Members of SEIU and the Chatham neighborhood displayed flyers about the connections between gun violence and a lack of economic opportunity in the community.

Members held the vigil on the site of a tragic shooting. On Nov. 5th, 2011, three innocent bystanders, two men and one woman, all in their 20s, were killed in the parking lot of Church’s Chicken and A Piece of Cake bakery on 87^th and South King Drive.  The woman who was slain was picking up a birthday cake for her two-year-old daughter. No one has been charged in the shooting.

Several residents of the 6^th Ward who have been shot, or whose loved ones have been shot, spoke about the physical and psychological pain of dealing with shootings in their neighborhoods. Home care worker Cynthia Youngblood, who also works part-time for Chicago Public Schools helping special needs children, almost lost her 17-year-old daughter when she was shot twice by random gunfire last June. Her daughter Diamond was hospitalized for 15 days and still needs crutches. Seven months later, Cynthia still has to take significant time off work, unpaid, in order to take her daughter to physical rehabilitation, counseling and medical visits.

“Every time I take my daughter to physical rehab or counseling it means I’m not able to work. We struggle to get by. Those two bullets did a lot of damage to my daughter and to our family,” said Youngblood. “Why are we dealing with random gunfire in our neighborhoods? We need to build-up our communities by creating jobs, not tearing our neighborhoods apart,” Youngblood said.

6th ward alderman Roderick Sawyer came out to support our anti-violence initiative.

Child care worker Jacqueline Smith was shot in the back in September 2008 in the Gresham neighborhood.  Jacqueline, who had just watched the four young children that she was caring for leave her home, was struck by a stray bullet that almost punctured her lung. Three other bullets struck the outside of her house but the children weren’t injured. Jacqueline eventually moved her child care service to the 6^th Ward, thinking it would be a safer and quieter place to continue her business, but she worries that the community where she wanted to restart her life is becoming more and more dangerous.

“Let’s be honest, we have too many young men who don’t have jobs and don’t see any way that they can contribute their lives towards a future. We simply can’t allow our young people to slip through the cracks because they can’t find meaningful work,” said Smith, who could not attend the vigil but offered a statement. “If we want to reduce violence, we have to start by giving people a purpose and a job with a livable wage.”

The candlelight ceremony will be the first of many opportunities for members, residents and community partners to become involved in actions against neighborhood violence and the lack of job opportunities that allows it to flourish. Members are creating a community-based coalition in the 6^th Ward to advocate for solutions, aiming to mobilize union members and to partner with interfaith groups and churches, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and civic leaders to create jobs, improve schools, reduce home foreclosures, prevent violence, and encourage economic development and investment in the 6^th Ward.

Watch Alderman Sawyer and Cynthia and Diamond Youngblood address gun violence in their community:

Faith Arnold

“Despite difficult challenges, home child care providers united in SEIU Healthcare Illinois made great strides in 2011. With even greater challenges facing us in 2012, we are uniting to fight even harder to protect our jobs and our services for working parents,” said Chicago home child care provider Faith Arnold.

But our challenges to continue to receive fair wages and benefits continue as the economy teeters because many people still are not paying their fair share. As we continue to fight for working parents, our children and ourselves, we must also demand that greedy bankers, CEOs and the rich pay their fair share in taxes so that badly needed programs like home child care are funded.

Jen Brosnahan

Jen Brosnahan, a home child care provider in Joliet, said, “Working parents and child care providers can’t continue to bear the burden of fixing the economy. It’s time that our legislators stop giving the rich 1% a free ride and all the breaks and make them pay their fair share in taxes!”

New full-day rates effective January 1, 2012

License Exempt, All Ages and All Counties:

$14.64

Licensed Homes, Group 1A Counties

Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendal, Lake & McHenry

Under 2            $30.54

Age 2               $29.40

Ages 3+            $27.55

Licensed Homes, Group 1B Counties

Boone, Champaign, Kankakee, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago & Woodford

Under 2            $27.10

Age 2               $25.96

Ages 3+            $24.79

Licensed Homes, Group 2 Counties

All others not listed above

Under 2            $24.79

Age 2               $23.65

Ages 3+            $22.51

The US Department of Labor is moving forward to amend regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act [FLSA] to include the nearly two million home care workers who had been excluded from federal overtime and minimum wage protections. This long-overdue change not only guarantees the same rights and protections for home care workers as other workers have enjoyed for decades, but continues to reinforce the fact that home care is real, important work that our nation depends on.

Gilda Brown, far left, stands with President Obama and other home care workers and consumers as he announces new overtime and minimum wage protections for home care workers.

“It was so exciting to be there with the President, to be part of something so historic,” said Gilda. Gilda worked on Obama’s 2008 campaign, but hadn’t gotten to meet him face-to-face until her recent trip to the nation’s capitol.

“Before he made the announcement, he told us that even though some people don’t take this work seriously, he knows how important home care is. He told his staff that this change was past overdue and that nobody could go on vacation until they got it done and signed,” Gilda said. Before this announcement, President Obama walked a day in another home care provider’s shoes, to gain an understanding of just how important home care is to working families across America.

“Now more than ever, every job in our country must be a good job that can sustain a family, strengthen our communities and move our country forward. Very soon, every caregiver in America will be equal in the eyes of the law and equally protected,” said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry in response to this victory.

“The President went to shake my hand and I told him I wanted a kiss,” said Gilda. “That was the most exciting part!”

See the video of President Obama’s announcement.

But Indiana Democrats and SEIU members are working just as hard to stop this anti-worker, pro-corporate legislation, and to educate the public about the harm right-to-work laws have caused in other states. Yesterday, members from all over the state traveled to the Capitol to fight against legislation that puts corporate greed ahead of Indiana families.

Members came to the Capitol from all over Indiana to stand up for working families.

“We spent some time talking to state Democrats like Senator Vi Simpson and Rep. Peggy Welsh, thanking them for looking at things from the perspective of working people,” said home care worker Kelley Sims. “They thanked us for coming out to support them as they work to support us.”

“But we also talked to some Republican lawmakers who were either for right-to-work legislation or are on the fence about it. A lot of them said they support these bills because they might convince businesses to come to Indiana. I asked them, are we really making things better for Indiana if companies come here just because they know they can treat their workers however they want and pay them less than a fair wage?”

There is no solid evidence that right-to-work states attract businesses more than states without these laws: according to the Economic Policy Institute, “the evidence is overwhelming that right-to-work laws have not succeeded in boosting employment growth in the states that have adopted them.” However, studies conducted by the US Department of Labor, the US Census Bureau, and others have found that workers’ quality of life decreases with the passage of right-to-work laws. For example, Indiana workers currently earn a higher wage on average than workers in right-to-work states, and are more likely to have job-based health insurance and pensions.

As Indiana Democrats continue to fight to defeat this harmful legislation, our members will keep holding Republican lawmakers accountable to their constituents—not greedy corporations.

“We’ll stick together and keep fighting until we get our point across,” said Kelley.

Our members will head back to the Statehouse to keep working for the rights of working people on January 24^th.

See home care worker Vicky Hernandez testify at the Statehouse:

Employees at Research and Menorah have supported forming a union at their hospital for quite some time, and they finally won their union last year.  By ratifying their first contract, workers at Research and Menorah have now completed the organizing process and are officially members of SEIU Healthcare IL/IN/MO/KS.

“This is a great win for our hospitals and for all of the working people in Kansas City,” said Anthony Baker, an EVS at Menorah.

Throughout the year-long contract campaign, workers at both hospitals have come together to take action, from organizing sticker days to delivering cakes to management to holding rallies.  By standing together, Research and Menorah workers won a strong contract and through the process, formed a strong union.

“It’s great to finally have a voice in the way things are done here at RMC!” said Corita Brown, a dietary worker at Research.

Research and Menorah workers won a strong contract that includes:

• Wage increases
• Job Security
• Right to grievance and arbitration procedure
• Attendance relief
• Staffing language
• Removal of salary caps
• Ratification bonus

CONTACT: Mike Truppa (312) 296-1956, mike.truppa@seiuhcil.org

SPRINGFIELD, IL – On Monday, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill that will funnel an estimated $218 million in tax cuts to major corporations, with the largest share earmarked for the financially flourishing CME Group.  In response to the measure’s passage, Keith Kelleher, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana, issued the following statement:

By granting a large tax break today to one of Illinois’ most prosperous companies, the Illinois House has concentrated more wealth in the hands of the rich, even as average workers are literally taking to the streets to decry growing income inequality.

While we applaud the House for passing a separate bill that expands the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-wage households, the benefits of this measure are eclipsed by the magnitude of the tax breaks lawmakers approved for the state’s corporate heavyweights.  For every one dollar in tax breaks the House has given to workers struggling to propel themselves out of poverty, it has doled out nearly two dollars to corporations making big profits.

At a time when the state budget remains crippled by a chronic deficit – caused in part by the misconduct of wealthy financial institutions – we should be requiring the richest of the rich to pay more of their fair share.  But this bill will extend more than $85 million in scarce state funds to CME Group, which compiled a staggering $900 million in profits last year.

From the Occupy movements that have proliferated across Illinois, to the results of multiple public opinion polls, there is ample evidence that voters think our economy disproportionately favors the rich and greedy corporations at the expense of the 99 percent.  In this environment, passage of this bill seems politically tone deaf.

It also represents the kind of practice that helped catapult our state’s economy into its current crisis.  We’re still recovering from an economic collapse caused by big banks and other financial institutions that made bets they couldn’t cover and then got rewarded with a huge taxpayer bailout.  Now they’re reaping the same out-sized profits they made before the Recession, but they’ve yet to invest any of that fortune in jobs for out-of-work families.

Even the House Majority Leader told the Chicago Tribune that this legislation is “probably bad policy.”  The 91,000 low-wage healthcare  and child care workers who make up our union, along with the rest of Illinois’ dwindling Middle Class, can confirm that it is.  After all, they’re the ones who have been hardest hit by the high unemployment, plummeting housing values and declining state services that have been left in the wake of the Great Recession.

Rather than double down and give more tax breaks to companies that gamble in financial markets, Illinois should close corporate tax loopholes and institute a tax system that requires rich individuals and greedy corporations to pay their fair share.   Our lawmakers should no longer tolerate an income tax system where the average Illinois home care worker makes $15,200 and pays the same tax rate as the CEO of CME Group.

As we move into the next legislative session, we hope lawmakers will focus on reforms that will improve economic conditions for the 99 percent, not make matters worse.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana unites more than 91,000 healthcare, home care, nursing home and child care workers across two states in the fight to raise standards across industries, to strengthen the political voice for working families and for access to quality, affordable care for all families.

Our members camped out in lawmakers' offices for hours, hoping to engage them about the issues that matter to working people.

“We’re here because the 99% is suffering,” said Reverend CJ Hawkins of Arise Chicago and Stand Up! Chicago. Our government has been bought up by lobbyists on K Street, and we’re addressing that by stopping business as usual. We’re taking back the capitol, we’re taking back the street, and we’re taking back our lives.”

“It was electrifying,” said home care worker Renea Williams, who marched all day to take over K Street, where DC’s most influential lobbyists are based. “You could see that everyone’s hearts are really in this—they’d have to be, to keep up the songs and chants despite the rain!”

In addition to shutting down K street and marching on the Capitol, members and allies camped out in legislators’ offices, hoping to talk to them about economic issues affecting the 99%. Some demonstrators succeeded in meeting with legislators, like Democratic Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver from Missouri, but others made themselves scarce when faced with the prospect of addressing the 99% face to face.

“We had an appointment to talk to Rep. Joe Walsh about protecting Medicare and Social Security and he slammed the door in our faces,” said home care worker Annette Jones. “We chased him all over the Capitol and he ignored us. These Republican legislators don’t seem to understand that the people who had the power to elect him also have the power to kick him out!”

See video of Reps. Joe Walsh, Adam Kinzinger, and Don Manzullo and Sen. Mark Kirk running from their constituents:

"We see you when you're stealing, we need you to atone, we know when you make money, so you better leave us alone!"

The CME Group has made headlines recently as its bid for a $100 million state tax break was overwhelmingly defeated by the Illinois House of Representatives, but the group’s demand for corporate welfare is likely to resurface in Springfield. Despite earning $900 million in profits last year, the CME Group has repeatedly threatened to leave the state, taking its jobs with it, if legislators don’t pander to its demands for a taxpayer handout.

In spite of members’ Santa hats, festive bells, and lovely singing voices belting adapted Christmas carols like “CME gets tax breaks, and we get charged more, they’re the Grinch that stole Christmas, stealing from the poor!” to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” few passersby seemed interested in giving to the rich this holiday season.

"Taking money from the many, stealing taxes penny by penny!"

“These people have their hands out to get even more money from taxpayers, money we should be spending on things that the poor and the middle class need, like job creation and Medicare. People are losing their homes, their jobs, they don’t have money for food, and the CME is threatening to take their jobs out of the state if we don’t give them $100 million? Everyone knows that’s a scare tactic. It’s blackmail,” said DORS PA Flora Johnson.

After the demonstration at the Board of Trade, members went across the street to the Occupy Chicago site at Jackson and LaSalle to deliver lunches to protesters there.

See video from the demonstration:

Members are putting our voices together to thank the Congressional Democrats who succeeded in protecting good jobs and quality health care from Republicans last week.

By calling 877-736-7831, we’re thanking the lawmakers who stood strong to support good jobs and quality health care for working families, seniors, people with disabilities and others–and encouraging them to hold their ground for us in the future.

“On behalf of more than 91,000 workers united in SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana, we thank Democrats in Congress for protecting Medicaid and Medicare from crippling cuts that would have endangered the jobs, the health, and in some cases, the lives of people who depend on these critical safety net programs.   By blocking these cuts, people with disabilities can continue to live independently, safety net hospitals can remain open for the communities they serve, and health care workers will keep their jobs, preventing further deterioration in our already embattled economy,” said SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana President Keith Kelleher.

Now it’s our turn to thank the Democrats who stood up for us against Republicans who cater to the one percent rather than protecting jobs and healthcare for working families. These wealthy politicians aren’t done trying to cut the services we need, so we need to let our lawmakers know that we appreciate their support–and urge them to stay strong for us in the future.

Take a minute now to dial 877-736-7831, state your name, your hometown, and that you’re a member of SEIU Healthcare, and that you’re calling to thank the Democrats who stood up to protect Medicare and Medicaid for working families, seniors, people with disabilities, and our children.

Members and allies demonstrated on a bridge in Joliet, calling on Rep. Adam Kinzinger to put his constitutents to work.

All across the country on November 17th, unions, community groups, chapters of the Occupy movement, and other diverse representatives of the 99% came together to demand support for job creation instead of more corporate welfare.

In Chicago, Joliet, and St. Louis, SEIU Healthcare members spoke, marched, and occupied bridges to speak against cuts to vital safety-net programs as hundreds of similar actions across the country made our voices even stronger.

Home care worker Veronica Wansley spoke out for home care consumers on a bridge in St. Louis.

“My consumer has multiple sclerosis, and she’s blind. It’s a proven fact that it would cost more to put her in a nursing home than to continue to fund the programs that allow me to help her stay safe and independent in her own home, and it would eliminate the jobs of thousands of health care workers like me. I’m here to say that Congress needs to focus on protecting jobs and safety-net programs, not tax breaks for corporations and the rich,” Veronica said.

“I depend on Social Security, Medicaid, and public housing to get my needs met, but I’m not just worried about me,” said Jane Addams Senior Caucus leader Ruth Long, addressing the crowd in Chicago shortly before it shut down the LaSalle St. bridge. “I’m worried about the thousands of vulnerable Americans who depend on these programs who are suffering because of the greed and selfishness of the 1%.”

Hear more from Veronica, Ruth, and other participants at our three actions, and read more about the National Day of Action.