Cook County Public Defenders Blog

Recently, in my post regarding issues of concern, I told you that we would be distributing a survey to the membership in order to discern the issues that were most important.  That survey has been completed and the survey chair, Arlene Floren, is in the process of analyzing the results.  

As to retros and the 1% issue, you know what showed up on your check and the issue seems moot–but we will continue to seek an interest payment on the retro amount. 

On July 1st and 2nd, 19 of your brothers and sisters participated in a 16- hour training that led to official certification by AFSCME as stewards for our local.  The participants, who gained certification are: JOE GUMP (RM), MONIQUE PATTERSON (26TH), AMY THOMPSON (HTF), TIM LEEMING (LRD), BRUCE MOSBACHER (26TH), LINDA PEREZ (MKM), PERSITA WEST (MKM), RICHARD KRUSS (26TH), BEATRIZ SANTIAGO (26TH), KEVIN OCHALLA (26TH), ARLENE FLOREN (CIV), STEVE DOHR (CIV), KRISTINA MENZEL (JJD), LARRY KUGLER (RM), GEORGEEN CARSON (SK), MARTHA FITZSIMMONS (MDD), MICHELLE THOMAS (FSU), AMBER MILLER (1ST MUNI) and lastly, your president, K. S. GALHOTRA (HTF).  Both new and old stewards learned tips, techniques and tools to better represent our members.

Two of our three annual union sponsored social events will be taking place this month and the next.  On July 24, 2008, we will be enjoying a day of golf, food and drink at Eaglewood Resort in Itasca. This was the same place as last year, but we are hoping the weather will be a bit different this year.  Please call George Grezca (HTF) at x5072 if you have not signed up for a foursome or want more information. Click here for information on the resort.The annual boat cruise is shipwrecked again — at Castaways on North Avenue Beach.  The party will be held on August 22, 2008 (a Friday night) and will include food and drink similar to last year.  More information will be posted on the website so stay tuned –  or call Amy Thompson at x6929.

The local’s petition and complaint in the Chancery division continues and is next scheduled before Judge Riley on July 21, 2008.

So that’s what’s going on this summer …. KSG.

By now, all members should have received a one page union negotiation survey that allows you to prioritize issues and provide insight into any issues that the membership feel are important.  Please complete the survey soon and send them to ARLENE FLOREN at CIVIL through interoffice mail.  The deadline is July 8, 2008.   The board will utilize the tabulated results in forming our proposals.If you have not yet received the survey, please contact her (ARLENE) or the steward at your worksite.

We received our retro checks today and we will continue to pursue the interest on the delay.  We have been told that our pay increase that is effective after the first full pay period after June 1, 2008 will be reflected in our paychecks that we will recieve on June 27, 2008.

On June 12th, the members of UNITE HERE, Local 1 will be rallying in front of the Congress Hotel to mark the 5th year that they have been on strike.  Yes, 5 years of picketing for what’s right and fair.   Members who were around in 2002 will remember our strike which lasted exaclty one day –and even that was too long for some of our members. 

Because we are a union and we face the same issues (health care and wages) as our brothers and sisters at UNITE HERE, Local 1, I urge the members to participate and join in the picket line (we need the practice) between 4pm and 6pm at the Congress Hotel on the 12th.  Wear your union gear if you have any and support labor. 

For more information on their struggle, click here.

As we enter into the second half of 2008, it seems like a good time to pause and address some issues of concern to the membership. 

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
In order to gear up for our next contract, I have asked Arlene Floren, a steward at CIVIL, to chair the survey committee.  She will be in charge of creating a survey so the local can assess the issues that are important to the membership.  Your participation in the survey (which may be online) is vital to the local leadership having an accurate understanding of the things that are important to the members.  If you have thoughts on what should be in the survey, please contact Sister Floren at CIVIL.As you know, the current contract expires November 30, 2008.  It’s a shame that even three and a half years into the contract, the County has not lived up to its obligation of printing it for distribution to the membership.  This website, in a previous posting, has a red-lined version for your perusal but it doesn’t have a pay grid.  The last available pay grid can be found at the County website in the appendix to the budget.  That grid, however, is the pay scale in effect as of 12/1/07.

RETRO CHECKS
Speaking of pay grids, where is that retro check?  If I had a dollar for each time this month that I heard the word retro, I could probably fill up the gas tank on my car.  The rumor was that it would come with the paycheck we got today on the 30th of May.  Obviously, that didn’t happen and each call I have made to the Comptroller’s office has gone unanswered.  I will say this much: we will get the retro and we will litigate before the appropriate tribunal our demand for interest on the retro.  What more can I say?

1% AFSCME PAY PLAN INCREASE
And when you voted for or against the last contract ratification, you will remember that we were to get an extra 1% pay increase on top of the 2.75% increase that is to go into effect after the first full pay period after 6/1/08.  This was an attempt to offset the additional burden we will be carrying for health  insurance that also goes into effect the same day.  As I mentioned in a previous posting, the County is saying they didn’t TA(tentative agreement) that pay plan - even though they presented it to us and are agreeing to all other AFSCME local’s pay plans.  This is unacceptable and is the subject of, as yet, an unscheduled arbitration.  But the arbitrator has been selected.

BURNETTE V. STROGER
Judge Riley heard arguments in the motion to dismiss filed by President Stroger today and decided to keep the suit alive.  The only count that was dismissed in its entirety is the count having to do with injunctive relief for the job terminations and layoffs.  The prayer for relief for count 1 asked for back-pay and reinstatement of laid off attorneys.  While all members who were laid off were recalled, the back-pay issue is still one that we are pursuing.  The pursuit, though, is via our intervenor petition and complaint.  That has now been placed on a breifing schedule with the next status date set for 7/21/08.  In short, this case is not even close to being over.

CPD SCANDAL ON 60 MINUTES
For those who have been following the Chicago Police Department’s SOS unit’s problems, you are no doubt aware that Katie Couric will be airing an interview with a crooked cop on CBS’s news magazine 60 minutes.  The broadcast will be on Channel 2 on Sunday, 6/1/08 at 6pm.  You can hear a simulcast on WBBM AM 780.Watch the show.  You may see someone you have cross-examined before.  But this time you will not only see a cop admit he lied – but tell how he learned how to do so from his supervisors. In Solidarity, K. S. Galhotra

The hearing on the proposed resolution to remove Ed Burnette has been cancelled.  Upon information and belief, attorneys representing Ed Burnette have reached an agreement with attorneys for President Todd Stroger to resolve their differences in court through the pending litigation in Burnette v. Stroger.NO HEARING ON THE RESOLUTION WILL BE HEARD ON 5/20/08 SO DO NOT ATTEND THE COUNTY BOARD MEETING

The hearing on whether to terminate the employment of Edwin Burnette, Public Defender of Cook County is now set for next week on the 20th.  As mentioned before, members are encouraged to attend the hearing but should put in for appropriate time off in advance of the date.  It has been suggested that the proceedings will be behind closed doors, even though Mr. Burnette wants the world to see what is going on.As concerned citizens, we have a right to attend and at least let our elected commissioners know what we think of the allegations in the resolution.  It is unlikely that the commissioners will “vote” on the removal, leaving the decision up to the President,  but perhaps our presence will make him think twice about conducting a sham hearing. Please make an effort to attend the hearing.

Judge Riley entered an order enjoining the President of the Cook County Board from proceeding with a hearing to remove the Public Defender.  The TRO was granted after Ed Burnette was allowed to intervene in the pending litigation in the Chancery Division where the litigation seeks declaratory relief as to the office’s independence from political influences in staffing by virtue of the public defender statute.  As a consequence, please do not attend the previously scheduled hearing before the County Board which was going to be held on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.  A hearing on whether the TRO will become a permanent injunction is set for 2 pm on May 9th, 2008 before Judge Riley.

 ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS:

************TRO was reversed on appeal.  Please see story in the In the News Section **********

To those who attended our general membership meeting this evening, this will provide a recap.  To those who missed it, stop reading unless you are a local member.  At the meeting, your entire executive board and staff representative from Council 31 were on hand to provide you with updates on the litigation in Burnette v. Stroger,  our position on the pending resolution and a presentation from our People chair Joe Gump (RM) on the MVP program.  Thanks to Arlene Floren and Jenny Nilsson for arranging the refreshments.After an engaging discussion ( I only wished Pragmatist and Justice Cardozo were in attendance), members wanted immediate access to information on contacting their commissioners so they can call, write or talk to them on the 7th or before.  We’re talking about commissioners Tony Periaca, Pete Silvestri, Gregg Gosslin, William Beavers, Elizabeth Ann Doody Gorman,  Joan Murphy, Robert Steele and Deborah Sims who introduced the proposed resolution.  (Some of whom may have second thoughts by now).  So for those who asked and those of you who don’ t know which district you live in,  click map to find out. Need the number for your commissioner? Click here.  Don’t forget to fill out a time off request form so you can attend the hearing which is scheduled to begin at 10a.m. Forgot what this was all about?  Click this. Thanks for coming out to the general membership meeting and see you on the 7th.

The County Board will address the proposed resolution to remove the Public Defender on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.   All members are encouraged to take time off to attend the hearing, which will probably be scheduled for 10 am, but when it will actually be heard is another matter.  The official agenda for the meeting is not yet out but can be found a few days before the hearing on the County website.  Please do not confuse the County Board’s hearing with the hearing that will take place two days earlier.  That is the hearing before Judge Riley of the Chancery Division in the case of Burnette v. Stroger.  Please come out and show your support for fairness.