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FIGHT IS ON TO SAVE JOBS AND SERVICES IN HOSPITAL SYSTEM


January 2010
(orginally published in the SEIU Local 73 quarterly newsletter)

     The Cook County Health & Hospitals System is under attack, threatening hundreds of our jobs and many of the essential services that we provide to the public, the poor and the uninsured.
     Plans call for deep cuts in the system, including the elimination of inpatient services at Provident and Oak Forest hospitals and the closing of one or more community clinics.
     190 members of Local 73 have received layoff notices. This includes 146 of our brothers and sisters at Oak Forest.
     The layoffs are scheduled to kick in on January 15, 2010.

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Stroger vetoes 'nearsighted' rollback of county sales tax

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(November 23)
     Cook County Board President Todd Stroger today vetoed the half-percent sales tax rollback passed by commissioners.
     Stroger called the measure "a nearsighted action that will force significant cuts to the county’s health care and public safety systems and negatively affect the people who need these services the most."
      Stroger announced the veto on the steps of the hospital named after his late father, backed by medical workers, clergy, community activists and union leaders, including SEIU Local 73 Vice President Betty Boles.
    
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Partial sales tax rollback passes, threatening public health system jobs, services

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Cook County Board President Todd Stroger speaks with reporters after the sales tax rollback vote.

(November 17)
     Cook County Commissioners voted 12-5 to roll back half of the one penny sales tax increase passed last year.
     County Board President Todd Stroger says the move will decimate the public health system that serves the poor and uninsured.
    
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Local 73, Stroger step up fight to save jobs, services in county hospitals system

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     County Board President Todd Stroger joined nurses, doctors, patients, community members, elected officials and representatives of Local 73 and other unions at a news conference Monday in front of Stroger Hospital to oppose mass layoffs of frontline workers and the elimination of inpatient services at two of Cook County's three hospitals.
     
Click here to sign an electronic petition to stop the cuts

Click below to download a Word document version of the petition.
 stopthecutspetition stopthecutspetition          
     

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'Don't shut us out' of plans,
Local 73 tells hospital board

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(SEIU Local 73 photo / Jonathan Labe)

September 14, 2009
     SEIU Local 73 is demanding a dialogue with the Cook County Health and Hospitals System Board amid word the system is planning as many as 500 layoffs.
      "My request to you is simple and straightforward," Local 73 President Christine Boardman told the panel during a budget hearing on Monday. "We ask you to include us in direct and straightforward discussions on the reductions that are being proposed prior to a final decision being made."  

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COUNTY WAGE PROPOSAL ‘GROSSLY INADEQUATE’

(August 27, 2009)
    After months of contract negotiations between your bargaining team and Cook County representatives, the gap between us and them on money, wages and other critical issues is as wide as the Grand Canyon. Our most recent proposal calls for the following increases in pay rates for all classifications:
     --- December 1, 2008  — 6.5%
     --- December 1, 2009  — 6.5%
     --- December 1, 2010  — 6.5%
     Our proposal would give you greater pay equity with your counterparts in the private sector.
     That’s a far cry from the county’s most recent proposal:

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D-DAY COMING TO COUNTY BOARD:
Adequate funding for county services, jobs at stake

(August 27, 2009)
     September 1 is D-Day in a political war whose outcome is critical to each and every one of you.
     Cook County Commissioners will be attempting to override Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's veto of a partial roll back of an increase in the county sales tax.
     Stroger calls the move "colossally irresponsible" and we agree with him on this issue. Revenue is a problem.

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ONE UNION, ONE VOICE

Cook County Health and Hospitals System union workers vote overwhelmingly to rejoin SEIU Local 73

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SEIU Local 73 photo / Leonard Simpson

July 01, 2009

    Union workers in the Cook County public health care system have voted to ratify an agreement to affiliate with SEIU Local 73.
     The decisive 707-11 vote reunifies all public sector Cook County employees back into Local 73, providing for better bargaining strength and leverage with management.

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