Trenches of Democracy

Excerpts from the second semi-annual report by Shakman Compliance Administrator (CA) Julia M. Nowicki:

J. Union Involvement and Issues

Several claims describe how the unions are affected by patronage issues. One claimant sought a promotion that was given to the claimant’s co-worker. The co-worker was alleged to be backed by political sponsorship. Claimant states that pursuant to union rules, he should have gotten the promotion since he had two years of seniority over his co-worker. According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the position should have been filled by seniority. Claimant informed his union steward and business agent that he wanted to file a grievance but they informed him the union would not pursue his grievance because they did not want to get involved in claims involving politics.

Another claim was brought by a 20-year employee of the County. For approximately 2 1/2 years ofhis tenure, he performed duties outside of his Job and Grade without being promoted to the position and without receiving any additional compensation. Ultimately, another person who was said to be politically connected was given the position permanently over claimant. Documentation shows claimant was harassed during this change-over and that his then -supervisor was aware of the harassment. Claimant stated that he did not feel he could complain to his union because his supervisor was also his union representative and had allowed the politically tinged harassment to continue.

To be continued…

You can read the full Shakman report here.

Tags: Cook County, Nowicki, Patronage, Shakman, Stroger, Unions

Bureaucrats leading modern Labor movement

Recent highlights from a union article by Bethany Jaeger in February’s copy of Illinois Issues:

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• Nationwide, workers in the public sector had nearly five times the union membership relative to the private sector in 2006.

• While national union rates have dropped from 20% of the labor force in 1983 to 12% in 2006, Illinois union laborers were at 17% in 2006.

• Last year unions succeeded in urging the legislature to raise the state minimum wage to $7.50 an hour. Furthermore, this wage will increase by 25 cents a year to $8.25 in 2010.

• Labor union groups donated a combined $2.2 million 2005-2006. They’re also one of the top five political campaign donors since 1993, donating a collective $5.6 million, nearly all of it to Democratic candidates.

• 90% of AFSCME political campaign contributions from 1993 to 2006 went to Democrats according to studies from the University of Illinois in Springfield.

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Doug Whitley, president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, comments union influence will dominate “as long as the unions have a stranglehold on Democratic politics and that there is this symbiotic relationship between elected office and public employee unions.”

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So what’s next? Edward Smith, Laborers’ International Union of North America vice president and Midwest regional manager, adds, “Our No. 1 priority is a capital bill because without a capital bill, there’s no jobs. And without jobs, there’s no health insurance. Without jobs, there’s no pension. Without jobs, there’s no money to put food on the table, send your kids to college, school.”

This is where Gov. Blagojevich’s new “Illinois Works” capital program comes in.

(to read “Collective Action” click here)

Tags: Illinois, Unions