Friday, December 29, 2006

UNION!!!!!!

Should we continue with the status quo or make changes after the expiration of the existing contract?

This is an important issue and after the class of 50 pre-sergeants graduates, barring any retirements, we will have 1300 members. We pay $50.00 a month in union dues (totalling nearly $65,000.00) and we need representation.

People have been complaining that when they call the Sergeants Association with questions it takes up to a week to get an answer. The response from some is to volunteer or shut up. Folks that's not the answer. We need people to staff those lines who know what they are talking about and are paid employees of the sergeants.

A website is a valuable tool to get out information and for what its worth we don't have one. The non-updated website is indicative of the state of our union.

Apathy runs rampant in this union as it does at FOP. I would not be able to tell you how many of our members are eligible to run for an elected office but I am aware that a little over 120 are eligible at FOP. Just about 1% of FOP members are eligible to run for an elected office with less than 40% of the members voting in elections. To me this is a great example of apathy and I'm sure the numbers are probably the same with the Sergeants Association.

We may never be able to change the atmosphere of apathy and thus a few members will always control the destinies of many. So you have to ask yourself what direction you would like to see our association go.

So far we have read some interesting comments, and here are some possibilities that we see happening.

1. Apathy prevails and we stay the course.
2. Decertification occurs and we must then pick an organization to represent us.
3. We select FOP and are separate from lodge 7
4. We select FOP and share facilities with lodge 7 (building, staff, etc.)
5. We select an entirely different bargaining organization i.e. Teamsters.
6. We select PB&PA again with the promise of changes
.

This post has not been written to blame the current or past presidents of the Sergeants Association for the problems that exist. We created this post with the intention of getting the members to move in the direction of getting involved.
Whether that involvement is as a PB&PA member or a member of a new bargaining unit.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

IM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CONFUSED

Anonymous said...

oec floor supervisors are going with teamsters
and the blue shirts are considering leaving IBEW local 21
because they don't do jackshit for us
maybe we should join forces and create one big happy union on our own, by time it deteriorates in 25 yrs most of us will be retired

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember when Bill Nolan said NO to Sgts./Lts. and Capts. having their own Lodges. If it was prohibited then - it still must be now. FOP sucks. Gee anyone ever think maybe the organizations should stop being in conflict and work together against the common enemy - the city. I am so sick of all the political ego mainiacs at the FOP and PB&PA. Stop representing your self interests and begin representing the memberships.

Anonymous said...

Where are our books?
It's New Years Eve tomorrow & I have nothing to write phone #'s in.

The two things that should be taken care of .........
Pocket books
Website

NOTHING!!!!!!!!

At least FOP gets 'something' done.

Anonymous said...

Could someone tell us when we will be getting our 2007 monthly planner books? I know it's asking a lot to have them here prior to the new year, but,if any union people read this blog, we could use em. Thanks luv ya.

I hear we lead the country in law enforcement technology. (God, I can't control the laughter).

Someone told me we have a couple bosses living in the 019th Ward. Could we maybe use some of the this influence and mucho tax money to give the 022nd District vehicles the new car computers? Most of the other districts have them,still we have to pedal into the station to bring up a mug shot(s).

Anonymous said...

The P.B.P.A. is useless. They do nothing for us and give us NO new information about anything. Go to the LT.'s website and find out how to run a "small" union. Our leaders should confer with them to see how it is done.

Anonymous said...

SECOND CITY SARGE why don't you "volunteer" to update the wen page?? You spend time with this web page which usually just copies stuff of SCC anyhow? Put up or shut up!

Anonymous said...

Have you talked to a single PO that is happy with the FOP?? NO.........................

Anonymous said...

I think if we are serious we should contact the Teamsters. If I'm not mistaken, they already represent some of the Cook County Sheriffs.
They have to be better than what we have now.
This talk is great, but is still just talk. We need to unite and become a better union.

Anonymous said...

I got my book today. The FOP tried to screw us over once.

SECOND CITY SARGE said...

SECOND CITY SARGE why don't you "volunteer" to update the wen page?? You spend time with this web page which usually just copies stuff of SCC anyhow? Put up or shut up!

Sat Dec 30, 02:26:00 PM

Firts of all Einstein why should I volunteer for something I pay for?
Secondly "wen page"??
And thirdly I have admitted that I use his format for the creation of this blog but look at the date and times when we both post the same news article. There are plenty of times that I have posted prior to him and when I see that he has a news story covered I won't post anything on it. So get your facts straight pinhead!

Anonymous said...

Rub Up on it Sarge!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can tell you one thing, as a patrolmen I for one don't want you in the fop. You are management. white shirt. conflict of interest.

Anonymous said...

The common enemy, that would be you white shirt, stay away we don't want you

Anonymous said...

fire dept. has the same union
works for them
unity against a common enemy

Anonymous said...

SECOND CITY SARGE said...

Firts of all Einstein why should I volunteer for something I pay for?
Secondly "wen page"??
And thirdly I have admitted that I use his format for the creation of this blog but look at the date and times when we both post the same news article. There are plenty of times that I have posted prior to him and when I see that he has a news story covered I won't post anything on it. So get your facts straight pinhead!

Sat Dec 30, 10:59:00 PM

FIRTS?? Look who's fucking talking about spelling? At least my "wen" has the correct last letter B next to the N dickhead!
Why should you volunteer for something you pay for? Someone has to take charge and you seem to be big man on campus here....are you a merit sergeant too? You crap and fucking complaint but contribute nothing to the union and then beef that the union does nothing for you! You sir are truely a Chicago copper, do nothing and complain about it!! Fuck you!

Of course, will you post this?

SECOND CITY SARGE said...

Touche! you got me on the spelling.
Nice touch to accuse me of being a merit sergeant. I'm not but you probably wouldn't be satisfied with my denial.
According to you I "crap and fucking complaint but contribute nothing to the union and then beef that the union does nothing for you!" At the end of the post I write clearly what the intention was "This post has not been written to blame the current or past presidents of the Sergeants Association for the problems that exist.We created this post with the intention of getting the members to move in the direction of getting involved.
Whether that involvement is as a PB&PA member or a member of a new bargaining unit.
Would love to see involvement I spoke about apathy in the last post. As for your last insult "You sir are truely a Chicago copper, do nothing and complain about it!!" I am truly a Chicago copper and if that is your view of them then I feel bad for the hard working coppers that you work with. (if you truly are a policemen)
By the way "truely" is spelled TRULY. Have a nice day!

Anonymous said...

Ok boys and girls.

There's a bigger problem looming here. Spelling and who will update the website are VERY MINOR concerns. PB&PA has shown that they are a fraternal style organization and cannot competently represent us with the City. FOP has the strength but unfortunately, in most cases eventually either side with or bows to what the City wishes.

Our biggest concern is HEALTH CARE! The cost is absolutely unacceptable and our "share” is on the rise, but the services are being limited, reduced or unqualified. Why are we paying more for less? The City wants a portion of our salary for healthcare so in reality every raise we get goes to pay our healthcare and not in our pockets. Think about it. Do we subsidize every City worker’s health care cost with our salary? Does a $10.95 hourly worker get the same services we do? Of course they do! Their contribution though would be about 1/3 of ours right? Why? The City is self- insured. They pay BC/BS to administer THE CITY's healthcare plan. It's a plan of the City’s choosing. There are a lot of issues none of us have the time to read or write here, but obviously PB&PA, FOP, AFSME (Civilians) and whichever Local represents the uniformed civilians, Crossing Guards, Lock-up etc. can’t seem to manage any of them. With Teamsters there are pension fund issues. They have a bad rap with pension funds and pension is as important as the healthcare.

So, what do we do? We can’t stay with what we have, they’re ineffective. We can’t go with anything local, they eventually sell out. Did anyone ever notice that several of the past presidents of FOP ended up with 6 figure G-jobs? We need to find a strong union that can fight the City, improve our healthcare without having the healthcare provider or the City bilk us, and they need to improve our bargaining position without backing away for “City favors”.

Anonymous said...

YOU ALL SHOULD ASK DON JEROME WHAT'S BEST AND FOLLOW HIS LEAD. HE'S THE GREATEST.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for confirming . . Coppers are some of the dumbest people around.

DOES ANYONE UNDERSTANDING THE FOLLOWING ?????????

If Sergeants go FOP they would be a separate lodge?? I.e.; Lodge #65? The patrolmen are Lodge #7.

DO YOU ALL FUC%ING UNDERSTAND? They would have nothing to do with Lodge 7 and company?

Anonymous said...

You guys who badmouth us lowly sergeants are TRUE IDIOTS.

How many sergeants go out of their way to screw with you? Sure, there are always a few goofs out there. However, to be honest I see an awful lot more moronic P.O.s. (Just check out the few dozen that get fired every year for doing ludicrous things like passing phony million dollar checks.)

If you are jealous, study harder to try and make the 70% “semi-legitimate” sergeants who got promoted. Or find some clout, kiss ass, and make the 30% “B.S. merit” group of pretend sergeants.

Either way, don’t fu%k with me and I won’t fu%k with you. Also, don’t call for me cause sleeping in the hole.

Anonymous said...

Hey remember the Lt.s and Capt.s are PB&PA also

Anonymous said...

Bill Nolan lied to the sergeants when they were unionizing; He told them that there could not be two lodges representing different ranks within the same department. The Sgts Assoc. took him at his word and went to PBPA. Later, the National lodge of FOP told the sgts that they could have started a separate lodge (7-A) to rep the supervisors. Nolan wanted all or nothing; he got greedy and screwed everyone.

Anonymous said...

Bill Nolan lied to the sergeants when they were unionizing; He told them that there could not be two lodges representing different ranks within the same department. The Sgts Assoc. took him at his word and went to PBPA. Later, the National lodge of FOP told the sgts that they could have started a separate lodge (7-A) to rep the supervisors. Nolan wanted all or nothing; he got greedy and screwed everyone.

Anonymous said...

Where is my comment from several days ago??????

Please keep in mind that this is an open blog
that can and is read by people other than Chicago Police Officers.