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Chicago Housing Authority Workers Fighting to Keep Their Jobs

75 SEIU Local 73 members who provide vital public housing services recently received layoff notices.

SEIU Local 73 represents members who work for CVR, a union contractor. Chicago Housing Authority(CHA) contracts with CVR to provide several components of the Section 8 public housing program. Members work in the call center assisting public housing applicants and residents. The 5 year contract between the CHA and CVR ends this year.

"I come from a long line of public housing, poverty, welfare and I work very hard...I took this job because I have compassion for the people in this program. I love the people who come to this program because I can understand and feel where they are coming from. I know the struggle of homelessness. I know the struggle of being considered just a number. I know the struggle of being ignored and not being heard...We are there to encourage them. We're there to help them. We're in the trenches fighting for them. We're doing this on behalf of CHA because we don't ever want them to think that not caring is the CHA way. We put our best foot forward when we are servicing Section 8 recipients. For you to turn around and tell us that we can be thrown away, that you don't need me any more for 13%. I am not 13% of a human being. I am not 13% of a workforce. I am 100% human. When you go home to your families. Think about us. When you sit down and eat, think about us that service the people. We care about the people and this is not the CHA way!," April Ikenga, Local 73 member and CHA worker, speaking at May board meeting.

“I come from a long line of public housing, poverty, welfare and I work very hard…I took this job because I have compassion for the people in this program. I love the people who come to this program because I can understand and feel where they are coming from. I know the struggle of homelessness. I know the struggle of being considered just a number. I know the struggle of being ignored and not being heard…We are there to encourage them. We’re there to help them. We’re in the trenches fighting for them. We’re doing this on behalf of CHA because we don’t ever want them to think that not caring is the CHA way. We put our best foot forward when we are servicing Section 8 recipients. For you to turn around and tell us that we can be thrown away, that you don’t need me any more for 13%. I am not 13% of a human being. I am not 13% of a workforce. I am 100% human. When you go home to your families. Think about us. When you sit down and eat, think about us that service the people. We care about the people and this is not the CHA way!,” April Ikenga, Local 73 member and CHA worker, speaking at the May board meeting.

Chicago Housing Authority staff issued RFPs for a new five year contract providing services to Chicago public housing recipients. CVR, a union contractor, and Nan McKay, a non-union contractor bid to provide the services to public housing recipients. Nan McKay was awarded the contract because it submitted a lower bid. The CHA decision to use a non-union operator because it provides lower wages and benefits to employees is not a Chicago value.

If financial costs were the sole factor in making the decision on how CHA provides these services, then the choice of a non-union contractor does not make sense. A CHA study was done last year on the design, implementation, and costs of bringing the services recently bid in-house. The CHA study recommending bringing the program in-house demonstrates a $23.4 million savings over 5 years. The Nan McKay contracts is a $19 million savings below current costs over five years.

Chicago Housing Authority’s own documentation concerning the contracts, bids, and the in-house study demonstrate a $4.4 million additional savings if CHA brings the program in-house. CHA’s decision to contract to a non-union vendor, spend more money than in-housing the services, and lay off an experienced 95% minority, 70% female workforce belies logic.

This is self-defeating. Many of our members who work in the Housing Choice Voucher program are Section 3 hires or they have been recipients of public aid in the past. Now, the CHA board is going to allow them to get laid off.  Isn’t it part of CHA’s mission to help residents “Find, Keep and Advance in a Job” and also build their own economic independence? By contracting out these services, CHA is working against its own mission.

Local 73 members are activated and fighting for their jobs. Workers testified at the CHA board meeting in May. Click here to check out the video of the meeting. Members appear at the 2:02:00 time mark. 

Chicago is a union town and you do not treat union workers like this. We plan on going to the City of Chicago and demanding a solution. These are hard working women and men that are going to be out of work because the City decided to award this contract to a non-union contractor. Local 73 members will testify at next week’s City Council Meeting on May 23rd.

"I have participated in your programs, such as Section 3. I have been laid off from you guys twice, once from Family Works and now from CVR. I think it's unfair. Your objective is to get families off of public help so they can be self-sufficient. I am a single mother...I think it's unfair for me to continue to fight when I don't have to, when I have people that should support me. I'm trying to be self-sufficient. Section 3 right now doesn't have jobs for me that I can apply for. If you are laying us off absorb us, maybe in CHA. I'm tired. I want to continue working. I want my son to look up to me and not see me at home while I should be at work." NAME

“I have participated in your programs, such as Section 3. I have been laid off from you guys twice, once from Family Works and now from CVR. I think it’s unfair. Your objective is to get families off of public help so they can be self-sufficient. I am a single mother…I think it’s unfair for me to continue to fight when I don’t have to, when I have people that should support me. I’m trying to be self-sufficient. Section 3 right now doesn’t have jobs for me that I can apply for. If you are laying us off absorb us, maybe in CHA. I’m tired. I want to continue working. I want my son to look up to me and not see me at home while I should be at work,”  Sharika Johnson, Local 73 member and CHA worker, speaking at the May board meeting.