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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:14pm
Wed Nov 4, 2015

‘Illegally’ Fired Riviera Theatre Stagehands Get Support From Worker Advocates, Pat Quinn (VIDEO)

Former stagehands at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago who were allegedly fired by JAM Productions for union activity want their jobs reinstated, back pay and a fair unionization process.

The fired stagehands rallied Wednesday morning with their allies, including former Democratic Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, outside JAM Productions’ offices at 207 W. Goethe St. 

About 40 stagehands at the Riviera were fired by the company in September after they signed authorization cards for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) union election. 

“A lot of guys signed cards in August or July and early September, before the date we were fired,” said former JAM Productions stagehand Justin Huffman, 40. “I think it’s pretty clear that it was a reaction.”

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
11:51pm
Mon Oct 26, 2015
1 comment

U.S. House Dems Set To Press For Action On Supports For Working Families

U.S. House Democrats are set to hold a day of action Tuesday at the nation’s Capitol to promote proposed policies important to working families.

Policy advocates hope the “Working Families Day of Action” will result in more bipartisan support for the legislative proposals, which center around paid sick days, paid family leave, work schedule flexibility, access to affordable child care and equal pay for equal work, among other issues.

As part of the effort, Democratic lawmakers are looking to secure more co-sponsors for the proposed legislation and advocate for a resolution in support of bringing the bills up for a vote.

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:11pm
Wed Oct 21, 2015

Report: Women, Workers Of Color Face ‘Occupational Segregation’ In Restaurant Industry

Women and workers of color are disproportionately represented in lower-paid restaurant jobs, and they face the most barriers to obtaining “living wage” positions in the industry, according to a new report from Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC).

The restaurant worker advocacy group’s research sheds light on and calls for an end to “Jim-Crow-like segregation in the restaurant industry.”

PI Original
by Ellyn Fortino
4:34pm
Mon Oct 19, 2015
1 comment

Report Makes Case Against Restricting Public-Sector Collective Bargaining Rights

Labor

In a new report, Jeffrey Keefe with the Economic Policy Institute blasts the notion that collective bargaining has caused “excessive” pay for public-sector workers. 

PI Original
by Ellyn Fortino
4:01pm
Mon Oct 12, 2015
8 comments

Low-Wage Workers, Immigration Reform Advocates Slam Trump Over Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric (VIDEO)

Labor

Low-wage workers and their allies staged a Fight for $15 protest Monday in support of immigration reform outside the Trump Tower Chicago. There, they slammed GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump over his anti-immigrant comments and hard-line policy proposals. 

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:01pm
Thu Oct 8, 2015
1 comment

Barneys Employees In Chicago Push To Unionize, Receive Aldermanic Support (VIDEO)

Ahead of their union election on Saturday, workers seeking to unionize at the Barneys New York in Chicago saw support Thursday morning from three aldermen, who visited the luxury department store and urged management to “treat their employees with respect” and stop alleged anti-union “intimidation tactics.”

Chicago Alds. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) and John Arena (45th) met briefly with the Barneys Chicago manager inside the store, 15 E. Oak St., to voice their concerns about the treatment of workers there.

“The flagship Barneys New York store in Manhattan has had a union for decades, and today the workers in Chicago of Barneys New York are asking for the same protections, for the same rights, as their counterparts in New York City. I think it’s only fair. It’s only right,” Ramirez-Rosa told Progress Illinois outside Barneys.

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:56pm
Tue Sep 29, 2015

O’Hare Workers Join Fight For $15; Fast Food Laborers Bring Wage Campaign To Chicago Suburbs

The local Fight for $15 movement continues to gain steam as an increasing number of Illinois low-wage workers join the call for better pay and the right to unionize without retaliation.

Initially spearheaded by fast food workers, the national Fight for $15 campaign has since picked up support from service employees from other industries. On Tuesday, the movement welcomed security officers, janitors and passenger service workers at O’Hare International Airport, who are joining the campaign due to their “poverty wages.”

O’Hare workers rallied with their supporters outside the airport Tuesday morning to officially kick off their entrance into the Fight for $15 movement.

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