Labor in Illinois

Week of June 21, 2007

Motorola to Close Champaign Facility

Motorola will lay off 183 workers at the Champaign software research and development facility, leaving 32 to transfer or telecommute. It has already begun downsizing from a high point of about 275 employees. The Schaumberg-based company has downsized by 11 percent this year, and also closes facilities in Quebec, Montreal, and Adelaide, Australia. It posted its first quarterly loss since 2004. Motorola has not yet determined what to do with the facility they built on land leased from the University of Illinois. – News Gazette (19 June 2007)

Interfaith Worker Justice Meeting in Chicago Distinguishes between Justice and Politics

In a speech before the Interfaith Worker Justice network in Chicago, Los Angeles auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala entreated Catholics to use labor unions for redeeming Christian work. He said, “Unions must reach out to new audiences of the poor and vulnerable, including immigrants, seasonal and migrant workers and those who lack the skills to participate in the current work environment. Unions must look beyond the self-interest of their current members and work for the good of those who have no voice or power." He interestingly clarified, "Unions grew out of the struggle for social justice, not class struggle. Over the past century, unions have been an important force in ensuring that workers are treated with the dignity that is their due." Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, also spoke before the rally in defense of immigrant and other workers in Resurrection Health Care system in Chicago. – www.catholicnews.com

Reform Group calls FCC to Hold Broadcasters Accountable for Government News
The Midwest Democracy Network, an alliance of civic and political reform groups, has submitted a letter to the Federal Commerce Commission to request that the federal government hold networks responsible for covering government news and election campaigns. Using research from the Midwest News Index that finds more attention is devoted to electoral news “analysis” than politicians and civic leaders themselves, they request increased, mandatory coverage of local, state and national elections and their surrounding stories. They hope that new accountability will be put in place in time for the presidential primary season. – prnewswire http://sev.prnewswire.com/television/20070612/AQTU14012062007-1.html
SIU Signs Contract with Faculty
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale signed a three year contract with non-tenure track faculty and a four year contract with tenure track faculty. They have not yet signed a contract with the union of graduate employees. The Southern (16 June 2007)

Hillary Clinton Suggests Limitations on “Free Trade” at AFL-CIO Town Hall Event
"Trade worked well for America for most of the 20th century, but we are in a different environment now," said Hillary Clinton in a recent discussion with labor leaders on loss of domestic jobs, Wal-Mart and the North American Free Trade Agreement. At a Detroit “Town Hall” meeting wherein the AFL-CIO hosted democratic presidential hopefuls, many labor leaders hoped to win democratic support for a kind of new “Marshall Plan” that would stimulate US investment in advanced technologies and vehicles. Importantly, this new kind of policy would not promote the old version of “free trade” touted by democrats such as former President Bill Clinton. Senator Clinton’s short answer to current American economic losses resulting from global competition, she says, is universal health care. If companies did not have to invest in this expense, she holds, they would be more competitive on the world market. Whether or not this suggestion represents a fundamental critique of the “free trade” as an economic policy remains questionable. – Lower Hudson Online (10 June 2007)

Gephardt Lobbies for Universal Health Care in Crucial State Budget Wars
Illinois is allegedly in danger of a government shut-down if Blaogjevich and legislative leaders do not reach agreement on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (beginning July 1). St. Louis Congressman Richard Gephardt and a coalition of labor union officials called “America’s Agenda: Health Care for All,” has stepped in to back Blagojevich’s plan for near-universal insurance coverage in Illinois. Gephardt spoke before the Assembly under great pressure to pass a budget, “"This is a jobs issue, it's an economics issues, and it's a very important political issue," he said. – St. Louis Post Dispatch (21 June 2007)

AFT Commits to Organizing Charter School Teachers

American Federation of Teachers’ President Edward McElroy announced during National Charter School Week that the AFT is committed to developing opportunities for teaching staff at charter schools to bargain collectively. Introduced in a 1988 speech by former AFT president Albert Shanker, McElroy reaffirmed his commitment to the idea and introduced a special network for charter teaching staff called ACTS, the Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff. “Being a part of a union will definitely have a positive impact on our students,” said McElroy. “We’ll be connected to a huge network of other educational professionals and will have access to high-quality professional development and the latest educational research.” – Chicago Union Teacher (May 2007)

Willow Bend School Janitor Appeals Firing

A custodian at Willow Bend School in Rolling Meadows (Palatine Township Elementary School District 15) appealed his firing because the video surveillance used in his release was not part of his employment contract. Catherine Schutzius, director of the Service Employees International Union, would not say why he was fired, but said it was “not criminal behavior.” She appeals the Illinois Labor Relations Board on behalf of the Illinois Education Labor Relations Act. – Chicago Daily Herald (21 June 2007)