We were downtown at work yesterday when a co-worker said "What's with the protest outside? There's someone chanting for justice or something." Knowing from the "Saturday Plans" post that The Lady herself, Paula Deen was appearing, this was a head-scratcher. Who could be so upset at a TV chef? Besides the obvious, of course. more ›

While we've been busy enjoying the nice weather over the weekend, and trying to get back in the groove this week, lots of other newsworthy stuff has happened here in the City by the Lake. Let's take a look back at everything that's happened so far this week: Daley Picks a New Chief of Staff; Local Press Makes Bad Sports Jokes. As Daley promoted Ron Huberman to try and save the CTA's ass, he's tapped... more ›

Senator Obama and former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards will be on WakeUpWalMart.com conference calls this evening at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. respectively. Sign up here if you want to hear what your esteemed Senator thinks about unions and Wal-Mart. Chicagoist already signed up; they told us to call -888-801-1510 using pass-code 849485. According to WakeUpWalMart.com “Wal-Mart’s recent policy changes are the most anti-family, anti-worker changes in this company’s history.” The evening’s calls will... more ›

They came to Chicago excited to celebrate 50 years of wedded bliss, but they're leaving divorced. The Service Employees International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE HERE (UNITE is the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and HERE is the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union) announced that they'd boycott the annual AFL-CIO conference. The conference begins today in Chicago, and labor officials say the SEIU and the teamsters will announce at a press conference today that they will leave the AFL-CIO. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merged in 1955. more ›

The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which has 1.3 million members in the U.S. and Canada, 40,000 of whom work in Chicago, has vehemently opposed Wal-Mart�s move into urban Chicago. The UFCW says that Wal-Mart�s lower wages and worse benefits will affect wages and benefits at other grocery retailers. Even though 1.2 million people in America work for the discount giant, no Wal-Marts in North America have unionized labor. more ›