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Latest News

Resolution Calls for Hearing on Staffing Agency Spending at Cook County Health

Cook County Commissioners Alma Anaya (7th District), Anthony Quezada (8th District), and Bridget Degnen (12th District), introduced a resolution requesting a joint hearing of the Health & Hospitals Committee and the Finance Committee for a report on staffing agencies.

CCH has been utilizing staffing agencies to fulfill vacancies in various fields throughout its system, resulting in an increase in costs associated with temporary staffing contracts from 2018 to 2022.

We look forward to this hearing which we believe will reveal the need to reduce agency spending and ensure fiscal responsibility and improved health care for the communities we serve. We will keep you posted when the hearing is scheduled and next steps.

SEIU Local 73 is committed to leading the fight against agency spending in CCH to strengthen and protect your jobs.

This resolution is the direct result of our political work which is funded through voluntary contributions to our political action committee, COPE. COPE contributions give us the ability to elect candidates who support our members and our issues. We encourage all of our members to contribute to COPE so we can continue to move and win on issues that directly impact our work.

Mental Health Specialist III Hazard Pay Update
Since the contract was ratified this past July, we continue to fight to make sure hazard pay, and every other negotiated increase, is implemented. Cook County Health HR confirmed there’s a technical issue that’s causing the delay in implementing the hazard pay. Maurice Walker, Senior Payroll Coordinator, and Rachel Marrello, Operations Counsel, are working with the Bureau of Technology to make sure this is resolved, and said hazard pay should be implemented in 4-6 weeks. 

This timeline is frustrating and ridiculous. A grievance was filed to make sure this is implemented as quickly as possible, in addition to ensuring all Mental Health Specialists receive the correct hazard retro pay back to ratification. 

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Upcoming Member Meetings

Upcoming Steward Meetings:

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Find Your Union Steward and Staff Representative

Kim AllenKallen@seiu73.org

  • All community-based ACHN Clinics
  • Harrison Square

Owen Schmidtoschmidt@seiu73.org

  • Offices Under the President
  • Clerk’s Office
  • Sheriff’s Department
  • Cermak
  • JTDC
  • Department of Transportation and Highway
  • Animal Control
  • All Courthouses

Jamie Luna, JLuna@seiu73.org

  • Stroger Hospital
  • Professional Building

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General Information

  • Steward PDF

Worksite Issue Report Forms

Union Contracts & Relevant Policies/Resources

Steward Information

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Graphic of SEIU Local 73 actions
Pres. Palmer testifies before Cook County Health & Hospital Committee on new CCH CEO.
Christine Terrell, Mental Health Specialist III at Cermak Health Services, testifies before the Cook County Health & Hospital Committee
Local 73 Deputy Director Lizzy Bortoto speaks before the Cook County Health and Hospital Committee
June 27, 2023
Local 73 Member Veronica Williams speaks before the Cook County Finance Committee
June 28, 2023
Local 73 Member Aaron Rios-Lebowitz speaks before the Cook County Board of Commissioners
June 29, 2023
Local 73 Executive Board Member James Phipps speaks before the Cook County Board of Commissioners
June 29, 2023
Local 73 Vice President Roy Chavadiyil speaks before the Cook County Board of Commissioners
June 29, 2023