La presidenta del SEIU Local 73, Dian Palmer, encabezó todas estas huelgas – más huelgas que cualquier otro sindicato local o internacional en los Estados Unidos durante ese periodo. Tres de las huelgas ocurrieron durante la pandemia de covid-19. El único sindicato en el país que se le acerca a este récord es el Sindicato de Maestros de Chicago, pero sus huelgas – aunque fueron más grandes – se realizaron a lo largo de siete años.

Muchos sindicalistas, incluyendo el SEIU a nivel nacional, le están prestando atención al Local 73. ¡Lucha y Resiste! tuvo la oportunidad de hacerle unas preguntas a la presidenta Palmer acerca de las lecciones que ha dejado la huelga en el Condado Cook.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Podrías hablar acerca de lo que hacen los trabajadores del Condado Cook y por qué están en huelga? Dian Palmer: SEIU Local 73 representa alrededor de 2,500 trabajadores en cuatro áreas principales de trabajo y ocho contratos: salud del Condado Cook, la oficina del alguacil, las oficinas del presidente del condado, y la oficina desecretarios. Lamentablemente, estos trabajadores han laborado por varios años con contratos que producen ganadores y perdedores usando un sistema en el cual el condado le incrementa los sueldos a algunos trabajadores y se olvida de otros. El condado también jugó un juego sucio ya que el condado se salió con la suya pagando tarifas inferiores a las del mercado para los trabajadores que trabajaban de guardia porque un miembro calculó mal la cantidad de trabajadores que calificarían para el pago de guardia.El condado se lavó las manos y nos dijo, “es su problema. Ustedes van a recibir esta cantidad de dinero. Háganlo rendir.” Esto resultó en que a los trabajadores se les pagara tarifas inferiores a las del mercado por tres años.

Por último, el condado a menudo dejaba atrás a grupos de trabajadores en el mismo trabajo. Es decir, los trabajadores que realizaban el mismo trabajo con una antigüedad similar ganaban diferentes salarios.

Los trabajadores se quejaban de la falta de dignidad y respeto en el trabajo. Frecuentemente, el condado castigaba a los trabajadores por motivos de enojo y venganza. El condado recibió ayuda federal por la pandemia, pero se negó a incrementarle los sueldos a trabajadores con esa ayuda. Algunos trabajadores y sus familias se enfermaron, y lamentablemente algunos fallecieron. Lo mínimo que el condado pudo haber hecho fue incrementarles los sueldos a todos los trabajadores. Algunos recibieron incrementos y algunos no. De nuevo, ganadores y perdedores.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Además de los sitios en huelga, nos podrías describir las demostraciones organizadas por los huelguistas? ¿Cuál era la estrategia general? Palmer: Nuestra estrategia era hacer público nuestro mensaje y llevar nuestros asuntos a los ciudadanos y sobre todo a los votantes. Organizamos manifestaciones, marchamos por las calles, tuvimos una vigilia e hicimos algunas sentadas en el ayuntamiento.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Qué tipo de apoyo recibió la huelga de parte de otros sindicatos y la comunidad? Palmer: La ayuda de otros sindicatos fue clave. Nos ayudaron a desarrollar nuestra estrategia para las negociaciones, nos dieron apoyo financiero, y se comunicaban con los funcionarios. Muchos de ellos nos llamaron para informarnos de su apoyo y afirmar su compromiso. Le quiero dar un saludo especial al presidente Greg Kelly [SEIU Health Care Illinois/Indiana], quien se reunió con nosotros hasta la madrugada durante una sesión de negociaciones.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: 18 días es bastante tiempo para estar sin trabajar. ¿Qué hizo el sindicato para mantener la unidad entre los huelguistas? Palmer: Los trabajadores fueron increíbles. Los mantuvimos informados en cada etapa del proceso. Lucharon porque se dieron cuenta, como dijo Barack Obama, de que “eran el cambio por el que estaban esperando.”

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo describirías el resultado de la huelga? Palmer: El resultado no fue todo por lo que luchamos, pero fue un logro en comparación con lo que teníamos. Desafortunadamente, tuvimos que dejar dos asuntos para arbitraje porque el condado se negó a negociar un acuerdo razonable para aumentar el sueldo a los trabajadores menos pagados, por un lado, y, por el otro, a los que han trabajado por más tiempo. Fue una dura batalla con el condado. Lanzaron una campaña difamatoria en contra de los lideres del local con comentarios verbales y escritos, y sus acciones fueron muy parecidas a la represión sindical. ¡Imagínate eso! Pero seguimos adelante porque a fin de cuentas, es lo que merecen nuestros miembros. Es lo que merecen todos los trabajadores.

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles

Chicago, IL – On July 12, more than 2500 Cook County, Illinois workers who are members of SEIU Local 73 ended an 18-day strike after winning major improvements on key issues. Two issues remained outstanding in the deal but will now move to interest-based arbitration, which only became an option because the workers went on strike.

In the partial tentative agreement, the union members won better pay equity across multiple areas of the county. They also won hazard pay for certain essential workers during the pandemic, and language to prioritize seniority in hiring and promotions from within. These victories will improve equity at the county, where most of the union workers are Black or brown, and most are women. They had been fighting for these type of equity proposals throughout bargaining and the strike.

The union members have been in negotiations for more than ten months and their contract expired on December 1, 2020. The now-ended 18-day strike was the longest strike that Local 73 has ever held and is the longest strike of public sector workers in Chicago in recent history.

The proposals that will go to arbitration now are over raising the bottom of the wage scale and improving longevity pay steps for long-term workers.

Sylvia Kizer who is a building service worker at Stroger Hospital, states “This fight gave us courage, taught us how to fight, and to believe in ourselves. The issue was never about going to work, it was about the conditions we were working in.” She went on to say, “We built solidarity across the county, job titles, education levels, and we became family. I can walk around with my head held high. This is a movement not a moment, and we will never be the same.”

Shadonna Davis is a worker in Cook County Jail and has the following to say, “The strike was a sacrifice that many of us made and it paid off. It’s a shame that Preckwinkle forced us to go out on strike for 18 days when she could have given us the same agreement as the other unions.”

One major sticking point for the union had been that the county recently settled contracts with two other unions that represent Cook County workers yet was not offering comparable contracts to the SEIU-represented workers. Now, by striking, the workers have moved the needle and received a contract offer that comes much closer to those offers and have returned to their jobs having won a major victory.

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes

Chicago, IL – Cook County workers in are standing strong after 17 days on strike. The strike by members of SEIU Local 73 took a bitter turn four days after workers walked off the job, when Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle offered three other unions contracts with the wages demanded by SEIU and refused in bargaining to offer SEIU similar terms.

This strike comes after a long and difficult period for many of the county workers who have seen setback after setback from Democrat politicians – who in many cases have run for office using language about opposing racism and representing the people. Before this strike there were other strikes in Chicago in recent years in which the boss at the bargaining table is an elected Democrat, including three by Chicago Teachers Union against former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and current Mayor Lori Lightfoot, as well as strikes by the Illinois Nurses Association and SEIU Local 73 at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), with Governor J.B. Pritzker.

A strong majority of the Cook County union members are Black and Latino. They are striking for a decent contract but also say they are on strike for a new compact with the Democrat politicians demanding that they stop attacking the working class, Black and brown people, and stop attempting at every turn to roll back benefits and wages in county jobs.

More than 100,000 residents of the Chicago area lost their houses in the Great Recession, disproportionately in Black and Latino communities. Since then, public sector jobs, which were long a pathway to stable lives and prosperity, especially for Black workers, have seen workers just breaking even with little or no wage increases.

Friday evening, July 9, a striker vigil was held for those members of Local 73 at County who became ill or died from COVID. Clerical Worker Shadonna Davis reminded the crowd that the county jail was the single worst COVID-19 super spreader of any institution in the U.S. for the first months of the epidemic. Davis herself contracted COVID in the jail and took it home where her family also got sick, and while those at home all survived, her father, a 24-year employee at the jail, contracted COVID at work and died from it.

The Chicago Federation of Labor also had a truck full of boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables for the workers.

Also, in attendance at the vigil were SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer, Secretary Treasurer Joe Richert, and Larry Alcoff, who is the lead negotiator for the 2500 striking workers at Cook County. In recent discussions throughout the last week the union and members have recommitted to stay on strike and continue to fight for what is right both in the contract and for the community.

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #strike #Strikes #CookCountyWorkers

Chicago, IL – Cook County workers in are standing strong after 17 days on strike. The strike by members of SEIU Local 73 took a bitter turn four days after workers walked off the job, when Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle offered three other unions contracts with the wages demanded by SEIU and refused in bargaining to offer SEIU similar terms.

This strike comes after a long and difficult period for many of the county workers who have seen setback after setback from Democrat politicians – who in many cases have run for office using language about opposing racism and representing the people. Before this strike there were other strikes in Chicago in recent years in which the boss at the bargaining table is an elected Democrat, including three by Chicago Teachers Union against former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and current Mayor Lori Lightfoot, as well as strikes by the Illinois Nurses Association and SEIU Local 73 at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), with Governor J.B. Pritzker.

A strong majority of the Cook County union members are Black and Latino. They are striking for a decent contract but also say they are on strike for a new compact with the Democrat politicians demanding that they stop attacking the working class, Black and brown people, and stop attempting at every turn to roll back benefits and wages in county jobs.

More than 100,000 residents of the Chicago area lost their houses in the Great Recession, disproportionately in Black and Latino communities. Since then, public sector jobs, which were long a pathway to stable lives and prosperity, especially for Black workers, have seen workers just breaking even with little or no wage increases.

Friday evening, July 9, a striker vigil was held for those members of Local 73 at County who became ill or died from COVID. Clerical Worker Shadonna Davis reminded the crowd that the county jail was the single worst COVID-19 super spreader of any institution in the U.S. for the first months of the epidemic. Davis herself contracted COVID in the jail and took it home where her family also got sick, and while those at home all survived, her father, a 24-year employee at the jail, contracted COVID at work and died from it.

The Chicago Federation of Labor also had a truck full of boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables for the workers.

Also, in attendance at the vigil were SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer, Secretary Treasurer Joe Richert, and Larry Alcoff, who is the lead negotiator for the 2500 striking workers at Cook County. In recent discussions throughout the last week the union and members have recommitted to stay on strike and continue to fight for what is right both in the contract and for the community.

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #strike #Strikes #CookCountyWorkers

Chicago, IL – Workers at Cook County in Illinois have been on strike for two weeks as of today, July 8. Yesterday the workers ratcheted up the pressure on Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle with a large rally and sit-in at the president’s office.

Earlier in the day the workers had continued to picket at Stroger and Provident Hospitals, the County Jail, the Markham Courthouse, and multiple construction sites. Later they carpooled in large numbers to Daley Plaza where the Cook County Building is. Once there they started out by shutting down and holding an intersection for more than ten minutes then led a march which wrapped fully around all sides of the building. As this was occurring outside the building, a smaller group of strikers went into the building and up to the fifth floor where Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle’s office is located and delivered a letter of solidarity from unions and community supporters. Preckwinkle’s staff would not come out to talk to the crowd, so they decided to stay and occupy the area to demand that Preckwinkle settle their union contract.

This sit-in and rally came on the 13th day of around 2000 county workers being on strike demanding a fair contract like the one that the county agreed to with its AFSCME and National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC)-represented workers. With those unions, the county agreed to 8.5% in pay raises over four years and both unions also won improvements to their wage schedules. NNOC received three additional step increases for longevity of 2% each. The AFSCME members won an increase to the top step of the wage scale which caused an adjustment across the scale creating pay increases at all levels. The SEIU members say they deserve a contract similar to the ones that the county has already agreed to with its other unions. The Cook County SEIU members say their longevity increases have been diminishing throughout their wage scale. Additionally, their healthcare costs have been rising.

The striking union members held a mass call on Wednesday, July 7, out of which they made a new commitment to stand strong and continue the fight for the contract they deserve. They also began preparations to hold a large online civil disobedience training, signaling again that they are not likely to back down any time soon and area ready to do what it takes to win.

The Cook County strike is not the first strike in recent years that has taken place in the Chicago area in which working class union members are having to fight back against attacks from elected officials who are Democrats. Preckwinkle is a Democrat and is in charge of the union negotiations for Cook County. The Chicago Teachers Union has had to hold multiple strikes in recent years during negotiations with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and before that Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who are both members of the Democrat party. It has become increasingly clear that the only way that workers can get a fair shake in negotiations is if they make their voices heard loud and clear on the strike lines and in the streets, regardless which party is in office.

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes #CookCountyStrike

Chicago, IL – Hundreds of workers clad in purple rallied in 90-degree heat in front of Provident Hospital on Chicago’s South Side today, July 5. According to Ericka White, a county employee in the business office and an elected member of the bargaining committee for Local 73, “Our members are strong and we’re going to win our demands.”

The strike of 2500 employees of Cook County Health, County Jail, and the county corporate offices continues because of this strength. A popular chant heard for two hours was, “One day longer, one day stronger!”

Earlier last week, management settled with three other unions: National Nurses United (who had staged a one day strike on Thursday, June 24), the Teamsters, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. On June 28, a “best and final offer” was made to Local 73, but management hid that the other agreements included additional pay raises in anniversary steps.

Local 73 members include the county employees with the lowest pay grades, and the negotiators for County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are threatening to make worse the pay disparity between SEIU and the other workers.

A large number of Local 73 members were prevented from striking by a court injunction. Those workers report to the strikers that the county's plan to bring in strikebreakers failed because the agency workers are refusing to do the work and complaining about the hours. Earlier this holiday weekend, Larry Alcoff, lead negotiator for SEIU, said, “Management came to the table on Friday not to settle the contract, but to get you back to work, because they can’t run this hospital without you!”

Today, Alcoff reported that management had put more on the table than in their ‘final offer,’ but the two sides are still separated by a dollar amount so small, it amounts to one-twentieth of 1% of county’s $7 billion budget, not including the $1 billion county is receiving from the federal American Rescue Plan. The difference in the two sides amounts to $25 per worker per year.

“This is not an economic decision. This is a political decision by management,” Alcoff added. “We will give them 24 hours to get this deal done. If it’s not finished, tomorrow we will march the entire labor movement, and our elected officials, into Hyde Park [Cook County President Preckwinkle’s neighborhood] to show we’re not taking it anymore!”

#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #publicSectorUnions #Strikes #CookCountyStrike