News
On the Future of Local 73
Earlier this spring, the Local appointed the Committee on the Future made up of rank-and-file Local 73 members that are looking at the suspended Constitution and By-laws, finances, and how to build and exercise member strength. Much like the 10 members named on the original 1941 Local 73 Charter, the committee members are looking toward the future of Local 73 and are developing proposals that will improve the lives of the workers we represent across Illinois and Northwest Indiana.
On April 7, 2018 the Committee on the Future met as a group to start the process of creating a labor organization prepared to meet the demands of a 21st century union. This committee is as diverse in its make up as Local 73’s membership, representing the many different sectors, locations, and worksites that make up Local 73. The committee will make recommendations about how we’re going to structure the union for the future. After that, we will present our recommendations to the membership for approval and seek SEIU President Mary Kay Henry’s approval to begin the process of returning the Local to self-governance.
We are happy to introduce you to the committee members!
Click here to view a full list.
“I was motivated to join Local 73’s Committee on the Future because I wanted to know more about how the union works. We’re rebuilding, restructuring and we’re coming back strong. I’m looking forward to the future. I want to go back to my union brothers and sisters in Indiana and tell them there’s a change coming and it’s for the better. We’re not in limbo anymore. We’re focused and we have a goal and we’re going to reach it,” Dorice Cusic, IN Gary Community School Corporation and Local 73 steward.
In December 2017, thirteen members filed a lawsuit to end the trusteeship at Local 73. That lawsuit was dismissed after a federal judge found that the plaintiffs were not likely to succeed on the merits of their claim. A similar lawsuit was then filed in February by the same attorneys who filed the first suit, but on behalf of three different members. That lawsuit remains pending in federal court. The court has not made any decision in the case and will not make a decision without considering evidence from both sides.
Meantime, the work to build a stronger, self sufficient and more democratic union will continue. The Committee on the Future is determined to build a union that can withstand any challenge, whether it come from employers, politicians or the Supreme Court Janus case. Together, we can, we will do it.