Chicago Clout salutes Carol James of Local 1092

Laborers Local 1092 small  on Chicago Clout Chicago Clout thanks Carol James for over forty two years of service to Laborers Local 1092. There is new faces taking over Local 1092, but Carol will be needed to help with some her expertise in future labor issues. Carol started as a part-timer and has held almost every position. Carol told me, “Now is the right time to retire”. Carol is also very confident with the new leadership. Do not be surprised if you catch Carol in Florida for some needed rest and relaxation. I have had a great professional relationship with Carol for a very long time, she is a class act from a classy family. Thank you Carol from all of us at Chicago Clout and all Chicago Union Workers. Patrick McDonough

Rahm Emanuel rewards CLOUT unions with more jobs. Chicago payroll list.

Rahm Emanuel released a list of all the current employees on the public dole. I guess Rahm wants to make an impression he is trying to change things. Several names are missing. I noticed some names on workman’s compensation not listed. See list
http://data.cityofchicago.org/Government/Current-Employee-Names-Salaries-and-Position-Title/r3km-swf6? Rahm tells us he is for change but he knows he must play ball. Rahm is quietly putting another couple of million dollars of payroll and political payback on the backs of taxpayers at the Department of Water Management. Rahm forgot to list some former Alderman’s kid’s raises and all the new mystery employees Daley packed on last year. Rahm is keeping these big rollers despite claiming cutbacks. For starters, union office workers were tossed out of water department satellite offices and the workers were replaced by Laborer 1092 ditchdiggers to handle office chores. I do not think the Chicago Taxpayers want to pay someone $35.10 an hour for data entry. I do not think politically connected laborers should enjoy air-conditioned offices to answer phones. More stunning is the attempted hire of an additional 10 Plumber’s Local 130 members at $44.00 per hour. Plumbers are at an easy $100,000.00 per year. A raise is due very soon. Rahm knew when he got in bed with Plumber’s Local he would need to step to the plate and pony up jobs. A large percentage of the dues Plumbers pay is filtered back to politicians. Many of these Plumbers sit in an air-conditioned office all day and do relatively few chores. One example is former Alderman’s son Paul Hansen, making a whopping $107,000.00 thousand answering phone calls and data entry. Paul Hansen was just promoted despite formal complaints to the Office of the Inspector General and the Shakman Monitor. The position of Superintendent was not filled for many years with great savings and success. It looks like the Office of the Inspector General is just another tool of the Mayor’s office. The Commissioners on a routine basis shut down investigations, rendering the OIG a waste of taxpayers’ money. The Laborers Union was rewarded for support to Rahm Emanuel by the addition of at least another 10 construction laborers paid to inspect the same holes in the street day after day. In fact, construction laborers drive air-conditioned pick-up trucks doing very little wasting precious gas. It is all an act, the public think work is being done. These workers were hired to repair and install sewers, not drive around and look at them. The only major improvement was the General Superintendent that enforced work rules. Workers were busted for sleeping on the job because the Office of the Inspector General was a no show. This was again covered up and the taxpayers got screwed. I suggest the millions of wasted money are invested in new investigators at the Office of the Inspector General. But we must immediately stop commissioners overstepping OIG rulings and tell the OIG not to recommend every violation a termination. Patrick McDonough.

The Fool on the Final Walk, Stanley Daley St. Pat's 2011

As Chicago rots all the way to the core, Daley had the coconuts to have the final walk of shame. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote Daley got many complements, but they failed to report the many jeers and insults. The Saint Patrick's Day parade was loaded with hundreds of union tradesmen struggling to make ends meet. Many of the Chicago Unions have allowed work to go non-union due to laziness and lack of organizing. I don't think it is a surprise, the unions that organized during the construction boom, brought in many unskilled and incompetent workers. Many of those workers are still paying dues to the unions and sit on the bench. Somehow the plumber's union has devalued the plumbing license by this activity. Many "Rooter" and "Caulker" types now have a plumber's license. These hustlers are working and the formally trained apprentice and journeyman starve. Many Chicago Union plumbers long for the leadership of Gerald Sullivan the greatest Manager of the Plumber's Union. Many of these plumbers worked on the Rahm Emanuel Mayoral campaign are hoping for a payoff. Plumber's Local 130 is still reeling from the damage of supporting Hynes for Governor. Politics may help James Sullivan and the leadership of the Plumber's Union but the members continue to complain to me. It is a matter of supply and demand. If you wonder why I have taken a rest from this blog, it is because I am trying to keep an open mind on the Rahm Emanuel transition. The damage Daley and his goons have done to Chicago will take a generation to repair. I do look forward to Amy Rule as first lady of Chicago, it seems like she will not make money off the position and give her family the guidance to keep them from making a joke of Chicago. We might also have the first Jewish St. Pat's Queen in Chicago. Keep in mind John Spatz is having a retirement party March 18, 2011, he taking a better job in DuPage. Contact me if you want to go to the party. I will get you in contact with the Department of Water Management staff that wastes all day preparing these parties on the taxpayer's dime. I hope these political workers also leave with John Spatz so Rahm Emanuel can get ahold of all the contract scams still plaguing this department. Patrick McDonough

Carmen Hernandez named "Chicago Employee of the year".

Carmen Hernandez Chicago Clout Memorial Day Hero I am proud to name war hero and Chicago Department of Water Management employee Carmen Hernandez, “Employee of the Year”. Memorial Day is an important day for all of us that care about America. Photo by Patrick McDonough, Chicago’s all time greatest employee.