Progress Illinois

Chicago's City Hall isn't the most hospitable place for progressives seeking transparency or inclusive public policy. But that didn't deter activists of all stripes -- from labor organizers and abortion-rights supporters to homeless advocates and public interest researchers -- from making their presence felt in the chambers this morning. Here's our roundup of today's City Council meeting:

"RIGHT TO KNOW"

With Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd Ward) projecting that he had 28 or 29 votes lined up to pass his "Right To Know" ordinance, UNITE-HERE Local 1 members entered the council chambers confident that hotels, including the infamous Congress, would finally be forced to publicize work stoppages to potential customers. Typically, if a measure is passed out of the Finance Committee -- as this one was last month -- it receives easy council approval. But as we've noted before, the business groups who have been lobbying hard against the notification law had a key ally on their side: Mayor Daley. Today, Ald. Ike Carothers (29th Ward) did the mayor's bidding by introducing a motion to refer Munoz' bill back to committee. Munoz attempted to block Carother's action and hold a vote today, but could not garner the majority necessary.

"The only tactic left at their disposal was defer and delay," UNITE-Here's Annemarie Strassel tells us. "We'll wait it out as long as it takes."

UNITED SNAGS $34.5 MILLION

Today, the full council voted on the $34.5 million incentive package being offered to United Airlines for agreeing to move its operational headlines to the Loop.   With no substantive discussion -- aside from Ald. Ed Burke's (14th Ward) assurance that the plan is "a good deal for United and a good deal for Chicago" -- the assembled aldermen agreed to fork over the taxpayer funds.  As we noted yesterday, there is no indication that the projected benefits will ever be tracked or the agreement enforced.

A NUDGE FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM

With Illinois' own Luis Gutierrez poised to introduce an immigration reform bill in the U.S. House next week, members of the City Council submitted a resolution today as a show of Chicago's support. "Enough is enough," said Centro Sin Fronteras' Emma Lozano at a press conference highlighting the resolution. "Stop separating our families."

Next week, a delegation of Chicagoans will travel to Capitol Hill to emphasize the urgent need for reform and to let the White House know that they're fed up with the lack of action. More on Gutierrez' bill to come ...

ABORTION PROTECTION ZONE ADOPTED

Just a week after the Finance Committee approved Ald. Vi Daley's (43rd Ward) measure creating protective zones around health clinics and hospitals to keep anti-abortion activists from coming within 50 feet of their entrance, the council handily adopted it today, by a 27-11 vote. In response to some increasingly aggressive tactics by anti-abortion activists, Planned Parenthood Illinois has been pushed for such barriers. Recently, protestors have attempted to get closer to patients by wearing white lab coats and stethoscopes.

Dressed in pink, pro-choice advocates swarmed the City Council chambers to show their support for the legislation. After it passed, Illinois Planned Parenthood's President Steve Trombley released this statement:

“Existing law did not adequately protect the public safety around health care facilities, and a ‘bubble zone’ enhances public safety in a fair and constitutional manner.”

“We have no issue with peaceful protests, praying or sidewalk counseling as long as it does not block the clinic entrance or in other ways interfere with patients or staff. The problem is overt, in-your-face tactics that Planned Parenthood’s patients and staff endure regularly.”

GOOD JOBS CHICAGO

While Wal-Mart is making yet another push to open a new store on Chicago's South Side, organizers with the Good Jobs Chicago campaign are quietly lobbying aldermen to support a community benefits agreement that would requires the mega-retailer to pay fair wages, make health care affordable, extend workers the right to organize, and sell locally-grown food.  After a meeting with members of the council's progressive caucus -- some of whom have agreed to sign on -- the coalition appears to be making inroads. Stay tuned.

MEET CHICAGO'S NEWEST ALDERMAN

Finally, the City Council got a new member today. Mayor Daley tapped John Rice -- the longtime aide and driver to recently-retired Ald. William J.P. Banks -- as the new 36th Ward  alderman.