Labor in Illinois

Weekly Labor Report
Week of August 28, 2007

United Transportation and Sheet Metal Union Merge

Members of the United Transportation Union have voted to merge with the Sheet Metal Workers International Association to form a new, 230,000 member union called the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART). The new merger will create a new transportation division combining the SMWIA’s union shipyard workers and the UTU’s air, bus, and rail contracts. – Daily Labor Report (8 August 2007): A-11.

IAM to Endorse Candidates from Both Parties

Since approximately 35 percent of its membership identifes as Republicanns, the International Association of Machinists plans later this year to endorse a presidential primary candidate from each party. The final endorsement of a single presidential candidate will be made following input from elected delegates to the IAM convention of September 2008. – Union Labor Report (10 August 2007): 122.

Delphi Reaches Pacts with Four Unions

Delphi Corp., which has filed for bankruptcy, reached agreements with four unions: the International Union of Electrical Workers, Communication Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International Association of Machinists, and International Union of Operating Engineers. The agreements are subject to bankruptcy court approval. – Labor Relations Week (9 August 2007):1133.

Bill Dugan Re-Elected Despite Allegations

Despite allegations that the president of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, Bill Dugan, accepted monthly kickbacks from his employees, union members have voted against the claim to unseat him. The union, located in Countryside, Illinois, represents workers who operate backhoes, cranes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment. – Chicago Tribune (28 August 2007)

Chicago Guarantees Prevailing Wages to Building Trades Employees

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and the leaders of over 33 construction unions agreed to a new, ten-year contract of prevailing wages for over 8,000 building trades employees in Chicago. It also provides for a Labor Management Cooperative Committee, comprised of ten labor and management representatives, which will serve as a forum for addressing continuing discussions on disputes over pensions, health care costs and work rule disputes. Tom Villanova of the Building and Construction Trades Council applauds the contract. "Chicago is the only large city left in which building trades employees get the prevailing wage," he said. The agreement seeks more women and minorities in the industry, including at least 100 graduates of the Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago for apprenticeship programs. Incentives will be provided to keep health costs low with periodic health screenings. –Construction Labor Report (15 Aug 2007): 793.

Judge Approves FLSA "Collective Action" by Mortgage Lender Hourly Workers

Erica Heckler, who has received court approval for her collective action suit to enforce the Fair Labor Standards Act, claims that she and other hourly employees performed work during "off the clock" time that at home, during meal breaks and on weekends that has not been duly compensated. Furthermore, the DK Funding LLC employee alleges that company officials manually edited hourly employees' time records to reduce or erase some overtime work. The Northern District of Illinois' Judge Matthew F. Kennelly has ruled that she has provided sufficient evidence to send out letters and other appeals to find similarly grieved workers who would be redressed by the class action suit. DK Funding has argued that claims for off-the-clock work involve "individual considerations, making them inappropriate for collective treatment."—Daily Labor Report (24 August 2007): A-1.