GET ON THE BUS, GUS!
Glen Brown
Post: We Are One Illinois coalition is
participating in a series of events statewide on December 2nd, which has been
designated Pension Emergency Day
Purpose: Lawmakers
are expected to convene the first week in December to act on a bipartisan
proposal to slash pension benefits. It is critical that we maximize
pressure on legislators, especially those who voted for SB 1 but may be
concerned about backlash from our members. To do so in Springfield is
logistically difficult, but targeted actions at district offices offer an
opportunity to convey such outrage, even with a limited timeframe.
Plan: The We Are One
unions will coordinate a series of such actions as part of a “Pension Emergency
Day” on Monday, December 2. We will mobilize groupings of 10-50 folks
from our ranks to descend on targeted legislative offices, noisily entering the
office deliver a “Pension Emergency Declaration” to the lawmakers and urge the
legislator to join the “Pension Rescue Squad” and vote against the pension bill.
Participants would have a whistle/noisemaker, an oversized “Declaration” to
present, and a sticker designating they’re on the “Pension Rescue Squad.”
The action is not meant to be an attack on the
legislator. Rather, with urgency and intensity, public employees and retirees
will be urging targeted legislators to help save their pensions and be on their
side.
List of events, categorized by “Lead Union”:
AFSCME
·
Rockford – Stadelman/Syverson, Jefferson
o Start Time: 10
a.m.
o Transportation: Self.
(Parking is plentiful.)
o Meeting Location: All
three offices are located in third-floor suites at 200 S. Wyman, Rockford, IL.
o Note: The
lead local has set a meeting time in a conference room with Sens. Stadelman and
Syverson and plans to fill it to overflow capacity with 50+ retirees. The event
for Rep. Jefferson would follow.
o Contact: Jay
Ferraro, 815-742-6553
·
Chicago (traveling squad) –
M. Davis, Dunkin, Evans, C. Mitchell, Turner, Berrios
o
Start
Time: 9
a.m.
o
Transportation: Bus
o
Bus
Pickup Location: Jewel-Osco parking lot, near the junction of W. 87th St.
and the Dan Ryan on the south side of Chicago
o
Food: Lunch will be
provided on the bus.
o
Contact:
Mary
Jones, 773-426-4367
·
Chicago
- North Suburbs, morning wave (traveling squad) – Gabel, Biss, Nekritz/Moylan
o
Start
Time: 9:30
a.m.
o
Transportation: Bus
o
Bus
Pickup Location: Evanston Plaza parking lot, 1968 Dempster St., Evanston, IL
o
Order
of Visits: Gabel, Biss, Nekritz/Moylan (Nekritz/Moylan share space)
o
Pledged
Turnout Support: IFT
o
Contact:
Charlie
Hogan, 773-679-6835
·
Chicago
- South Suburbs, morning wave (traveling squad) – T. Jones, Riley
o
Start
Time: 9
a.m.
o
Transportation: Bus
o
Bus
Pickup Location: K-Mart parking lot at 17550 Halsted St., Homewood, IL (Note: The
K-Mart itself is closed, but the parking lot stages bus pickups.)
o
Contact:
Mike
Bouler, 708-856-5220
·
Chicago - West Suburbs, morning wave (traveling
squad) – Willis, Landek, Harmon, Radogno, Durkin
o Start Time: 10 a.m.
o Transportation: Bus
o Bus Pickup Location: Melrose
Crossing shopping center parking lot at 1903 N. Mannheim Rd., Melrose Park, IL
o Contact: Al
Drantz, 708-453-4641
·
Aurora
(Kane County) – Kifowit
o
Start
Time: 10
a.m.
o
Transportation: Self. (Parking is
ample.)
o
Meeting
Location:
Rep. Kifowit’s district office at 1677 Montgomery Rd., Ste. 116, Aurora, IL
o
Pledged
Turnout Support: IEA
o
Contact: Marcia Little,
630-365-0569
·
Metro
East
– Kay
o
Note: There was a fire
very recently at Rep. Kay’s office, and it is unclear if this event will take
place or whether he has even made temporary district office arrangements yet.
If there is no office, the event may be cancelled.
o
Contact: Dorothy Asbury,
618-401-0498
·
Southern Illinois (Marion) – Bradley
o Start Time: 10
a.m.
o Transportation: Self.
(Parking is limited, so members/retirees should carpool if possible.)
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Bradley’s district office at 510 W. DeYoung St., Ste. 5, Marion, IL
o
Pledged
Turnout Support: IEA
o
Contact: Al Latoza,
618-303-3542
IFT
·
Lake County/Hainesville – Yingling
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Yingling’s district office at 20 W. North St., Hainesville, IL
o Contact: Matt
Beverly, 815-271-2530 (mbeverly@ift-aft.org) and Michelle Standridge,
262-308-9340 (mstandridge@ift-aft.org)
·
Will County/Joliet – Manley
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Manley’s district office at 2701 Black Rd., Suite 201, Joliet, IL
o Pledged Turnout Support: AFSCME
o Contact: Dan
Mercer, 815-878-9130, dmercer@ift-aft.org
·
Will
County/Romeoville - McAsey
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
McAsey’s district office at 209 W. Romeo Rd., Romeoville, IL
o Pledged Turnout Support: AFSCME
o Contact: Dan
Mercer, 815-878-9130, dmercer@ift-aft.org
·
Grundy
County/Morris – Rezin
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Sen.
Rezin’s district office at 103 Fifth St., Peru, IL
o
Pledged
Turnout Support: AFSCME
o
Contact: Todd Stachowiak,
815-228-1331, tstachowiak@ift-aft.org
·
Peoria – Gordon-Booth
o Start Time: TBD
o
Transportation:
Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Rep. Gordon-Booth’s district office at 300 E. War Memorial Dr., Suite
303, Peoria, IL
o
Contact:
·
Peoria – LaHood
o Start Time: TBD
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Sen.
LaHood’s district office at 5415 N. University, Suite 105, Peoria, IL
o
Contact:
·
Quincy – Tracy
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Tracy’s district office at 3701 East Lake Centre Dr., Suite 3, Quincy, IL
o
Contact: Michelle Eberlin,
217-440-2435, meberlin@ift-aft.org
IFT – second waves in Rockford and around Chicago to try
to accommodate actives
·
Rockford, second wave – Stadelman, Syverson,
Jefferson
o Start Time: TBD
o Transportation: Self.
(Parking is plentiful.)
o Meeting Location: All
three offices are located in third-floor suites at 200 S. Wyman, Rockford, IL.
o Contact: Chris
Weaver, cweaver@ift-aft.org
·
Evanston/Chicago
North Suburbs, second wave – Gabel
o
Start
Time: 4
p.m.
o
Transportation: Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Rep. Gabel’s district office at 820 Davis St., Suite 103, Evanston, IL
o
Contact:
Pankaj
Sharma, 847-530-9425, pmsharma25@gmail.com
·
Glenview/Chicago
North Suburbs, second wave – Fine
o
Start
Time: 4
p.m.
o
Transportation: Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Rep. Fine’s district office at 1812 Waukegan Rd., Suite A, Glenview,
IL
o
Contact:
Lenny
Nieves, 224-622-5409, lnieves@ift-aft.org and Bob Shaevel, 847-997-4352,
bshaevel@ift-aft.org
·
Chicago
North Suburbs, second wave – Silverstein
o
Start
Time:
4 p.m.
o
Transportation: Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Sen. Silverstein’s district office at 2951 W. Devon, Chicago, IL
o
Contact:
Deb
Takehara, dtakehara@ift-aft.org
·
Skokie/Chicago
North Suburbs, second wave – Biss
o
Start
Time:
4 p.m.
o
Transportation: Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Sen. Biss’s district office at 3706 N. Dempster St., Skokie, IL
o
Contact:
Steve
Grossman, 773-991-0793, stevegrossman@nstu.org
·
Northlake/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Willis
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Willis’ district office at 112 N. Wolf Rd., Northlake, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba,
amistry@ift-aft.org
·
Burbank/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Landek
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Sen.
Landek’s district office at 6215 W. 79th St., Suite 1A, Burbank, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba,
amistry@ift-aft.org
·
Villa Park/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Conroy
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Conroy’s district office at 28 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba,
amistry@ift-aft.org
·
Burr Ridge/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Durkin
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: Rep.
Durkin’s district office at 16W281 83rd St., Suite C, Burr Ridge, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba,
amistry@ift-aft.org
·
Lemont/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Radogno
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: 1011
State St., Suite 210, Lemont, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba,
amistry@ift-aft.org
·
Oak Park/Chicago West Suburbs, second wave –
Harmon
o Start Time: 4 p.m.
o Transportation: Self.
o Meeting Location: 6933 W.
North Ave., Oak Park, IL
o Contact: Tom
Smith, 708-204-3243, tsmith@ift-aft.org and Arnavez Mistry-Mujthaba, amistry@ift-aft.org
IEA
·
Streamwood -- Crespo
o
Start
Time: 3:30
p.m.
o
Transportation:
Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Rep. Crespo’s district office at 1014 E. Schaumburg Rd., Streamwood,
IL
o
Contact: Connie Campbell,
cell 847-754-5377
·
Schaumburg -- Mussman
o
Start
Time: 3
p.m.
o
Transportation:
Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Rep. Mussman’s district office at 15 W. Weathersfield Way, Schaumburg,
IL
o
Contact: Connie Campbell,
cell 847-754-5377
·
Bloomington
--
Brady
o
Start
Time: 3:45
p.m.
o
Transportation:
Self.
o
Meeting
Location: Sen. Brady’s district office at 2203 Eastland Dr., Suite 3,
Bloomington, IL
o
Contact:
Ben
Matthews, Ben.Matthews@ieanea.org