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With Super Bowl over, focus turns to players' union, team owners and future of NFL
(POSTED: 2/8/10) The showdown between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts on Super Bowl Sunday marked the end of football season, but comments from the players' union has left many wondering whether the sport will be played at all in 2011.
The chance of a work stoppage, on a scale from one to 10, is a "14," according to DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFL Players Association.
Smith claims that owners are preparing for a lockout, although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that was not true.
"The owners don't win by having a lockout. Shutting down your business is not good for anybody," Goodell said Sunday on "Face the Nation."
The league is amid negotiations with the union, as contracts will expire after next season.
Under a recent proposal from the NFL, players would see their share of remaining revenue drop from about 59 percent to 41 percent.
"For us, and for our fans and teams, we have pushed hard to first get a proposal and to now understand the justification for a roll back in player share that would put us back to 1992-93. It's that serious," Smith said.
Which means Chicago Bears fans should cross their fingers not just about player prospects -- but about whether there will be play.
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews.com
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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NEW COLUMN: Beyond the Picket
(POSTED: 2/1/10) The waste-hauling company that the FBI has said is run by ex-Teamster Peter DiFronzo and his brother, reputed mob boss John DiFronzo, continues to find work with mainstream clients.
In recent months, D&P Construction was hired to haul away material at two suburban sites where CVS pharmacies were being built.
One was in Park Ridge, the other Niles.
Officials at D&P did not return phone calls, but CVS' general contractor on the projects said D&P was hired as a subcontractor for a simple reason: it had decent pricing.
A CVS spokesman said via email that his pharmacy chain "does not select the firms nor award the contracts for sub-contracting work."
And, he added, "we are not aware" of the allegations against D&P, which has offices in Chicago and Melrose Park.
Peter DiFronzo's wife is listed on official documents as running the company, but the FBI has contended the brothers really are behind it. Both are reputed "made" members of the Chicago mob.
Peter DiFronzo resigned from the Teamsters in 1998 as a government watchdog tried to kick him out for alleged mob associations.
Teachers union buys ads
One of the CVS stores we referenced above is across the street from Maine East High School, which is having its own unrelated union issues.
The Maine Township High School District, which includes three campuses drawing from a pretty sizable swath of the northwest suburbs, is planning huge staff cuts -- including dozens of teachers.
In all, more than 100 jobs are at stake, and the local teachers union has been scrambling.
One of its recent tools has been a direct appeal: the Maine Teachers Association took out full-page ads in community newspapers to debunk the "myths" surrounding the budget.
Turmoil in transit
Faced with a huge budget crunch, the Chicago Transit Authority has threatened hundreds of layoffs and massive service cuts unless unions pony up concessions in coming days.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, which would bear the brunt of the job cuts, seems to be warming to the idea, after long resisting.
It's worth mentioning that in a recent issue of the union newsletter, the ATU boasted its bus operators had the best "top rate of pay" in the nation among major transit agencies, when inflation was taken into account.
They were paid $26.87 an hour in 2008, according to the article, and now make nearly $2 more.
Clout-heavy firm out
After representing Sheet Metal Workers Local 73 for many years, one of the city's most powerful law firms -- Daley and George, Ltd. -- was cut loose by the union in recent months.
The "cost-cutting effort" trimmed legal fees by 30 percent, according to Local 73 President Rocco Terranova.
Mayor Daley’s brother, Michael Daley, is a partner at the firm, which was started by their father, the late Richard J. Daley.
The Daley and George web site says Michael Daley "counsels union officers, trustees and fund administrators on the operation of labor organizations" and "provides legal advice on issues such as union elections, picketing, contract administration, contract termination, union organizing campaigns, unfair labor practices and drug testing policies."
The law firm did not return calls for comment.
Governor race packed with union cash
Whoever wins the Democratic primary for governor will have union members to thank in part.
Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes both have pulled in big money from Big Labor.
According to one report, Quinn has received more than $400,000 from organized labor, while Hynes has pulled in roughly $350,000.
Snapshots from Downstate
An array of construction unions from central Illinois has joined forces to run a social outreach non-profit in Quincy to not only teach the public about the structure and benefits of unions, but also to help with general life issues, such as buying a home, filing taxes and family counseling. . . . About 60 members of Laborers Local 231, based in Pekin, agreed to a 7 percent wage increase through 2011 and will head back to work this week after a four-month strike against PAL Health Technologies, a foot orthotics manufacturer.
By Robert Herguth and Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews.com
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
Beyond the Picket is an occasional column featuring news and opinion items about or of interest to the Chicago-area labor movement.
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With economy chilling the trades, union apprenticeship programs on ice
(POSTED: 1/25/10) For Tene Smith, a single mother of four, landing a union apprenticeship would mean earning an income that could support her family. It would mean working with her hands, a job that she loves. And, as a woman, it would mean receiving the same rate of pay as the men.
But the 39-year-old, who lives at her mom's in Calumet Heights, can't reach her goal just yet.
Nearly all apprenticeship programs across the 24 crafts affiliated with the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council are closed to newcomers, and it's likely to remain that way for about another year, according to Tom Villanova, president of the council.
The schools are still serving second- through fifth-year students, Villanova said, but they've cut off entry into first-year apprenticeships since most of the locals are facing around a 30 percent unemployment rate.
"You have to put your 30 percent to work first before you can take new members in," Villanova said.
Since apprentices are cheaper labor than veteran employees, "contractors would jump on those guys first," as one unemployed rank-and-file electrician put it.
Even so, there's not enough work available for apprentices to complete the union's requirement of hands-on training, Villanova said.
During an apprenticeship, workers learn the skills of a particular trade through the combination of classroom time and paid, on-the-job training. After finishing the program, which can take three to five years, the union members become certified journeymen.
Without the working component, there's hardly any reason for training centers to run a class, school officials explained.
"The programs really don't have a choice," said Helena Worthen, a clinical associate professor of labor education at the University of Illinois. "They hate to do it. The training is their pipeline. . . . That's where the young blood comes from. That's where the next generation comes from. That's where the high skills come from that demand the market."
The majority of members in the building trades are in their 50s and nearing retirement. Within a couple of years -- unless they get more young members -- the unions could see half as many people working and half as many people paying into the pension funds.
What's more, as the size and power of a union diminishes, workers could also see wages, benefits and standards shrink.
"Holding on to the market share, meaning controlling the work, is where the unions' power comes from," Worthen said. "If the unions' bargaining power goes down because they don't have enough market share, then the prevailing wage can go down."
In spite of the downsizing, there is certainly no shortage of people who want to join construction unions.
Many locals have continued their normal application procedures, creating a backlog of workers ready for when the market picks up.
Pipefitters Local 597, for instance, held its annual entry exam on Jan. 16 at its training center in Mokena with a turnout of about 750 people, though the union hasn't been able to take a new class for nearly two years.
"They told us that with so many people, it's hard to say where you're going to place," said Smith, who (pictured above) is hoping the welding class she is taking will give her an edge. "I just went in there with an open mind. I don't want to put pressure on me."
Plumbers Local 130 also did not run a class last year, and the school's waiting list holds anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 names.
"There's plenty of people that want to be plumbers," said Rich O'Connor, training coordinator of the Plumbers Joint Apprenticeship Council Local 130 UA.
After open registration in April 2008 for Iron Workers Local 1, 905 people made the eligibility list out of 2,068 applicants. Only 27 were accepted into the program that fall. Since then, there has not been a new class.
"I literally have 850 on hold," said Al Bass, apprenticeship coordinator. "And they call me once a week and ask me if anything picked up yet."
The training center for Operating Engineers Local 150 has not been able to take new students for a year and a half. Three years ago, the school enrolled 120 first-year apprentices, which was the yearly average. But the number fell to 26 in 2008 and has been stagnant ever since.
For Painters District Council 14, its school used to start a class once a month, but last year it dropped to two. The class sizes are also smaller, with five to 10 students as opposed to 15 to 20.
****"If you hire a new apprentice, you have to take one off the unemployment list as well," said Ed Bogdan, director of training for the Chicago Area Painting and Decorating Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.****
Similar enrollment freezes are occurring at union training centers across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, out of a 10-state region in the Midwest, according to an official with the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Apprenticeship, which oversees all apprenticeship programs.
Even though the numbers are down for first-year programs, some Chicago-area training centers are busier than ever.
The facilities also offer upgrade courses for journeymen to hone their skills, and with staggering unemployment levels, the out-of-work members have jumped back in the classroom.
"The journeymen now have time and incentive to come back," said Bass, who has witnessed a 100 percent increase with the veteran iron workers.
Painters District Council 14 has also doubled its number of enrolled journeymen, and it has tripled for the training center of Roofers Local 11.
The Chicagoland Laborers Joint Apprentice and Training Fund boasted 500 more trainees in 2009 compared to 2008.
The Operating Engineers added two extra months to its training session to accommodate an increase of 150 to 200 percent over the last three years.
The majority of journeymen throughout the trades are enrolled in safety classes, as contractors are requiring more certification, and skills classes relating to potential new jobs, such as road construction.
"Everybody is trying to find the way back to work," a member of Operating Engineers Local 150 said.
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews.com
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Daley administration official targeted for firing after allegedly dispatching city crews to private sites
(POSTED: 1/23/10) A high-ranking Daley administration official who was described at the Robert Sorich trial as a cog in the city's patronage hiring operation should be fired, a government watchdog is recommending.
But being part of a scheme to hire and promote politically connected employees wasn't Deputy Water Management Commissioner Tommie Talley's only alleged transgression.
Talley also dispatched city water department crews to work at private sites -- including Nativity of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church, the mayor's ancestral parish in Bridgeport, Chicago's inspector general found, according to city government sources.
Talley, a veteran city worker allied with the Daley family's 11th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, couldn't be reached, and a city spokesman had no immediate comment.
At the Sorich trial several years ago, Talley was mentioned on the stand by Hired Truck czar-turned-government witness Donald Tomczak as one of the city officials who helped facilitate the city's rigged hiring process.
Sorich, who oversaw Mayor Daley's patronage activities, was convicted in the case and sent to prison. Talley was not charged, and kept his city job.
But the allegation was pursued by the inspector general's office, which also looked into separate claims that Talley was directing city water department resources toward select private sites.
One of those spots, sources said, was Nativity of Our Lord. That's where the mayor grew up, and it was Sorich's home parish as well.
In spring 2008, one of the church buildings was getting water. Somewhere along the line, someone contacted Ald. James Balcer (11th), who called Water Management Commissioner John Spatz to have it checked out, sources said.
The commissioner reached out to Talley, who dispatched crews to the church at 37th and Union, sources said.
It was quickly evident that the trouble -- later diagnosed as a "collapsed pipe" near the foundation -- wasn't on public property and should have been handled by the church, a source said.
But city crews excavated the site nonetheless, and even called in a contractor to help pinpoint the problem, the source said.
"By the time they started digging, they knew it shouldn't have been their problem, but they went ahead with it regardless -- and this was at Talley's insistence and behest," the source said.
The Rev. Dan Brandt said that while city crews were on the scene for a time, he stressed that the church paid a private company to ultimately fix the piping issues.
"I really don't give a whole lot of credence to what they [at the inspector general's office] have to say," said Brandt, the pastor.
Balcer declined to comment, saying "it's a pending investigation."
The amount of taxpayer resources expended on the job was not immediately clear; whatever the ultimate pricetag, the city has the option of pursuing restitution from Talley.
There were at least a couple of other similar instances in which city water crews did work on private sites, sources said, although those details were not available.
This week the inspector general's office forwarded its findings to top city officials, who now must decide whether to accept the recommendation to fire Talley.
Inspector General Joe Ferguson declined to comment.
By Robert Herguth, for ChicagoUnionNews.com
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Glenview hotel cuts loose unionized workforce, hires replacements
(POSTED: 1/18/10) Rodrigo Martinez had worked for roughly 20 years at the Wyndham Glenview Suites, until just before Christmas when he was fired from his bartending job.
He wasn't alone: dozens of employees at the north suburban hotel also were let go as ownership of the Milwaukee Avenue property changed hands.
They all had one thing in common: they were union members, part of Unite Here Local 450.
"They kept only the nonunion," said Martinez, 46, of Lake in the Hills. "They never offered an application to any of us."
A number of the workers were told the day they were cut loose that "the reason you won't be employed tomorrow is because the new owner doesn't want a union," said Bill Biggerstaff, secretary-treasurer of Local 450, which is based in Forest Park.
Officials at the hotel and the new ownership group did not return calls to ChicagoUnionNews.com last week.
But Local 450 has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, with an ultimate goal of getting the workers' jobs back.
Meantime, the fired workers have been picketing (shown above) on the sidewalk outside the hotel, holding signs demanding back their positions and referring to the owner as "The Grinch."
Among those fired were housekeepers, banquet staff and shuttle drivers, union officials said.
Local 450 has been reeling not only because of the Glenview situation, but because several other Chicago-area hotels closed down in recent months, Biggerstaff said.
"It was like a punch in the stomach," he said.
By ChicagoUnionNews.com
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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More Teamsters turmoil: Reform-minded president booted from Local 743 over alleged rules violations
(UPDATED: 1/14/10) Richard Berg -- who took the helm of Teamsters Local 743 on a reform plank, ousting an "old guard" regime rife with corruption -- now is being booted out of office for alleged violations of union rules.
Berg is accused of improperly firing a Local 743 organizer and, along with secretary-treasurer Gina Alvarez, signing off on a $20,000-plus severance check for the man, officials said.
The firing and the payout first should have gotten approval from Local 743's executive board, a Teamsters official said Monday.
Berg (pictured above) also is accused of preventing two business agents from rejoining Local 743 -- even though they apparently were entitled to do so. Some viewed the move as an attempt by Berg to undercut future political rivals.
The alleged violations were brought by members of the group's executive board to the Teamsters' umbrella organization for the Chicago region, Joint Council 25, which made the decision to boot Berg from office and strip him of membership for five years, the official said.
Alvarez was kicked out for three years.
Late Monday, Berg issued a press release accusing "old guard" Teamsters of a "power grab" -- and pledging to fight the move in federal court.
He also appealed the Joint Council 25 decision to International Brotherhood of Teamsters general president James P. Hoffa, and asked that he and Alvarez be allowed to stay on the job while the appeal is being considered.
Hoffa reportedly granted the request.
Based in Chicago, Local 743 is a massive organization, representing roughly 11,000 members, many blue-collar and clerical workers at the University of Chicago and Rush University medical centers. There also are a number of manufacturing workers, including those recently on strike against SK Hand Tool.
Berg won office in 2007, in an election monitored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Several leaders ousted by Berg and his slate -- including former Local 743 president Robert Walston -- later were convicted of rigging a 2004 election so that Berg's team would lose.
In a separate case, Walston was arrested for drug trafficking.
Berg said what's really going on here is there are people at Joint Council 25 "who want to go back to the old way," while some people at Local 743 "disagree with me" on issues. So they're trumping up charges against him and Alvarez, he said.
Berg said that while the executive board did not approve the firing of the organizer or the severance, members were kept in the loop, and "they didn't get upset until nine months later."
The purpose of the severance "was to settle a potential lawsuit; he'd hired a lawyer," Berg said.
Click here to read another story on this subject.
Alvarez could not be reached for comment.
A spokeswoman for Hoffa released the following statement Tuesday night: "General President Hoffa will consider any matter that is brought before him based on the facts, the evidence, the arguments and what is in the best interest of the membership of Local 743."
Below is the conclusion of the Teamsters investigation into Berg and Alvarez:
FINDINGS AND DISCIPLINE
1. President Berg violated Section 14(A)(5) of the Local 743 Bylaws by failing to
get Executive Board approval for the Severance Agreement he entered into on behalf of
the Local agreeing to pay, and paying, Anthony Caldera $21,000. Berg offered shifting
defenses that ranged from his assertion that the Executive Board did approve the
Agreement to he did not need approval because it was within his power as President.
Berg obviously knew that he did not have approval for the Severance Agreement,
not only at the time he executed such agreement, but at every point thereafter. Berg’s own testimony establishes nothing more than he told the Executive Board February’s meeting about Caldera’s termination and that he told them at the March meeting the details of his settlement with Caldera. Berg incorrectly attempts to equate notification as Executive Board approval for significant expenditure of the Local’s funds. Additionally, Berg’s refusal to accept responsibility for his actions coupled with the lack of any attempted remedial measures is of a serious concern.
President Berg also violated Article XVIII of the IBT International Constitution
by incorrectly interpreting the Local Union’s Bylaws in a way that prohibited newly hired Business Agents on withdrawal cards to immediately deposit their withdrawal cards and convert back to active membership. Berg’s actions precluded the membership of such Business Agents for 18 months from the commencement of their employment with Local 743. The evidence establishes that Berg was aware that this prohibition should not apply with respect to newly hired Business Agents on withdrawal cards.
Accordingly, Berg shall be removed from office immediately. Berg is disqualified from holding any office or employment (including as an independent contractor or consultant) with Local 743, the IBT or any other affiliate of the IBT for
three years. Berg is also suspended from membership in Local 743 or any IBT-affiliated entity for a period of five (5) years, which includes in any manner participating in the affairs of Local 743. Berg shall receive no payments, salary, gratuities, gifts, severance payments, allowances, fees, benefit payments, or contributions or any other compensation of any kind from Local 743 or other IBT affiliate entities, except that he may receive any pension, vacation or other benefits from existing benefit plans or programs maintained by Local 743 or other IBT affiliated entities that have vested or accrued prior to his removal from office. Berg may receive compensation during this three year period in connection
with any service he may perform as an employee covered under a collective bargaining
agreement negotiated by Local 743 or any other IBT affiliate.
In addition to the penalty outlined above, the Business Agents who were
improperly precluded from becoming members for 18 months shall be allowed to
retroactively pay back dues for such period. The Local shall take all necessary steps to properly reflect their corrected membership status and dates. Nothing in this decision shall be construed as prohibiting any such individual from requesting that the Local waive their back dues.
2. Secretary Treasurer Alvarez violated Section 8 (C) by signing a check to
disburse $21,000 to Anthony Caldera when she knew such payment had not been duly
authorized by the Executive Board and failing to take any remedial measures to cure the improperly disbursed monies. Accordingly, Alvarez shall be removed from office
immediately. Alvarez is disqualified from holding any office or employment (including
as an independent contractor or consultant) with Local 743, the IBT or any other affiliate of the IBT for three years. Alvarez is also suspended from membership in Local 743 or any IBT-affiliated entity for a period of three (3) years. Additionally, Alvarez shall receive no payments, salary, gratuities, gifts, severance payments, allowances, fees, benefit payments, or contributions or any other compensation of any kind from Local 743 or other IBT affiliate entities, except that she may receive any pension, vacation or other benefits from existing benefit plans or programs maintained by Local 743 or other IBT affiliated entities that have vested or accrued prior to her removal from office. Alvarez may receive compensation during this three year period in connection with any service she may perform as an employee covered under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by Local 743 or any other IBT affiliate.
Dated: January 11, 2010
Below is the news release put out by Berg:
Teamster Reformers Ousted in Power Grab
Local 743 Members Unite to Say “We Won’t Go Back”
Chicago Teamster bosses ousted reformers Richard Berg and Gina Alvarez from union office today in a power struggle between grassroots reformers and old guard Teamster officials over one of the largest Teamster local unions in Chicago and the country.
Joint Council 25 officials suspended Richard Berg from union membership and removed him as president of Teamsters Local 743 on false charges that he violated Teamster procedures. Alvarez was also suspended from membership and removed as secretary-treasurer.
The 11,000 members of Local 743 voted Berg and his New Leadership Slate into office in 2007 on a reform platform. His election was bitterly opposed—for years—by Chicago’s top Teamster officials, who used every means at their disposal to prevent a reform victory in Local 743.
Berg opponent’s were convicted of stealing a union vote to block his election. One of the vote-riggers is also serving jail time for using Local 743 as a front for drug trafficking. When Berg was nominated in June 2006 for International Vice President on the reform slate, while Chicago's top Teamster official John Coli ran on the old guard slate, Berg was assaulted at the Teamster Convention by former Local 743 president Richard Lopez. Joint Council 25 and International Union officials upheld the Local 743 election results that were stolen and overturned—but today voted to suspend Berg and Alvarez’s union membership—a move that could disqualify them from running for re-election in Local 743.
Local 743 members plan to fight Berg and Alvarez’s removal in federal court, where they were able to win a supervised election.
“They couldn’t steal our election and they couldn’t defeat us at the polls, so they used trumped up charges to oust Richard and Gina and hijack Local 743,” said Joe Sexauer, Local 743 union representative who helped organize Berg’s successful election. “But the union is about more than any one leader—it’s about the members. We’ve defeated corrupt officials before, and we’ll do it again.”
Berg and his New Leadership Slate were elected to lead Local 743 in October 2007 in an election supervised by the Department of Labor—and Berg followed through on his reform platform. He cut his salary by $70,000 and shaved the union payroll by eliminating do-nothing jobs.
Not everyone was happy with Local 743’s new direction—including some of the newly-elected officers. They agreed to run with Berg on a reform platform that included reducing the salaries of overpaid union officials. But they demanded higher salaries once they were in office. When members complained that some union representatives weren’t doing their job, Berg investigated the complaints, took the cases to the union’s Executive Board, and those union representatives were terminated.
Unhappy at the financial reforms—and the demands for accountability of union staff—some Local 743 officers teamed up with Berg’s opponents in the Teamster hierarchy. They filed internal union charges falsely claiming that Berg had failed to present the terminations and other union matters to the Executive Board. Not a single one of the charges alleges that Berg or any other Local 743 reformer took a penny for personal gain.
Local 743 represents 11,000 members at the University of Chicago and U of C Hospital, Rush Presbyterian Hospital, Blue Cross, and numerous shops, factories, offices and nursing homes.
“We elected him, and it's our choice, the membership to keep him or take him out in an election, not like this,” said UC Medical Center worker Jean Moore.
Under Berg’s leadership, Local 743 cut officer salaries, including his own, and put the union’s dues money to work for the membership. Berg hired professional contract negotiators and led a successful strike to protect members’ healthcare. The local has taken stands to promote civil rights and racial equality: Local 743 sponsored Martin Luther King Day events and participated in marches for immigrants rights.
“For years officials treated Local 743 like a piggy-bank,” said Melanie Cloghessy, a member of Local 743 at the University of Chicago. “We won’t go back to those dark days of corruption. The New Leadership team will keep fighting for a union that fights for us.
“The officials who are making this power grab are going to learn that we’ll fight back against their double-dealing just like we stood up to the criminal activities of the past.”
By Robert Herguth, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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OSHA hits unionized painting contractor with violations on tollway project
(POSTED: 1/11/10) A politically active Southeast Side painting contractor that does millions of dollars in government work is facing nearly $180,000 in fines after being accused by federal safety authorities of failing to adequately protect workers from toxic lead on a tollway bridge project.
While sandblasting a bridge where the Tri-State Tollway meets Interstate 55, Era Valdivia Contractors Inc. didn't do enough to monitor lead levels or make sure its crew had working "decontamination" facilities, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The federal agency called the violations stemming from an inspection last July "willful and serious."
The company disputes the allegations. "Era Valdivia takes the matter of worker safety seriously and disputes the current OSHA citations," a statement from the company said.
There's no evidence that workers had dangerous levels of lead in their bodies, but proper procedures to ensure worker safety weren't followed, according to OSHA, which noted that Era Valdivia Contractors has been accused of lead violations seven times before, on previous jobs.
"It's a terrible record," said OSHA's Chicago-area director, Gary Anderson.
Anderson said the company -- which is trying to work out a settlement with the government agency -- has faced two dozen inspections since 1991 and that 18 of those visits resulted in citations.
Era Valdivia Contractors has contributed roughly $40,000 to local political campaign funds over the last decade. Among those it has contributed to: ousted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, Ald. John Pope (10th) and the Hispanic Democratic Organization, a group allied with Mayor Daley that now is the subject of a federal corruption probe.
Among OSHA's current allegations against the company, which is a certified minority contractor:
†Air samples weren't taken at the start of the job to determine the level of lead and the amount of protective gear workers needed. "They put [workers] on a respirator and let them go to work," said Anderson.
†Decontamination showers, hand-washing stations and "change rooms" either weren't provided or weren't operating.
†Protective outfits weren't provided; workers brought their own clothing. The company does considerable government work, often as a subcontractor hired by other companies to work on public projects.
It was paid an estimated $4.25 million for tollway subcontracting since 2003, said Illinois State Toll Highway Authority spokeswoman Joelle McGinnis.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has nine "active" contracts with Era Valdivia, said Paris Ervin, an IDOT spokeswoman, adding that the company's IDOT "certification has not been revoked," but the state agency "will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action as needed."
The company's Web site also cites past work it has done at O'Hare Airport and CTA stations.
Glenn Frederick, a business representative for Painters District Council 14, said one of the main problems at the company is "they're not training their supervision staff properly."
Many rank-and-file Era Valdivia employees belong to the Painters Union.
By Robert Herguth, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Trying times for aviation sector unions in Chicago, U.S.
(POSTED: 1/11/10) Just as the holiday travel season wraps up, it appears there's been a peak in union activity among Chicago's aviation workers.
At the beginning of January, a Chicago-area resident took office as chief of the United Airlines pilots union, United flight attendants protested at O'Hare Airport and the carrier laid off dozens of O'Hare union workers.
Also in recent weeks, union efforts to organize the city's airport security officers grew, while Chicago-based Boeing Co. was criticized by labor organizations for an expansion down South.
The airline industry has started to recover, according to Joe Schwieterman, a transportation expert from DePaul University, but the first quarter of 2010 will be "brutal" for companies with rising fuel prices and lower fares.
The bottom line, he said, is that it's a tough time to work in the industry.
"The economy is improving, but airline workers are overtaxed as ever right now," he said.
Ready to tackle these issues, Capt. Wendy Morse took office Jan. 1 as the new chair of the United chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association.
Morse said in a statement that United pilots have lost their pensions and half their pay, and management seems "unwilling to compensate their pilots based on our unsurpassed performance."
"This simply cannot continue," said Morse, a 24-year veteran pilot based at O'Hare, who is also the first woman to lead the union.
Within her first week in office, Morse also walked a picket line -- in support of United's flight attendants.
About 350 people protested at O'Hare (shown in above photo) on Jan. 7 after the union, the Association of Flight Attendants, and the airline failed to reach a contract agreement on time.
The flight attendants expected to get a new deal by Jan. 7 -- when the contract became amendable under the Railway Labor Act -- to regain the concessions they took in 2002, 2003 and 2005 after the airline went bankrupt. AFA members must continue with the existing contract, however, as negotiations carry on.
"The understanding was that we'd have the opportunity to make improvements at this point," said Sara Nelson, spokeswoman for AFA. "The time for giving is really over. They took and took and took, at the point where we don't have anything to give up."
Increasing pay rates is the top priority for the union. Flight attendants make $17 to $38 an hour, Nelson said, but that only accounts for hours spent in the air, which is around 80 per month for full-time employees. For Nelson, who has been a flight attendant for 13 years, her earnings in 2009 added up to $32,000.
"United wants to find opportunities for employees to make more money, but we also want improvements in productivity," said Megan McCarthy, a United spokeswoman.
The union suspects that United is delaying a contract on purpose, although the airline says that is not true. Since negotiations began last April, United managers have met at the table 49 times -- more days than they've spent with their other unions, McCarthy said.
"United has been fully engaged from the start," she said. "We will continue to bargain in good faith with all our labor unions in order to come up with mutually beneficial agreements."
All six of United's contracts with labor organizations became amendable around the start of 2010. The unions include AFA, ALPA, International Association of Machinists, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, and Professional Airline Flight Control Association.
Affecting members of the Machinists union, 50 United employees at O'Hare have been laid off, and 100 more of the customer service and ramp workers have been switched from full-time to part-time.
The action, which took effect Jan. 10, was part of the airline's plan to downsize. United has reduced aircraft by 20 percent since 2008 and now flies with 100 fewer planes.
Despite the layoffs, McCarthy said United has "adequate staffing to deal with our customers," and the airline has recently had "some of its best performance months ever."
In other airport labor news, the National Treasury Employees Union opened a Chicago chapter last month to represent more than 300 employees of the Transportation Security Administration at O'Hare.
While TSA union membership is growing, the challenge is that the group is not allowed to engage in collective bargaining, said Colleen Kelley, NTEU national president.
"These workers have no voice in their workplace today and they want that voice," Kelley said.
But, she added, securing the "long overdue" collecting bargaining rights is critical in giving them the protection they want.
Under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TSA airport workers look for suspicious behavior around the airport and monitor the security checkpoints. These officers often take a lot of abuse, said Ricky McCoy, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 777, which represents about 450 TSA employees at O’Hare and about 150 at Midway Airport.
McCoy has seen officers slapped in the face with belt buckles and others roughed by passengers who come off the plane drunk.
"If you physically touch a mailman, . . . point blank, you're going to jail," McCoy said. But for TSA officers, "they just sweep it under the rug."
"We just want to be put on the same level of all federal employers," he added.
In response to a reporter's questions, TSA said in an email that it has met with leaders of AFGE and NTEU and "discussed issues of mutual concern affecting the [transportation security officer] workforce." The agency also wrote, "TSA values their input and looks forward to additional opportunities to share information and exchange views."
In a move that has sparked criticism from some labor groups, Chicago-based Boeing Co. broke ground in November for a new 787 jetliner assembly plant in South Carolina.
The company chose South Carolina over Washington because it already had a facility there for 787s, according to Yvonne Leach, a Boeing spokeswoman.
Some have considered the decision to be a setback to organized labor, though, since the plant in South Carolina is nonunion.
But, Leach noted, employees voted in the summer and chose not to unionize.
"It's not the corporations that come in and decide," she said. "Employees made that decision over the summer."
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Carpenters union lays off dozens of organizers
(POSTED: 1/4/10) Though unions are usually fighting against job cuts, one Chicago union recently issued layoff notices to its own employees.
Effective Jan. 1, the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters laid off 58 organizers -– the majority of its full-time organizing staff.
The positions were eliminated as a cost-saving move for the union at a time when there's not much work to organize, according to Frank Libby, president of the council, a union consortium based at 12 E. Erie St. in Chicago.
"We still have the organizing department running, but there's not a whole lot going on out there. The residential field has hit rock bottom," Libby said. "With the lack of income coming in and the lack of jobs out there, it's a double-edged sword."
The layoffs could save the union well over $1 million, based on 2008 salary figures filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. However, Libby said he could not immediately provide financial details.
The role of an organizer is to find nonunion work sites and persuade the contractors and carpenters to join the union. Some workers fear that nonunion construction could increase because of the layoffs.
"It will be on the rise," said Randy Drogos, one of the laid-off organizers. "There's organizing work to be done out there, but if there's no money to pay you, what can you do?"
Libby, however, does not believe the amount of nonunion work will increase, saying both union and nonunion work has "flatlined." He also said the remaining union staff of around 140 can pick up the slack from the cut positions, which covered northern Illinois, eastern Iowa and southeast Wisconsin.
As for the organizers, most of them are also carpenters and could look for work back in the field. That's the case for Drogos, who said he plans to find a job with a contractor.
"You don't have a choice when they tell you the money is not there," said Drogos, a 62-year-old Des Plaines resident. "You pick up your shoes and you go looking for work elsewhere."
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Unemployed union electrician has sights on new job: lieutenant governor
(POSTED: 12/28/09) As a candidate for Illinois lieutenant governor in the Feb. 2 primary election, Thomas Castillo said unions don't have to worry about him being a friend to labor -– he is labor.
The 33-year-old Chicago native has been an electrician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134 for about 11 years. He also has a dozen relatives working in Illinois unions, including the IBEW, Teamsters, Laborers, United Auto Workers, Illinois Federation of Teachers and Sprinkler Fitters.
"I have an understanding of what it means to be labor, and no other candidate in this race can make that claim," said Castillo, one of at least six Democratic contenders and 13 overall vying to fill the vacant seat left by Pat Quinn, who took over as governor when Rod Blagojevich was ousted.
Though Castillo (pictured above talking to union members in Melrose Park) is proud to be a union member, he said his career as an electrician has always been "plan B." He has never run for public office before, but he believes a move to politics could allow him to make a difference.
"I can't turn a blind eye anymore," Castillo said. "No one else is stepping up to fight for the people."
In reality, the position he seeks holds little power. Castillo, however, said there are ways to use the office effectively. He plans to act as a liaison between the public and legislators.
With the support of union members, he believes he could gain "an edge over any current elected official in Illinois."
He also thought he could rely on unions to contribute the money needed to cover his campaign funds, with $250,000 as the initial goal. But when the Illinois AFL-CIO, among the state's largest labor organizations, decided to endorse Democrat Terry Link about two weeks ago, that plan was shot. With the election about a month away, Castillo hopes to finish with $25,000.
"There are not too many labor unions that will go against what the AFL-CIO says," said Castillo, who has now heavily depended on the Internet and social media web sites for his campaign. "I don't expect any support from the hierarchy of union leaders. However, from the union members, I believe I will receive a lot of support."
Part of that support stems from Castillo's background, which shows that he is more in tune with the challenges of working families, he said.
Like many of his fellow union workers, Castillo has been laid off for more than a year. He was first placed on Local 134's waiting list for jobs at 1,160 in line. Now, 13 months later, Castillo is around 520, and he's expecting it will be another six to eight months before he is back at work.
"I know what it's like -- what families are going through, especially union families . . . to feed our mouths and keep a roof over our heads, worrying about our insurance running out," said Castillo, who now resides in Elmhurst with his wife, Elizabeth, and dog, Carma.
But, "anything that doesn't break the ice makes you stronger," he added.
Not surprisingly, one of the key issues of his campaign focuses on jobs. His vision includes turning Illinois into the nation's capital of green manufacturing. By offering tax breaks and other incentives, he wants to bring research, development and manufacturing for green products, such as wind turbines and solar panels, to Illinois.
"That would bring hundreds of thousands of strong union jobs to Illinois over the next decade," he said.
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Brand new Gold Coast hotel finds Teamsters with picket signs at doorstep
(POSTED: 12/21/09) When the Elysian held a grand opening Dec. 9, the ultra-luxury hotel on Chicago's Gold Coast found Teamsters at the doorstep -- picketing against what the union contends are sub-standard wages and benefits from the building's valet contractor.
The Elysian is the latest Chicago-area hotel to witness union trouble. Unite Here Local 1, which represents hospitality workers, voted in late October to authorize a strike against five downtown hotels. And the strike at the Congress Plaza Hotel has been going on for more than six years.
The picket at the Elysian, however, is not a strike –- nor is it on behalf of union members. What's more, Teamsters leaders say it "has nothing to do with the Elysian."
It is an informational picket, they say, led by Teamsters Local 727 to let the public know that Autopark, LLC –- the parking vendor at the Elysian -- is paying its parking attendants below the area's standards in wages and benefits.
What the standard is remains unclear: Teamsters officials won't provide figures, saying they're in the middle of talks with Autopark management.
But, "the guys here are making less than the guys across the street doing the exact same thing," said Carmen Olmetti, a Local 727 business representative.
When reached by ChicagoUnionNews, an official with Autopark would not say much. "My lawyer has advised me not to make a comment," he said. "This is an issue that we are working on with the union to get on the same page."
In the meantime, the Teamsters will continue to picket outside the 60-story hotel, located at 11 E. Walton St., as they have during most of the Elysian's first 10 days open to the city.
"Does it look bad for the Elysian? Yeah, absolutely, it will have an adverse effect," Olmetti said of the presence of union picketers at the new hotel. "That's not the intent. That's not why we are out there."
The hotel's general manager, Kevin Robinson, said it's just "business as usual for us."
"They have the right to be here," he said of the union. However, Robinson declined to comment further.
The Autopark drivers at the hotel said they could not answer a reporter's questions.
Though the valet drivers are nonunion -– and much of the industry in the Chicago area is union -– the Teamsters leaders insist that their action is not about getting new members.
A picket for representation follows a different set of regulations and is more restricted by the law, compared to an "area standards" picket. With "insanely complicated" picketing laws, sometimes "the line gets very, very fuzzy" between the two types, said University of Illinois labor specialist Joe Berry, and employers often challenge a union's objective in a picket.
But even if a union is fighting on behalf of nonunion workers and is not making a demand for recognition, Berry said the issue of area standards is still a "very legitimate concern for unions" because it puts their union jobs at risk.
"It's going to affect the industry," Olmetti said, explaining why it is important for the Teamsters. "Part of our job is to do this -– to preserve the area standards. . . . We need to send the message that hey, we're not going to let a company come in and erode standards."
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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Labor figure dragged into legal battle with City Hall
(POSTED: 12/14/09) A veteran reporter for Chicago's Labor Beat -- a pro-labor cable-access television show for rank-and-file workers -- found himself caught up in an ongoing legal battle in which he faced a subpoena calling for six years' worth of footage that he shot for the program.
Martin Conlisk -- who has covered labor topics including unions, picket lines and protests for 17 years at Labor Beat -- was filming a story at an anti-war demonstration on March 19, 2005, when he captured the arrest of a protester, Andy Thayer, on camera. (This image is shown above.)
Two years later Thayer filed a civil rights lawsuit that is still pending against the city of Chicago, alleging that his arrest was unconstitutional and that "the city has a general policy of suppressing protests against the Iraq war," according to court documents.
Following the claim, the city issued what Conlisk called a "sweeping" subpoena for all of his video relating to anti-war marches since 2003. The subpoena also covered documents and, therefore, his computer hard drives.
The city said Conlisk's video could provide a "unique and valuable perspective" to the case, but Conlisk objected, claiming it was "overly burdensome," court documents show.
"We thought [the subpoena] was reasonable," said Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for the city’s Law Department. "We believed that he had relevant evidence."
U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys ordered Conlisk to produce his protest-related materials but narrowed the scope of what should be turned over to the city. The court also determined that there's no reporter privilege in the 7th Circuit under these circumstances.
"He ended up having to hand over footage that was relevant to the underlying suit," said Tiffany Wohlfeil, Conlisk's attorney, but it was "massively less than what the city had asked for."
Also during the suit, Wohlfeil said the city had challenged Conlisk’s status as a reporter, referring to him as a "lobbyist, publicity agent, or propagandist." Keys dismissed such claims as irrelevant.
"It’s very smothering for free press," Conlisk said of the issues raised by the case. (His involvement in the case ended earlier this year, although the Thayer lawsuit still is active.)
Though his work at Labor Beat is volunteer -- as the entire staff is unpaid -- Conlisk, 53, considers himself a journalist and said he is one of the few in Chicago that focuses on the city’s labor issues.
Labor Beat, Chicago's longest-running cable TV program that is geared towards the labor community, is approaching its 600th show after 22 years on the air.
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoUnionNews
Contact: info@chicagounionnews.com
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