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Hundreds Of Cook County Workers Stage One-Day Strike For Pandemic Pay
"Our members have put their lives on the line to keep Cook County functioning," SEIU Local 73 president Dian Palmer said in a statement.
CHICAGO (CBS) — The Cook County Health workers, Sheriff’s office civilian employees, and Cook County Clerk’s office workers represented by SEIU Local 73 walked off the job at 6 a.m., accusing the county of walking out on negotiations.
“Our members have put their lives on the line to keep Cook County functioning,” SEIU Local 73 president Dian Palmer said in a statement. “The complete lack of respect by [Cook County Board President] Toni Preckwinkle and the managers under her supervision is shocking. We have respiratory therapists and healthcare workers working to save lives. We have election workers who made sure the presidential election ran smoothly. We have custodians sanitizing courthouses and public offices to keep people safe. We have office workers at the County jail, a hotspot for COVID, coming in every day. The least Preckwinkle could do is respect, protect, and pay these essential workers by bargaining in good faith and providing pandemic pay to all essential workers.”
