The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Mayor Lightfoot is THINKING about cutting workers

She should have been thinking about trimming the city workforce six months ago. No, actually she should have been cutting city workers six months ago.

That sounds harsh, but consider, so many government workers have been getting full pay for months, while private sector workers have been laid off, suffered from reduced hours and generally have been on the receiving end of the full brunt force of the Covid-19 panic.

Of course, the city union’s will have to approve any cuts, and so far, they don’t expect that to be on the table. Saith Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter:

Chicago’s public workers are heroes who have sacrificed their own health and safety to keep this city moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago’s unions continue to urge the city to work collaboratively to identify efficiencies to help protect city services without damaging cuts to public workers. We must protect our workers and protect our services.

Efficiencies? If efficiencies exist, why haven’t they already been implemented, instead of raising property and other taxes?

Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, joined in:

Unions representing city employees have offered to work with the city to find savings that would not require layoffs or furloughs and we are waiting for the city’s response. At this stage, that should be the mutual objective of both the city and the unions as we all wait to see if the city will receive more federal aid. Our union has not been engaged in any discussions concerning furloughs or layoffs.

More federal aid? Doesn’t look like it now. Maybe after the election. Or if Joe Biden is elected and the Democrats take control of both and Senate and House, it’ll be Katie bar the door. Of course, most of the “aid” would be going into the pockets of government pensioners who already are home safe with their super generous pensions.

Chicago City Haul, in it to protect their own.

Filed under:
Budget, Chicago politics

Tags:
Chicago government unions, Lori Lightfoot