Dennis Gannon, the former union leader who has become a poster child for public-pension excesses, has left his job at Grosvenor Capital Management L.P., which invests pension fund money. The former head of the Chicago Federation of Labor was hired earlier this year to help drum up business from public-employee pension plans.
After weeks of remaining mostly quiet during a public relations barrage from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, labor leaders are preparing to respond with cost-saving alternatives to Emanuel’s decision to lay off as many as 625 city workers.
Their suggestions are based on research showing, among things, that the city's Department of Family and Support Services has more than 200 employees in various supervisory roles and 334 “front line” workers—a ratio of about 1.6 staff members per manager.
Union officials will press Emanuel to cut managers in Family and Support Services along with other departments.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today he's sending pink slips to more than 600 municpal workers because their unions didn't agree to work-rule changes that would save up to $12 million this year.
"I took the steps because I can not wish away this budget shortfall," Emanuel says.
Among those receiving notices are seasonal street sweepers, custodians and workers at the Water Department call center. Read more...
Walmart and the Chicago Federation of Labor this morning announced an agreement that will likely allow Walmart to build a controversial store in the Pullman neighborhood.
Heavy opposition from organized labor and its supporters on the City Council's Zoning Committee had previously stalled the store.
But the retailer and the CFL were able to come to terms on wages, which will rise to more than $9 an hour for second-year store workers. Read more...
