Chicago, IL – Rank and file union leaders at the University of Illinois at Chicago, members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, are supporting a call for an elected, Civilian Police Accountability Council in Chicago.

The Joint Bargaining Committee (JBC) of Local 73 at UIC represents 3500 workers throughout the university. The JBC is made up of the members of the four bargaining committees for Local 73 at UIC: Service and Maintenance, Clerical and Administrative, Technical, and the Professional unit.

The JBC voted last week to endorse legislation drafted by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. This legislation would replace the current Police Board and Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA).

The resolution adopted by the JBC states, “Our union fights to protect us on the job, but as we all know, there are dangers to our members that are present in the communities where we live as well. Recently, the whole country has been made aware that for African American and Latino communities, there is a crisis of police crimes that go unpunished.”

“SEIU Local 73 Joint Bargaining Committee at UIC hereby endorses the call for an elected, Civilian Police Accountability Council.”

Andre Reed, co-chair of the JBC, said, “Our next step will be to take this proposal to the Local 73 General Membership meeting in April.” Local 73 is an amalgamated union with contracts representing 28,000 workers in state, county and municipal employment.

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