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Labor
PI Original
by Josh Kalven
10:43am
Tue Jun 9, 2009

Cops As Crossing Guards?

Labor

This is a bizarre proposal:

Nearly 300 Chicago crossing guards, detention aides and traffic control
aides could face layoffs next month as their jobs are replaced by city
police officers, a union representing those workers said today. [...]

"The ...

PI Original
by Josh Kalven
1:58pm
Mon Jun 8, 2009
1 comment

Balanoff Hints At State Legislative Primary Challenges

SEIU

On Saturday, WCPT hosted a three-hour "Salute To Labor" event in Chicago, hosted by Dick Kay and MSNBC host Ed Schultz.  Various labor leaders appeared before the live audience of union members to discuss the issues facing workers here in Illinois and nationwide.

In ...

PI Original
by Progress Illinois
1:21pm
Fri Jun 5, 2009
3 comments

Watch Unemployment Spread

Labor

Slate has put together a very cool (and thoroughly depressing) map showing employment shifts at the county level between January 2008 and March 2009.  Here's their description of the underlying data:

Using the Labor Department's local area unemployment statistics, ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
4:26pm
Thu Jun 4, 2009
1 comment

Unemployment Benefits Extended Seven More Weeks

State Legislature

Some more good news out of those final, dreary days of the state legislative session: Both chambers passed SB 1350 last Saturday, triggering seven additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment insurance
via the federal stimulus package (raising the total, federally-...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
3:33pm
Wed Jun 3, 2009
1 comment

NLRB Creates Bump In The Road For Charter School Union Drive (UPDATED)

Labor

Yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) issued a highly-anticipated ruling on the jurisdictional disagreement that has stalled a unionization bid by teachers at three Civitas charter schools in Chicago. The board determined that as a for-profit agency, ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
2:08pm
Tue Jun 2, 2009
1 comment

Questioning The Anti-EFCA Messenger

Labor

WBBM's Nancy Harty ran a news blurb this morning reporting that a group of Chicago ministers are calling on Sens. Dick Durbin and Roland Burris to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) if it comes up for a vote in Congress. Here's an excerpt: Rev. James Demus ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
12:53pm
Tue Jun 2, 2009
1 comment

An End-Of-Session Charter School Round-Up

Labor
In recent years, Chicago Public Schools has moved full speed ahead in expanding the charter school network while failing to provide even basic information about how this rapid outsourcing has impacted students and taxpayers. The trend has invited uproar among grassroots ...
PI Original
by Josh Kalven
7:16pm
Mon Jun 1, 2009

Hartmarx Workers Live To Fight Another Day

Labor

Today marked a critical juncture for the employees of bankrupt suitmaker Hartmarx, Inc.  This evening they can breath a sigh of relief. 

Two hours ago, in federal bankruptcy court, Judge Bruce W. Black approved British private equity firm Emerisque as the "stalking ...

PI Original
by Josh Kalven
9:53am
Mon Jun 1, 2009

Hare: "Monday We Go To War"

Banking

Today is a big one for bankrupt suitmaker Hartmarx.  (Catch up on the full story here.) 

A U.S. bankruptcy court judge is holding a hearing this afternoon to officially select the lead bidder on the 122-year-old company.  While both the Hartmarx board and Workers United ...