Cook County

UNION CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST
UNFAIR LAYOFFS IN HOSPITAL SYSTEM

March 29, 2010

     Our battle with the Cook County Health and Hospitals System escalated early this year as 181 of our members were targeted for layoffs.
     Most of the layoffs were a direct result of the Health and Hospital Board’s decision to shut down inpatient services at Oak Forest and Provident hospitals.
     Even though the Union opposed the layoffs, we participated in the process to protect our members’ rights.
     Despite many problems with the process, the Union was successful in averting a significant number of layoffs.
     95 members were placed in vacant positions.
     12 layoff notices were rescinded after we argued that the public would be harmed because essential services provided by those workers were needed.
     In the end, 107 members’ jobs were saved.

Shutting down inpatient services at Oak Forest Hospital abandons the South Side and the Southland community

     The uninsured population of the Southland suburban community and the South Side of Chicago do not have any place to go for emergency medical care.
    Given the current economic and jobless situation, these communities suffer some of the greatest levels of unemployment and lack of any health insurance.
     The mission of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System has always been to provide health care to anyone regardless of his or her ability to pay.
     Cutting back these services further limits the options that the working poor and the uninsured have.
     We are continuing to try to convince the Health and Hospitals Board to look at the actual needs of the community and not shut down inpatient services at Oak Forest and Provident hospitals.

The County hospital system grossly violated employees’ rights by not giving members their full set of rights.

     The Union filed grievances on behalf of all affected members who were hurt by the refusal of the County to give them their full options.
     Grievance hearings regarding the layoffs are ongoing now.
     The County’s refusal to allow lateral bumping into jobs where the member had the skill, seniority and ability to perform the job was a gross injustice to our members.
     Where we cannot persuade the County to reverse its position, we fully plan to arbitrate all the grievances.

Oak Forest starts contract for CNA services, additionally violating the contract.

     Gareda Diversified Services is performing work that could well employ additional CNAs at OFH. The Union is pursuing unfair labor practices charges and grievances on the use of contract labor against the Health & Hospitals System.

LOCAL 73, MANAGEMENT STILL FAR APART
ON WAGES, OTHER KEY CONTRACT ISSUES

March 29, 2010

    Despite 18 months of talks and the presence of a federal mediator, our bargaining committee reports virtually no progress in contract negotiations with representatives of Cook County.
     Our most recent wage proposal calls for the following increase in pay rates for all classifications:

● 4 percent across the board retroactive to 12/01/08
● 4 percent across the board on 12/01/09
● 4 percent across the board on 12/01/10
● 4 percent across the board on 12/01/11

    That’s a far cry from the County’s proposal:

●  Freeze steps – effective upon county board ratification
● 1 percent increase on 06/01/10
● 1.75 percent increase on 06/01/11
● 2.25 percent increase on 06/01/12

     Among the other issues of contention in our negotiations: health benefits.
     Management is proposing that our members pay 15 percent of the total costs associated with the county’s health plans. Premiums, deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket maximums would all increase significantly under this proposal.
     We also have differences with management over its discipline policy.
     We want suspensions to be removed from an employee’s personnel file after 36 months, instead of 48 months.
     We want a prohibition on the placement of anonymous material in an employee’s personnel file.
     We want employees who are detained by County investigators to be informed of their right to Union representation prior to any questioning and to be advised of any and all allegations.
     Two Universal Bargaining sessions scheduled for late March were cancelled and we expect the negotiations to resume in mid-April.

GET INVOLVED!!! LET THE UNION KNOW IF YOU ARE OVERWORKED OR IF SUPERVISORS ARE DOING BARGAINING UNIT WORK!!!

     Are you doing the work previously performed by two or more people?
     Is your supervisor now doing bargaining unit work?
     If you are experiencing either of these situations at your work site, please let the Union know by calling the Local 73 Member Resource Center at 1-312-588-7630 or 1-888-734-8573.

Illinois' 'all-out-offensive' on union pensions

By Adam Doster
progressillinois.com
March 25, 2010

     In the blink of an eye yesterday, the General Assembly passed (by a wide margin) a historic overhaul of Illinois' public employee pension system.
     It's important to remember that these cuts do not effect current employees.
     Still, organized labor is furious over the legislation -- and with good reason.
     Illinois' current level of benefits is modest and in line with other states in the region.
     The primary reason the state’s pension system is so out of whack is that state lawmakers -- instead of reforming the tax system to raise revenue sustainable and fairly -- have skimped on payments for decades, using money designated for the pension system to cover core services.
     In short, lawmakers misrepresented the problem instead of owning up to their own failures. And in devising a political solution, they threw their key allies under the bus.

Read the full article at progressillinois.com

Health Insurance Reform:
The Facts, Questions and Answers
For Workers Who Deliver Public Services

March 30, 2010
from the SEIU Public Services Division

     SEIU public service members were a national force driving the passage of the historic health care legislation President Obama signed into law on Tuesday March 23, 2010.
   The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is an enormous victory for every working family who ever worried about how they were going to pay for their children’s health care, struggled in the face of medical bankruptcy or saw their dreams taken away by skyrocketing health care costs.
     SEIU members should be very proud to share this good news with their family, friends, and neighbors.

Click on the link below for The Facts: What Health
Insurance Reform Means to America’s Working Families

» Read more

SEIU endorses Toni Preckwinkle For Cook County Board President

Toni Preckwinkle and SEIU Local 73 President Christine Boardman speak in Chicago on January 12.

(January 22, 2010)
     The SEIU Illinois Council is proud to endorse Toni Preckwinkle for President of the Cook County Board.
     During her years in the Chicago City Council, Preckwinkle earned a record of distinguished public service by challenging the political establishment and standing up for working families.
     "We need a county board president with some backbone on the side of working families," said SEIU Local 73 President Christine Boardman. "It is our strong belief that Toni Preckwinkle is that person."

Toni Preckwinkle for Cook County Board President Web site

» Read more