Retired teacher Maria Owens addresses the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum, “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions”, East Aurora High School, Aurora, Illinois, January 2, 2013.
Dr. Willian Barclay address on the proposed speculation sales tax, at the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum, “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions,” East Aurora High School, Aurora, Illinois, January 2nd, 2013.
Dr. Vincent Gaddis address on “The Impact of Cost Shift on Aurora Students” at the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions,” East Aurora High School, AUrora, Illinois, January 2nd 2013.
Retired teacher Fred Klonsky address on “The Politics of Pension Reform,” at the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice forum “Funding Strong Schools and Fair Pensions”, East Aurora High School, Aurora, Illinois, January 2nd, 2013.
by John Laesch, posted on Sunday, December 30th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
While many are following the manufactured cliff debate in Washington, in Illinois, a Democratic House, Senate and Governor are attempting to wash their hands of their financial mismanagement of teachers’ pensions once again.
Illinois’ veto session is our “lame duck” session and, hard to move legislation like public employee pension rip-offs is back on the table. In Springfield there is no progressive voice in the room proposing that the general assembly rescind the $85 million/per year tax break to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). There have been no proposals to implement a tax on contracts at the CME (our Wall Street) and, there have been no proposals to modernize Illinois’ tax code with a graduated income tax.
by Mike Barr, posted on Saturday, July 14th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Whither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?*
Aurora, you once had such promise that it was thought by some that you would be the center of a great rail hub and lead the state. But alas, Chicago earned the broad shoulders and you are but a flickering secondary light now.
My home town’s downtown has been in decline for half a century and there seems to be no end in sight. Many will say that I am wrong. They may be right.
But it is my firm belief that as long as Aurora has an empty core it will not thrive. It will not really live. A few baubles do not a city make.
There are some businesses left downtown but they are mostly due to the industry of Aurora’s Hispanic community and I salute them. There is not one major retail store left. Carson’s left twenty years ago or more and now it’s building stands empty. A rather sad symbol of a time long past.
by John Laesch, posted on Sunday, April 1st, 2012 at 10:29 am
Last Saturday Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice (NIJWJ) meeting had good news for workers at ATMI.
Tim Bell with the Chicago Workers Collaborative reported that the workers had voted to join Laborers Local 681 by a vote of 78 to 9. The near-unanimous vote is a reflection of the strength and solidarity among the workers.
Bell also reported that the vote had been ratified by the Department of Labor and that ATMI was willing to sit down at the negotiating table with workers from the newly formed union.