Cook County

Getting The Money Guaranteed By Our New Contract Took Way Too Long

After quite a few phone calls from the Union and from angry members in the County, we stopped the disrespectful run-around we were getting when scheduled wage increases failed to appear on the checks in May and June.

First error solved. Our new members in Animal Control, Highway Department, Environmental Department, Purchasing, Medical Window Washers finally got their 5.5% contractual raise. They were passed over in May when all other Local 73 members got the 5.5%. The County claimed they weren't coded properly in their computer payroll system, after a year of membership in Local 73! (Hard to believe.)

Second error solved. All Local 73 members were to have received another 2.5% increase in June; nobody got it. This is also now completely corrected, and all our members have received the additional 2.5% specified in our contract.

Third error -- still double checking. Though it came a month or what was owed to us -- retro from December 1, 2004 to December 1, 2006. It also included the one-time contractual $500 bonus for every member. Once again, the Union had to put on the pressure to get our members their money.

We Filed a ULP: Honor All the Economics We Bargained in Our Contract!
Unfortunately, members throughout the County system are telling the Union that they have been shorted on their retro checks. Members who once belonged to Local 150 were at first paid retro only for the period of time they were in Local 73, instead of the full two years' worth of retro. The Union challenged the County and demanded they fix this error. The County tells us they have no fully paid all retro for the Local 150 Tech Unit members, as well as all other members. But that's not what we're hearing from our members! Many say their checks were short and they have more money coming to them.

Local 73 filed a ULP to ensure that the County implement every aspect of the economics package we bargained. That means the correct wage increases, steps at 10, 15, and 20 years, and the reclasses that were established. As we said, it's taking way too long!

The Union is demanding that the Comptroller's Office provide us with calculation sheets for all members so we can check and make sure that each and every employee got the money to which they were entitled. We will make sure any mistakes that shorted our members are corrected rapidly. We've been waiting way to long to get the information we have requested. But this will be the last time members are victimized because of "computer errors" or "differences in coding" or anything like that.

Union to the County: Stop Interfering With Employees' Right to Organize!

The Union has done a good job of organizing new members in the County, only to encounter stiff resistance that slows down the process of certification for our new units. This is unacceptable; these employees have the right to union representation. Is the County trying to discourage unionization? It sure looks like it. Still waiting months for certification are: Medical Examiner Clericals; Highway Department Supervisors; Zoning Board of Appeals Clericals; Highway Department Clericals; Purchasing Clericals. The Union is doing its utmost to cut through the obstacles posed by the County and win union recognition for all of these new members.

We are pleased to welcome the new units that have finally been given certification: Environmental Control Clericals and Building & Zoning Clericals. (Not yet certified but already bargaining are the part-time employees in the County Clerk's office.)

VICTORY! We Win Our ULP & Stop Highway Department Attempt to Limit Overtime

Local 73's Legal Department and General Counsel Susan Matta won an important legal victory in the County this year. The ruling strengthens the general principle that employers cannot unilaterally change employees' working conditions and terms of employment as spelled out in a collective bargaining agreement without bargaining with their union.

In May 2005, the County Board of Commissioners passed a general resolution that attempted to establish a rule limiting employees to no more that 20 hours of overtime in a seven day period or no more than 624 hours per fiscal year. Management in the Highway Department then sent a  memo to employees stating this as a new policy and warning that if any employees did go over these limits "some form of disciplinary action" against them would result.

Local 150 was the union representing Highway employees at that time. They had never been consulted about this change. Their contract did not limit overtime hours in any way. SEIU Local 73 joined the ULP when it became the representative for these employees.

This July, the Labor Board ruled in our favor. The practice of setting limits on the amount of overtime an employee can work will be ceased. All employees who were adversely affected by this policy will be made whole for overtime they would have worked bt were prevented from working. The right of the union to bargain over any limitation of overtime hours is reaffirmed.

Cook County Update

Budget Passed- Now Settle Up What We're Owed

Now that there's a budget in place, Local 73 SEIU plans to meet with Comptroller Fratto and Human Resources. We will get a commitment to a concrete schedule of when the County will pay what they owe. This includes: ensuring all back pay was correctly calculated, making whole all those who were incorrectly paid, ensuring all reclasses are applied and negotiated, implementing last December's across-the-board cost of living increase of 2% and back pay, and making sure all step increases that have not yet been applied be put in place along with any applicable back pay.

Local 73, along with the chicago Federation of labor and other unions, was extremely active in lobbying for the County tax increase. We wanted to make sure there were no layoffs and all our negotiated increases would be fully implemented. While we did not think the tax increase was the best way to fully fund the County budget, it was the best political solution that could be achieved in a situation were doomsday layoffs and cuts of 18% were hanging over our heads. In the final tense days of the budget hearings, we were there every day, including until after midnight at the marathon session where the budget was finally passed.

The Unfair Labor Practice charge we filled against the County is still pending. It will only be withdrawn when the County fully complies with the economic agreements that we previously reached with them and that were ratified by our members and the County Board.

The Committee on Political Education's (COPE) contributions from members give Local 73 the financial means to remain players at the political table in Cook County. In this budget cycle, we protected our members' interests when we held elected officals accountable for the capaign contributions we have given them through COPE. If you would like to contribute to COPE to help protect our jobs and help make Barack Obama the next President, contact your union representative or call the office to get signed up.

Cook County Update April 2008

How Custodians' Seniority Was Honored

2007 saw the return of all the County custodial jobs after the union defeated attempts by the County to privatize. These members were given an additional building to clean in the Juvenile Detention Center, which previously had been done by a private contractor.

After the rehires, management arbitrarily and unfairly assigned the custodians to a shift and to a building. The Union righted this by fighting and winning the right to assign shifts based on seniority. As of now, the Local 73 custodians have their first or second choice of shift and building.

With the addition of the Detention Center, more custodians were needed to cover the work. The County hired nine new people, but it wasn't enough. No new hires have occurred since because of a County Board imposed hiring freeze on all departments. The cleaning still needed to be done, so management asked the union to agree to assign eight custodians to pick up the slack until more could be hired. Respecting building seniority, the temporary assignments were filled.

Two and a half months of temporary assignments are now over, and despite the new budget being passed, County departments have not yet received the money set aside for hiring. Another temporary reassignment agreement was reached, which will end in May. The union requested management find a permanent solution to the labor shortage and stop inconveniencing our members.

The union has cooperated to protect and secure the assignments members won through bidding. Because we compromised, management did not re-assign any of our members permanently.

Thanks to all the members who came out to support our union during the budget hearings. We are stronger together!

Newly Certified Cook County Workers

Re: All Newly Certified Bargaining Units Within the Bureau of Administration

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you know, SEIU, Local 73 has been working diligently to organize a large number of employees who work the in the Bureau of Administration for the County of Cook. Despite the County's efforts to thwart our organizing efforts, the Illinois Labor Relations Board had been issuing Certifications for these units. Recently, we have been certified as the exclusive representative for the following departments:

1. Public Administrator
2. Animal Control
3. Law Library
4. Building and Zoning
5. Environmental Control
6. Highway Department and Purchasing Agent
7. Department of Office Technology

We are still waiting on decisions from the Labor Board for the Zoning Board of Appeals and the President's Office of Employment and Training, and we are scheduled o go to election for employees in the Medical Examiner's Office later this month.

We know that this has been a long and arduous process for all of you and we thank you for your patience. Currently, the above listed groups of employees are covered under the Highway Technical & Engineering Collective Bargaining Agreement ( the group that was formerly represented by IUOE, Local 150), and we are currently working to amend this Agreement to address your specific needs. Therefore, your basic terms and conditions of employment are covered by the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement and you have recourse to address violations of your rights under that Agreement. I you feel that the Agreement has been violated, please contact Betty Boles, Vice President, so that she can assist you.

With respect to the 2% Cost of Living Adjustment, we know that many of you have not recieved this increase. We are asking the Couty to proceed with giving all of you the 2% increase, but we are still reserving the right to bargain over wages above and beyond this adjustment.

We thank you for your patience and we look forward to working with all of you in the struggle to fight for a better life for you and your families.

In Solidarity,

Susan M. Matta
General Counsel