Labor unions promise not to strike during next year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Labor unions promise not to strike during next year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago

By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com

Ahead of next summer’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, top Democratic officials on Tuesday signed a “labor peace agreement,” reinforcing Democrats’ longstanding ties to organized labor and limiting potential disruptions at the highly watched event.

The deal means that the Democratic National Committee will use union labor when available and that the unions won’t strike during the four-day convention scheduled for next August.

“A labor peace agreement is a commitment that an employer will treat their workers with respect and dignity and in turn those workers will ensure that business runs smoothly,” Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter said at the agreement signing ceremony Tuesday morning.

The agreement – the details of which are not being made public – comes more than a year ahead of the convention itself, which is scheduled for Aug. 19-22, 2024. The 13-month lead time places the labor agreement “earlier than ever before,” according to Gov. JB Pritzker, who was on hand for Tuesday morning’s ceremony at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Pritzker was a major force behind the campaign to lure the DNC to Chicago, with the city beating out Atlanta and New York in the bid to host the gathering.

Pritzker has been involved in Democratic presidential campaigning for more than a decade. At a June event in Chicago, President Joe Biden said that Pritzker “helped me more than anybody in America get elected last time.” Pritzker was also involved in Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign and was a delegate to past party conventions.  

On Tuesday, Pritzker touted Illinois’ record on labor as a key reason that the DNC was coming to Chicago, a city that Reiter called the “hometown of the American labor movement.”

“Illinois is one of the most pro-worker states in the country, guaranteeing paid leave for all, making collective bargaining a constitutional right, creating well-paying jobs by growing our economy and raising the minimum wage to a living wage,” Pritzker said.

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who also attended a fundraiser with Vice President Kamala Harris in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood Monday night, claimed the level of engagement between the labor movement and the party is “probably the highest it’s been in a long time.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, himself a longtime organizer with the progressive Chicago Teachers Union, committed to using the convention to bolster economic development in communities that have historically faced disinvestment.

“No one on this stage has a greater incentive for economic development to occur in those communities that have been dried out for some time, as someone who is raising their family in one of them,” Johnson said.

Johnson declined to comment on any specifics in the agreement related to the subject.

The Chicago Federation of Labor and nine other unions signed the agreement with the DNC.

The Midwest is set to be a key battleground and a high-profile backdrop for the presidential election next year. Democrats’ August convention next year will be preceded by the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee from July 15 to 18, 2024.

Illinois’ primary election will be March 19, 2024, with the general election Nov. 5, 2024.

Beyond the agreement for the DNC, Illinois officials on Tuesday announced another milestone for organized labor: Illinois’ largest public employees union, AFSCME Council 31, announced it has ratified a new contract with the state after its membership voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of the deal.

The agreement provides a 4 percent pay increase this year and a nearly 18 percent increase over the four years of the contract. Improvements to workplace safety and 12-week parental leave were also key provisions of the contract. AFSCME represents roughly 35,000 state employees in Illinois.

 

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Leave a Comment





Local News

South Side community partners invested in female athletics at the high school, 3737 W. 99th St., Chicago, through the design, implementation and unveiling of lights and a scoreboard on the school's state of the art turf field with an event called, “Light Up the Field” on April 30. (Supplied photo)

Mother Mac unveils new lights and scoreboard

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White Across the nation, women’s sports are on the rise in terms of viewership, enthusiasm, sponsorship and excitement. Mother McAuley is no stranger to the impact that women’s athletics has on the development of an individual, strengthening of a team and key skills and attributes developed along the way. South Side…

The Village of Palos Park hosted its 31st annual Arbor Day Celebration on May 5. (Photos by Kelly White)

Cicadas in the park in Palos Park

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White Cicadas are coming and the Village of Palos Park is ready. The village hosted its 31st annual Arbor Day Celebration on Sunday, May 5, themed, “The Wonder of Trees” at The Center in the Lodge, 12700 Southwest Highway, with featured speaker, Tricia Bethke of The Morton Arboretum who presented, “Cicadas…

Over the past few years, Palos Heights School District 128 has experienced explosive growth among incoming students. (Supplied photos)

Palos Heights SD 128 sees enrollment boom

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White Over the past few years, Palos Heights School District 128 has experienced an explosive growth among incoming students. There has been a significant increase particularly at Indian Hill Early Learning Center, 12800 S. Austin Ave. Chippewa Elementary School, 12425 S. Austin Ave; Navajo Elementary School, 12401 S. Oak Park Ave;…

Orange's Pancake House, 11845 Southwest Highway in Palos Heights, held a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. (Photos by Kelly White)

Comings & Goings: Orange’s Pancake House now open in Palos Heights

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White Palos Heights is the home of a popular new breakfast café. Orange’s Pancake House, 11845 Southwest Highway, held a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. Owners, Elvia Briones, of Virgina, and Fernando Cruz, of Evergreen Park, said they were very excited to be in the heart of the Palos Heights community.…

CRR_NH

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound May 8, 2024

Spread the love

Spread the love

Kathy Headley

Sisters make Chicago Lawn a world destination

Spread the love

Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Earlier this month was the Fifth Lithuanian Documentary Film Festival, with distinguished guests from Lithuania and other parts of the United States visiting the neighborhood. They held a photo session in the editorial office of…

Mary Stanek

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone, everyone

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Yet another Mother’s Day is upon us. I wish everyone a happy day. By everyone I do mean everyone. There are a lot of dads who do it alone, along with important mother…

Peggy Zabicki

Mother’s Day is truly a day to be celebrated

Spread the love

Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . Mother’s Day happens on Sunday, May 12. If this isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Motherhood means new life, new beginnings, new possibilities. Even if you won’t be seeing your mom, you can still…

Nazareth’s David Brunke goes for a kill as Marist players try to block his attempt. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Nazareth for ninth straight win

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Marist ran its winning streak to nine game with a 25-16, 25-17 victory over East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Nazareth on May 2. The win streak is the RedHawks’ second longest streak of the season after their season-opening 12-match run. Eight of the nine matches during the current streak…

SXU's men's volleyball team made it to the semifinals of the NAIA National Tournament before falling to Georgetown, Kentucky . Photo courtesy of Saint Xavier University Department of Athletics

Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was…

Neighbors

Arley Carrillo Mendez

Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township

Spread the love

Spread the loveFrom staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded…

Worth Mayor Mary Werner looks at old photos of the Worth Public Library during the History of the Worth Library exhibit's opening night. (Photos by Kelly White)

Worth Library celebrates 60th anniversary

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White The Worth Public Library has been around for decades. Resting in the heart of the village at 6917 W. 111th St., the library held an event focusing on its rich background story on April 23 with a historical photo exhibit. “It’s amazing because this library is still so important to…

Newly installed 2024-26 board members of the 3rd District General Federation of Women's Clubs lined up for a photo following a ceremony held April 27 at Fox's Restaurant in Orland Park. With outgoing president Heather Linehan (from left) they are Vice President Sandy Christofanelli, President Rose Zubik of the Palos Heights Woman's Club, Secretary Sue Peterson – a palos Park Woman's Club member, Treasurer Judy Wagner, and Parliamentary Advisor Debbie Bach. (Photos by Dermot Connolly)

Rose Zubik, Woman’s Club veteran, installed as 3rd District president

Spread the love

Spread the love Rose Zubik, of Palos Heights, the new president of the 3rd District General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Illinois, lights a candle during the installation ceremony held April 27 at Fox’s Restaurant in Orland Park. Heather Linehan, the outgoing president, is beside her.By Dermot Connolly A longtime member of the Palos Heights Woman’s Club…

reporter chicago ridge police logo

Shots fired in Chicago Ridge Commons parking lot

Spread the love

Spread the loveFrom staff reports Shots were fired Wednesday night in the parking lot at Chicago Ridge Commons mall. Police said they received reports of the shooting about 9:45 p.m. No injuries were reported. Multiple witnesses told police four men were walking through the parking lot from the XSport Fitness area. They approached two vehicles…

Melissa Kowalski, owner of Flair With Hair Salon in Chicago Ridge, prepares to cut the ribbon to mark the first anniversary of the business on April 18 with the assistance of her daughter, Anastasia, 5. (Photos by Joe Boyle)

Hair salon with a ‘flair’ marks first year in Chicago Ridge

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Melissa Kowalski wanted to do something meaningful to mark the first-year anniversary of her Flair With Hair Salon in Chicago Ridge. “We did not have a grand opening last year so I wanted to do something really special,” Kowalski said. “We wanted to say thank you to our clients.” Kowalski,…

Gabriel Chowaniec, a fifth-grader at Palos East Elementary School, has been named a winner of the Scholastic Storyworks Magazine writing contest. (Supplied photo)

Palos East fifth-grader wins Scholastic Storyworks writing contest

Spread the love

Spread the loveGabriel Chowaniec, a fifth-grader at Palos East Elementary School, has been named a winner of the Scholastic Storyworks Magazine writing contest. Gabriel, who is a student in Cathy Casey’s fifth-grade classroom, was named one of only five winners nationally for the December 2023/January 2024 competition. Garbriel’s submission for the nonfiction story “The Shattered Land,” “showed a strong understanding of the text along with the ability to author a well-organized…

Shepard High School, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, celebrated Autism Acceptance Week April 1 through April 5. (Supplied photos)

Shepard celebrates Autism Week

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White World Autism Acceptance Week is organized by the National Autistic Society in the first week of April and aims to raise awareness about the challenges autistic people face across all areas of society. Not missing out the opportunity to celebrate all-inclusion was Shepard High School, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos…

Cicada-shutterstock-2024

Billions of cicadas get ready to raise a racket

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White If you haven’t heard the buzz yet, you will soon. With 2024 marking a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, billions of the red-eyed buggers will soon be making an appearance. Periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time.…

CRR_NH

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound May 1, 2024

Spread the love

Spread the love

GSWNH_HuescaCasket_050324

‘A man of honor, a beacon of kindness’

Spread the love

Spread the love. Chicago weeps for Officer Luis Huesca  . By Tim Hadac People across the Southwest Side shed tears earlier this week, as throngs of police officers and other filled the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 77th and Western for a funeral Mass for CPD Officer Luis M. Huesca. Officer Huesca was…