work. If you are a current Chicago City Worker, please bring any canned food items to help those with no job. We will be joined by No-Games Chicago, AFSCME, Teamsters 726 members, and current Chicago City employees. We will have a petition for every City employee to sign and you will be given an option to sue to enforce the agreed 10 year contract. We are going to take issue with the scam agreement unions made with-out member’s vote. This affects many Chicago Local unions. Look over your own shoulder, Daley is going to cut more positions, you might be next. We are also asking all Chicago Unions to reduce the dues now. Save your jobs, lawyers stand by to protect your rights. Photo by Patrick McDonough ]]>From AFSEME Council 31
AFSCME Council 31 statement on City of Chicago layoffs
July 16, 2009
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Mayor Daley's decision to lay off more than 400 City employees will cause great hardship for the workers and their families. And it will further reduce city services for residents who rely on them, especially in the police department, the libraries and the health clinics where most of the Mayor's layoffs will occur. Mayor Daley's choice today is the wrong choice for the city of Chicago, for city workers who provide services and for every resident of this city who relies on them. Union members voted by a 4-1 margin to reject the Mayor's demand that they take what amounted to a 10% pay cut as the only alternative to layoffs. AFSCME does not believe that employees should be required to pay such a draconian price. Nor we believe that a single City employee should be laid off. That's why our Union offered the City an alternative approach that provides the City with the same dollar savings that the layoffs will bring.
It is very wrong for the Mayor to allege that AFSCME members are not willing to do their share. Last fall AFSCME members agreed to help close a city budget shortfall by taking six unpaid days over the next two years–equal to a 1 percent pay cut. At the same time, the Daley Administration laid off more than 100 AFSCME members. Hardest hit by those cuts were city health services for those with no other health care options. These new layoffs will take an even bigger toll–further reducing access to health care for those in need, requiring police officers to be taken off the streets to perform the clerical duties of laid off police department support staff, and making it more difficult to utilize the services of public libraries. Up until the Mayor's final "deadline", AFSCME made every possible effort to reach a reasonable compromise. But the City never budged from its position that AFSCME members must make concessions equal to nearly 10% of salary as the only alternative to layoffs. And as much as AFSCME members wanted to prevent any of their coworkers from losing their jobs, most could simply not afford a pay cut of that magnitude–taking as much as $3,000-$4,000 out of their paychecks this year and next year as well. Daley rejected the Union's offer of a plan that would be much less burdensome to employees yet save the City as much as the layoffs will save, claiming that the other unions already agreed to the 10% pay cut and that there had to be "equality of sacrifice". But Daley never said why no other citizens were being asked to sacrifice even a few hundred dollars while frontline City workers were being asked to give up thousands. Where is the "equality of sacrifice" in that?

6 Replies to “Chicago Streets Rot, Chicago Workers Fired, Hired Trucks Roll Protest”

  1. Right on Pat!!!

    Teamsters 726 members and AFSCME members say no and we are targeted for layoffs. Retaliation remains in full force and effect under the Daley administration.

    In a real Democracy individuals would have been laid off across the board i.e. from each and every Local Unions from the City equally, not just only the members who speak out.

    We pay Union dues to exercise this right. Also, are we not protected under the Constitutions first Amendment (freedom of speech) as a City employee.

    I can tell you that from my experience, working for the City you must leave your above rights when you clock in at your City job.

    I encourage each and every individuals to seek out a class action lawsuit against the City for violation of their above rights.

    This clown (Daley) continues to cry wolf and or the City’s financial deficit but is willing to waste the taxpayers dollar on endless litigation.

  2. Doesn’t the current contract also state that ALL city MTD’S must be put to work before ANY civilian trucks are put to work? We need to enforce the contract to the fullest!!!! (Response)
    We will have a sign-up to meet with lawyers to sue on your behalf. It is war!!!

  3. Gee Since 726 and AFSCME did not agree to the concessions who would the city lay off? Plumbers, Laborers? No 726 and AFSCME. That is not retaliation.

    Frank, I think you need a drug test.

  4. Dave don’t take it personal that I insulted your clout (Daley/(Fair and Equity))Local 726.

    I encourage you to review your bi-laws and International Teamsters Constitution and or your U.S. Constitution.
    Which in part reads;
    The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws that infringe the freedom of speech.

    Can you understand the concept. That’s like stating something against an elected corrupt official like Fidel Castro or Daley and be led away in handcuffs.

    So you see the drug test that are being administered at record levels like never before and the targeted Unions that spoke out are indeed being retaliated against for exercising their above rights.

    I really do not have the time to educate you an further so I encourage you to read you epitome soul.

  5. Frank, you mistaken me for someone signed on and posted as Anonymous. I’m on your side brother!

  6. I beg your forgiveness SIR.
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    Most of the City Unions have stripped their members for the right for their voices or vote to be heard. These Unions have taken the liberty to VOTE for their member’s or concede to whatever the Mayor demands.

    Teamsters 726 members and AFSCME have taken on the BOSS of all BOSSES (Daley) and have suffered the consequences. This is the Battle ground gentlemen.

    In the art of negotiation one party starts high the other counters low until a settlement is reached. Your Unions have sold you out my brother’s, demand that your voices be heard and take your power away from these puppet Union leaders so that your voices can be heard in the future!

    What is this vindictive snake(Daley) going to do now, take the furlough days your puppet Unions have surrendered to litigate this matter?

    It only take’s one person to set brushfire’s in people’s minds.

    Samuel Adams

    Pat’s right, demand that your puppet Unions reduce your Union Due’s!

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