Cook County Public Defenders Association

The annual Summer Bash this year was a great evening that climaxed with the wonderful fireworks display that rivals some 4th of July fireworks in many communities.  This year’s event featured an american foods buffet and an open bar for the members.  Most of the members who attended the event donated a total of $3000 dollars to the Jack Carey Memorial Scholarship, which benefits three outstanding law clerks each year with a $2500 award.  Thank you to all the sisters and brothers who donated their checks to the scholarship fund!  Special thanks to Local secretary, Amy Thompson (HTF) and also Cindy Brown (HTF) for organizing and coordinating the event.

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The election for Union Trustee began with nominations.  Four candidates were nominated: Kevin Ochalla  (incumbent)(26th), Presita West (26th), Eleanor Roos (26th) and Rosa Silva (26th).  The election which was subsequently held did not yield a majority vote getter and so the two leading vote getters, Ochalla and Silva will compete in a runoff election with a date, time and location yet to be determined by the board.

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The date and time for the Union Softball Challenge has been set:  August 21, 2010, 4pm, Rutherford Sayre Park, located at Oak Park Avenue and Belden in Chicago.  All APDs wanting to participate should contact Brendan Max (HTF)or Kevin Ochalla (26th St).  Remember, it’s the Senior Squad (APDs 40+ years) versus the Freshman (APDs under 40 years).  The game will be followed by a pizza/beverage/boasting party at a nearby site to be announced soon.

Sisters and Brothers:

My apologies for not addressing you in a message for a few months.  As you may have imagined, trial schedules and union activity have been a sponge on my time.  Alas, a few days respite from a scheduled trial has provided me with enough time to tell you the following few tidbits of information:

International Convention Report

I am proud to tell you that our entire executive board attended the AFSCME biennial International Convention in Boston last month.  At the convention, a new international vice-president of AFSCME, Lee Saunders, was elected in a hotly contested race.  Of the three candidates, he won by a razor thin margin.  The Illinois delegation supported one of the other candidates who garnered a sizeable, 48.8% of the ballots cast.  I along with Amy Thompson and Joe Gump worked as election observers and I was present for the tabulation by the American Arbitration Association of the nearly 1.3 million votes that were cast by the delegates on behalf of their members.  In sum, our local continued to make its presence known not only among the Illinios delegation, but to AFSCME delegates from around the country, including Puerto Rico!

Golf Outing and Summer Bash

The golf outing was a succes thanks not only to the great weather this year but also to the hard work of people like David Figura, Amy Thompson, Cindy Brown and Dan Nolan.

The next summer event is our Summer Bash at Navy Pier on August 18th.  Please make sure you read all the fine print and get your checks in before the deadline.  The information can be found by clicking here.

Labor/Management Meeting

Tomorrow, July 16, 2010, the executive board will be meeting with the Public Defender and his senior management team for our regularly schedule labor/management meeting.  We always welcome suggestions for topics from the members and will be discussing issues that have been brought to our attention by many of you.

PD Softball Challenge

We are on the verge of announcing the date, time and location of our first ever PD Softball Challenge.  Please stay tuned.

Jack Carey Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser

At the time of this writing, I can count on one hand the number of  tickets left for the August 20, 2010 Braves/Cubs game with three hour after party at Rockit Bar and Grill.  Please contact me if you still need a ticket or want to purchase a wrist bands for the Rockit after party(of which we can purchase at least 50 more).  Click here for details.

Contract Negotiations

Another negotiation session is scheduled for 7/19/2010 and progress remains slow because of 1) the lame duck status of President Stroger and 2) the uncertainty of future budget figures and revenue.   At the moment, there are several police locals that are in interest arbitration which is scheduled to be completed in a few more weeks.  That award MAY set the tone for our next contract.  Please read my previous message for a fuller explanation of the interest arbitration process.

Job Audits

We are once again soliciting requests for job audits for those who believe they are working above their pay grade.  Please review the posting and provide your memo before the August 31, 2010 DEADLINE.

Office Picnic

The annual office picnic, which is patially underwritten by the local, promises to be a fun filled afternoon.  This year’s picnic will be held on August 7th at Schiller Woods, Grove 10.  That’s near Irving Park Road and Cumberland in one of the Cook County Forest Preserves.  Entertainment this year will include live music by Blackout, featuring APDs Dicky Paul, Jack Phalen, Tim O’Hara, David Dunne and Vernon Schleyer.  The local underwrites the pony rides and inflateable rides which are always a big hit with the youngstes.  Food and drink are always plentiful.  If you haven’t come out to the picnic before, make sure you do so this year.

The Attack on Public Employees

You may have noticed recently the attitude people have toward us now that the economy has tanked.  For years, we worked at laughable wages but with good benefits and job security.  Now, when the people who were making money hand over fist are  in financial chaos, they look at us with envious eyes and portray us as people who are undeserving of our rightful benefits.  They have pressured our elected officials to engage in short sighted “solutions”  like passing so called pension reform, but have done NOTHING to solve the current fiscal crisis that is facing our city, state and nation.  I left County out because the last half penny of the 1 cent Stoger sales tax that has not been repealed yet is what is keeping Cook County afloat.  If it goes away, and I have said it before, so do many jobs in this office and throughout the County.

It is our duty, and that means YOU and I, to make sure we hold our elected officials accountable and be involved in the political process.  It is also our duty to do our jobs in a competent and professional manner so that the taxpayers are given the full value of their tax dollars.

Speaking of competent and professional, let me welcome our nine newest brothers and sisters who have continued our local’s tradition of 100% full membership.

In Solidarity,

K.S. Galhotra

It is time again to start preparing for the Union Summer Bash.  This year we will be at the Navy Pier Beer Garden, again.  It was alot of fun last year and the best time is yet to come.  The party will be held on August 18th, starting at 6:00pm and going to 9:00.  After the party, their will be fireworks off the end of the pier. 
 
This year’s event will also include nominations and an election for Trustee. If you wish to nominate someone, please be present at the beginning of the party.  We will accept nominations until 7:00 pm and the vote will take place immediately afterward.  Trustees serve a two year term.
 
Please reserve your spot now by sending a refundable check made out to the Jack Carey Memorial Scholarship Fund for $15. Law clerks may attend free, but the attorney they work for, or they themselves, must reserve their spot by sending the same $15 refundable check.  Guests of members are also welcome for a cost of $35. (to be donated to the Jack Carey Scholarship Fund). All checks must be recieved by Amy Thompson,  at 26th Street on the 8th Floor, through interoffice mail or in person, no later than August 13th, 2010.  There will be NO EXCEPTIONS this year.  Asking for special consideration will disqualify you from attendance and any bounced check will result in disqualification from attendance at the next 3 Union sponsored events. 
 
I look forward to seeing you all on the pier.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Union is permitted to request job audits on behalf of bargaining unit members  who believe that they are working above their grade.  The purpose of the audit process is to try to establish with County Human Resources that attorneys are doing work above their grade and should be promoted as a result.  If you believe that you are working above your grade, you can do the following:

 

• Send a memo to Local President, Bob Galhotra that includes your name, job site, grade and seniority date.
• Describe in detail work that you are doing above your grade, including specific cases and specific job duties.
• Attach 2 copies of any motions, transcripts, or other materials that you believe support your job audit request.
• Get all materials to Bob Galhotra at 26^th and California by August 31, 2010, the deadline for an audit requests.

 

Keep in mind that the Union’s involvement in the audit process will be to receive all materials, tender them to Management, and formally request audits pursuant to the CBA.  The Union will not be actively involved in “making the case” for individual attorneys.  That is your job through your detailed audit requests.  Good luck.

It’s time to reach for the time request off form because August 20, 2010 is the date for the annual baseball game fundraiser to benefit the JACK CAREY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND.

This year’s event is an afternoon Cubs Game at Wrigley field aganist the Atlanta Braves. After the game, we are having a three hour party at Rockit Bar and Grill located on the northwest corner of Clark and Waveland, only a couple minute walk from our seats in the left field terrace reserved section.  At Rockit, we will be in the exclusive Upper Deck area with unlimited beer, including Corona, wine, soft drinks and mixers; ther will also be food from their award winning menu including fresh fruit. The early bird special is only $95. After July 5, the ticket price goes to $110, so don’t delay, buy your tickets as soon as possible.  If you’re on trial and can’t make the game, buy the “party only” wristband for $60. Times are tough but please support this worthwhile cause that was meant to recognize outstanding law clerks while honoring one of our own too.

By the way, the 25th scholar, Ryan Carlsen, was selected as the winner for the summer and the July 1st deadline for the fall scholarship is fast approaching. 2nd and 3rd year law students are encouraged to apply for the $2500 award.

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Get ready for the 1st Annual PD Softball Challenge.  Bragging rights are on the line.  Two teams of PDs will play each other in a winner-takes-all 16 inch co-ed game.  The catch: teams will be divided along maturity lines.  One team will consist of 40+ aged PDs, while the other team will be young guns under 40.  If you are interested in a roster spot, call the respective team captains: 40+ team members call Brendan Max at 869-2807, Under-40 team members call Kevin Ochalla at 869-6053.  After teams are set, we will select a date and location that is convenient for both teams.

 

After the game, the Union will sponsor a pizza/beverage party for both teams.

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The Local’s  Annual Golf Outing is being planned for June 17, 2010 at Water’s Edge Golf Course located at 11605 S. Harlem Avenue, Worth, Illinois.  We are limiting play to 72 golfers (18) foursomes.

There will be a shotgun start so all will finish at roughly  the same time.  All golfers should be at the course ready to go at noon.  Details of the package are being negotiated with course management but it will most likely be similar to what we have had in the past (cart, lunch, dinner, some drinks, greens fees).  Per the decision of the Local’s Executive Board, all players must submit a check made out to AFSCME LOCAL 3315 in the amount of $50 per person as a deposit. The deposit will be refunded for dues paying members who golf upon request on day of event.  Refunds of deposits will not be made for golfers who are guests or retirees.

NO ONE SHOULD TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO CANCEL THE OUTING BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER.  Last year proved that it is unlikely that rain will result in no golf for the whole day.  If you sign up, show up.  

Foursome’s can register only by inter-office mail to DAVE FIGURA MDD@26thST.    Send the names of people in your foursome and at least one contact number so we can communicate information to each group.  Singles, twosomes and threesomses should follow the same procedure.  Be sure to send the checks – cash will not be accepted.  The union will ban any member from the next (3)  Local events (holiday party, navy pier party) if the check bounces. We will pair up groups as necessary.  This is first come first served so don’t delay.  

Those coming “just for dinner” should write that in the memo portion of your check for $50.

DAVID FIGURA, MDD

2010 GOLF COMMITTEE CHAIR

The Union’s Summer party has been scheduled for August 18th this year at the beer garden at Navy Pier.  For those of you who attended last year’s event, you will remember that we received great treatment by the people on the pier and were in close proximity to the band.  For those of us who stayed to the end, we got to enjoy the fireworks closeup.  The menu will be the same, the bar the same, the fireworks will be there.  All we need are the people to make the night a success.  Please keep the evening open and check back here to learn how and when to RSVP.  You will likely have to forward a check made out to the Jack Carey Scholarship Fund, but the guest policy has not been determined.  Keep checking back and we’ll have that information for you soon.