Results tagged “union”

The national debate over health care reform has dragged on for so long, across so many different proposals, that it's hard to keep track of what the Senate or the House might be considering this week. But here in Chicago, the very real cost associated with covering employees is manifesting itself in very direct ways. Unite Here Local 1, the union that represents hotel and hospitality workers in the city is in negotiations over the labor agreement that will cover 6,000 workers downtown, and 15,000 workers in the area. And while the contract expired in August, both the union and the hotels around town are still far from an agreement. Like they did three years ago, the union is negotiating with the major hotel chains separately this year, starting with Hyatt. Unlike in 2006, when Unite Here was able to make gains on the wage increases they bargained in 2003, employers are pushing for concessions this time, due in part to the recession. "Things have gotten really bad," Unite Here Local 1 spokeswoman Annemarie Strassel told the Tribune. "I think that employers see the bad economy as an opportunity to ram through proposals." Hyatt's proposal would leave half of their unionized employees ineligible for health insurance.

It seems that the Sun-Times sale to James Tyree isn't quite a done deal yet. While the group's largest union, the Chicago Newspaper Guild, agreed to terms along with the expectation that two others would follow suit, there's one union that hasn't even scheduled a vote on the matter. The six member Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 is in no rush to approve anything. Said union president Steve Berman, "I can't sign a document that gives the company the ability to discharge my people without any assurances...we're not running to vote on this one." The Tribune has more on the matter.

Chicago's hotel workers are clocking in today without a union contract, as negotiators from UNITE-HERE Local 1 and the Hotel Employers Labor Relations Association has yet to reach an agreement on a new pact. The previous contract expired at last night at midnight. “It’s been a fight to even just get to the table,” a spokeswoman for the hotel workers’ union told Crain's. “We’re not close, and I think we’re looking at the possibility of a major fight.”

Three Teamsters Local 743 members are currently on trial for rigging a union election in 2004 that they lost anyway. Federal prosecutors say that they changed members' addresses in a union database, mailing the ballots instead to family and friends. The ballots were then marked with votes for the Unity Slate led by Robert Walston.

The Chi-Town Daily News is reporting that monies from the Window of Opportunity Fund, which accepted public donations for displaced workers after the Republic Window plant abruptly closed late last year, may have been mishandled. Two former Republic workers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board accusing the union, UE Local 1110, of failing to disclose how much money was raised. "We just wanted some transparency," Guadalupe Romero told the Daily News. She says that she and others repeatedly asked to see financial statements, and that the local used the funds to support a tour by a select group of workers, rather than to support unemployed workers.

Publisher Melville House has announced that Chicago-based writer Kari Lydersen's account of the Republic Windows and Doors sit-in on her blog at the Washington Post a blog on the publisher's website is being turned into a book, due out in early 2009. Because nothing screams riveting page-turner like a sordid tale of severance pay, bad credit, and people sitting around on lawn chairs. No offense to Ms. Lydersen, but other than the people that actually did the sitting in, who's going to buy this book? Perhaps the publisher is hoping union leaders will snap up lots of copies to hand out to members as a how-to guide.

After a six day sit-in by workers at the Republic Windows and Doors factory, an agreement to end the protest was reached. The workers approved a $1.75 million deal which will pay each worker eight weeks' salary, all accrued vacation pay and two months' paid health care. Late last night the workers voted unanimously to end the strike after a 20-hour negotiation involving union members, Republic management, members from the lender companies, and others such as U.S. Rep Luis Gutierrez. We mentioned the $400,000 from JP Morgan Chase that was put towards the deal; in addition, Bank of America has agreed to loan Republic management another $1.35 million.

Robert Hogan, former President of Teamsters Local 714, agreed to leave the union earlier this week amid allegations of misconduct. Hogan, whose family has run the union since the Depression, signed an agreement with the Teamsters' Independent Review Board that he would voluntarily leave the union, agreeing never to serve as an officer or member there, or work as an employee again. Hogan's departure is the result of a recommendation made to international union president James Hoffa, Jr last August by the IRB. The IRB alleged that Hogan had acted against the best interests of union members by hiring Robert Riley as a business agent and organizing director, even though Riley had been barred from the union. The IRB also charged that the local union was failing to represent its membership, had corrupt relationships with companies where members worked, and was using favoritism and nepotism to secure jobs for associates of the Hogan family.

Adding to yesterday’s economic news of jobs leaving to the economy, oil prices reaching new highs, and the Dow dropping 400 points, hometown airline United announced they have reached a buy-out agreement with their flight attendants.

Today is World TB day, and we should be observing extra-hard in Illinois. 2007 saw 521 active cases of TB in the state, which is an all-time low. Go us! Except we're still the 5th highest in the nation, and there was a 25 percent increase in the number of drug-resistant cases. [IL Department of Public Health release]

We reported in yesterday’s Extra, Extra, that top cop Jody Weis -- a buff body builder married to a personal trainer -- wants to modify the current incentive for officers to stay healthy and fit. Instead of the $250 bonus payment for officers to run a timed 1.5 miles and meeting sit-up and bench-press requirements, Weis wants a program that offers a more holistic approach with good health being the ultimate incentive.