News and Views from the People's Struggle
Chicago, IL – Unions are on the march in defense of their members across the country, with the autoworker strike against GM and strike authorization votes by teachers and other city employees in Chicago. Unions are also defending their members when they leave work and find their lives in danger from the very people paid to protect them: the police.
Chicago, IL – On September 13, SEIU Local 73 demanded an end to the city of Chicago spending $33 million from the budget of the public schools, and $12 million from the Parks Department, for police officers. The union, which represents 7000 school workers and 3000 workers in the parks, called for more money for the students and community members. The union was joined by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Black Lives Matter and progressive alderpersons.
#ChicagoIL #SEIULocal73 #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #ChicagoAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepression #BlackLivesMatter
Chicago, IL – On May 1, over 250 workers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) picketed to demand a fair contract. Many members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 have been without a contract for almost two years.
Chicago, IL – On the morning of Aug. 3, International President Mary Kay Henry of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) placed SEIU Local 73 in trusteeship. This immediately removed from office the principal officers of the local, including President Christine Boardman and Secretary Treasurer Matt Brandon. Henry cited the “dysfunctional” relationship between Boardman and Brandon as the main reason for her action.
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.
Chicago, IL – 3000 workers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have gone without a contract, and without a contract raise, for over a year. In response, the Joint Bargaining Committee of Clerical, Service and Maintenance, and Technical units at UIC has called for a strike authorization vote.
At the hospital of the University of Illinois at Chicago, one of the most recognized union stewards is Randy Evans of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73. With 33 years of employment as a Building Service Worker (BSW) in Environmental Services, and 18 years of service to his coworkers as a steward, you would think that Randy would have a place of honor at the medical center.
![Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110 leads the march](https://i.snap.as/2D0gCvgl.jpg "Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110 leads the march Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110 leads the march in chanting,
\\"Banks got bailed out, we got sold out.\\" \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)")
Chicago, IL – More than 4000 marched here tonight as Occupy Chicago moved from its occupation of La Salle Street (the banking center of the city) to Congress Plaza on the edge of Grant Park. Organizers intend this as a permanent home for the occupation.
Chicago, IL – On July 16, the Executive Board of Local 73 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) voted unanimously that anti-war protesters had the right to march against the NATO/G8 summit being held in Chicago in May of 2012.
Chicago, IL – For over a year, the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) has been the scene of intense struggle between the 2700 workers represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 and their employer. In the latest development, UIC’s Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares announced Oct. 10 that the director of Human Resources, John Loya, would step aside. He is being replaced by an assistant vice president from central administration in Urbana, Illinois.
Struggle for contracts continues
Chicago, IL – 2700 workers at the University of Illinois-Chicago were poised to strike Aug. 23. Last minute meetings between the officers of the union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 and the university president resulted in an agreement to call off the strike.
Two administrative workers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Jennifer Edwards (left) and Jackie Kurzeja (right), testify to members of the Illinois State Senate, Aug. 11. This spring, both workers lost their jobs after many years because of UIC’s practice of replacing unionized civil service employees with non-union academic professionals – workers who are paid more but have one-year contracts. Hundreds of positions have been lost in recent years because of this. This is the key reason that workers at UIC, members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, have voted to strike on Aug. 23.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Network for to Fight for Economic Justice.
“We’ve decided to strike if we can’t get contracts.”
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following commentary by Joe Iosbaker, a leader of SEIU Local 73.
Chicago, IL – As part of strike preparations at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a leadership group from all three committees met at the famed DuSable Museum of African American history on July 23. Nine out of ten SEIU members at UIC are Black or Latino, and Local 73 had waged a decade long struggle in the 1990s to win pay equity with the employees at the University’s campus in Urbana, where the workforce is mostly white. UIC was compelled to raise workers’ salaries because of the fight that Local 73 waged, and because of a broad coalition that was built with Black and Latino forces on campus and in the community.
Chicago, IL – Between July 30 and August 2, 800 service and maintenance workers and 400 technical workers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) will take strike votes. Bargaining for the two contracts has gone on since February and ground to a stop in the past several weeks.
Chicago, IL – Around 200 workers, students, and special guests from the Illinois state legislature came out for an energized protest against the Board of Trustees meeting, May 20, at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Protestors demanded that the incoming University of Illinois president Michael Hogan turn down his $170,000 raise, chanting, “Chop from the Top!” Members of SEIU Local 73 in conjunction with the coalition UIC-ABC (Against Budget Cuts) organized the picket and rally.
Chicago, IL – There was a forceful protest of over 250 people at the University of Illinois-Chicago who came out to defend education and to fight for fair contracts, March 4. Chanting, “Chop from the top!” and “Whose university? Our university!” students, members of SEIU Local 73, the Graduate Employees Organization and faculty joined in unison against the administration placing the budget crisis on their backs. Earlier in the day, there was a forum by several professors speaking on the budget crisis, followed by a rally and march through the campus to the administrators’ building. The day closed with a soup kitchen provided by SEIU to demonstrate for a fair contract.
Chicago, IL – Hace más de tres anos que la economía se estanco, los trabajadores de la Universidad de Illinois han tenido que trabajar más por menos. Los Trabajadores del Servicio de Edificios-Building Service Workers (BSW) han sido los más golpeados, pues ahora hay 80 trabajadores menos. Es decir, que 80 fueron despedidos.
Chicago, IL – “Nunca hemos tenido tanto respeto de tanta gente,” dijo Sirlena Perry, luego agregó, “y lo hemos Ganado.” La hermana Perry se refería a la campana del contrato para los trabajadores oficinistas de la Universidad de Illinois Chicago, UIC. Ella es la lider del comité negociador y la principal encargada del local 73 SEIU ( Union Internacional de Empleados de Servicios).