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July 7-8, 2012
100 Degree temperatures and the members are out walking the picket line, and Illinois State Senator the Honorable Don Harmon stops to give his support on this hot day.
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Don Harmon has long been a good ally of the SEIU and for the just rights of workers in Illinois. Hopefully his embracing of these strikers will help bring clearer heads in the discussions ahead facing both parties.
The Rat signifies the persona of the Village's position from the perspective of the union members on the line.
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© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. Video
In shade and full sun, the workers held their signs high.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos
Union families came out in support of the Strikers.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Senator Harmon with Strikers.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Monday on the Picket Line, more horns in support of the union and a long
hot day in the sun.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos
The man was helped to his feet by Oak Park paramedics and given fluids.
Inside Village Hall on Monday, it looked like a ghost town....
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
The list of names below is a list of union workers who crossed their own picket line, either in objection to the strike or with concern for the their missed pay. Some of the people crossing the line to work against the strike effort have had their jobs saved by union efforts in the past.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
It was a hot day, horns were honking
in support of the strikers, and the administrators were working to fill
the requests of the public who came for their parking and sticker
purchases. Inside it was air conditioned and some people we spoke
to would not cross the picket lines for their stickers and would come
later when the workers were back on their jobs.
Christine Boardman, the President of Service Employees International Union, told us that Village of Oak Park employees doing secretarial-type work are making on average $5000.00 less per year than people doing comparable work in nearby municipalities.
The Chicago Tribune report of costs for operating a municipality shows a large disparity depending on populations and socio economic variances in the residents. It showed the highest raise for workers and administrators, other than police and fire fighters was 5% and the average was close to 4%. Oak Park is very low on those scales.
One of the areas of contention is the topic of merit raises, the Village has offered a 1% merit raise, (on top of a 1% cost of living increase for all workers) for people they feel have met their standard for that raise. Village sources have told us that 65% of the current workers would be eligible for that merit raise.
The union has told us that they have requested a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) record of how many merit raises the Village has given to its union workers. They say they have not seen any report showing any raises ever given under merit. Village sources have said they there have been merit raises given in the past, but we have seen no evidence yet.
Christine Boardman, the President of Service Employees International Union, told us that Village of Oak Park employees doing secretarial-type work are making on average $5000.00 less per year than people doing comparable work in nearby municipalities.
The Chicago Tribune report of costs for operating a municipality shows a large disparity depending on populations and socio economic variances in the residents. It showed the highest raise for workers and administrators, other than police and fire fighters was 5% and the average was close to 4%. Oak Park is very low on those scales.
One of the areas of contention is the topic of merit raises, the Village has offered a 1% merit raise, (on top of a 1% cost of living increase for all workers) for people they feel have met their standard for that raise. Village sources have told us that 65% of the current workers would be eligible for that merit raise.
The union has told us that they have requested a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) record of how many merit raises the Village has given to its union workers. They say they have not seen any report showing any raises ever given under merit. Village sources have said they there have been merit raises given in the past, but we have seen no evidence yet.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. Video
In shade and full sun, the workers held their signs high.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos
Union families came out in support of the Strikers.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Senator Harmon with Strikers.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Monday on the Picket Line, more horns in support of the union and a long
hot day in the sun.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
A man walking the picket line falls from the heat and is aided by SEIU
members, some paramedics, until the Oak Park Fire Department arrives
to care for the man.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos
The man was helped to his feet by Oak Park paramedics and given fluids.
Inside Village Hall on Monday, it looked like a ghost town....
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
The list of names below is a list of union workers who crossed their own picket line, either in objection to the strike or with concern for the their missed pay. Some of the people crossing the line to work against the strike effort have had their jobs saved by union efforts in the past.
James Dee
Kenneth Brown
Mary Avinger
Diane Stanislavski
Wanda Humphrey
Jesus Rodriguez
Tom Christiansen
Elia Gallegos
Dianna Gholston
Trenia Johnson
Commentary by the Editor
The
idea of merit raises for Union workers flies in the face of the purpose
of a union in the first place. Unions were formed to secure the
rights of workers to have a reasonable wage and safe conditions at
work. To offer merit raises is a strike right at the heart of the
concept of union brothers and sisters standing together for their
rights. There have been ways to give additional funds to classes
of workers, based on different jobs and years on the job, but merit
erodes at the solidarity of the union concept.
Given Oak Park's major league mistakes over the past several years of building a $7,000,000.00 parking garage for the High School, when assigned parking on the surrounding streets would have done the same thing, with a cost of only reprinting some parking signs is a waste. $6,000,000.00 for one block of Marion Street is insane, and even more crazy with the heated special blue stone walk ways-at a time when there is a reported $10,000,000.00 parking deficit.
The Board at Village hall then decided to fight in the courts with the two local school districts at a cost at or near $750,000.00, for the taxpayers to pay. Then the same board decided that the work of the Supreme Court did not apply to the Village of Oak Park with it's home rule powers. Fighting the Supreme Courts ruling on the Second Amendment was costly. The cost for that brain debacle will cost the taxpayers another chunk of change that could bring the entire mess to over or near $1,000,000.00.
The Village also fought the Police and Pension board, and lost in the past year or so, because they did their own accounting at the time, and made some big mistakes. Fighting the Fire Department for many years before renewing their contract cost the Village a sum that they can not pay off in the economy-within a year. The Village needs to get way smarter on financial and humanitarian matters concerning its workers and taxpayers.
Given Oak Park's major league mistakes over the past several years of building a $7,000,000.00 parking garage for the High School, when assigned parking on the surrounding streets would have done the same thing, with a cost of only reprinting some parking signs is a waste. $6,000,000.00 for one block of Marion Street is insane, and even more crazy with the heated special blue stone walk ways-at a time when there is a reported $10,000,000.00 parking deficit.
The Board at Village hall then decided to fight in the courts with the two local school districts at a cost at or near $750,000.00, for the taxpayers to pay. Then the same board decided that the work of the Supreme Court did not apply to the Village of Oak Park with it's home rule powers. Fighting the Supreme Courts ruling on the Second Amendment was costly. The cost for that brain debacle will cost the taxpayers another chunk of change that could bring the entire mess to over or near $1,000,000.00.
The Village also fought the Police and Pension board, and lost in the past year or so, because they did their own accounting at the time, and made some big mistakes. Fighting the Fire Department for many years before renewing their contract cost the Village a sum that they can not pay off in the economy-within a year. The Village needs to get way smarter on financial and humanitarian matters concerning its workers and taxpayers.
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published by Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.