Thousands Of Workers From The SEIU Local 73 Union Missing Promised Bonus Pay From Cook County Leadership
CHICAGO (CBS) -- $3,000 in pandemic relief and other bonus pay was promised to almost every Cook County employee.
However, thousands of workers are missing out on all that money. CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov spent the day figuring it out.
It's only workers in one union and they believe it's retaliation for a walkout.
They are front-line Cook County workers in the jail, hospital -- in-person for most, if not all, of the pandemic. They say they're hurting financially.
"With the cost of living and how this pandemic has affected the economy, we are struggling."
Cook County jail worker Shadonna, who didn't want to give her last name for fear of retaliation, isn't alone. Amanda, A Sheriff's Department employee, calls the struggles widespread.
"It frustrates me because you know a lot of employees because I was the union steward in training, have been calling me saying they need help," she said.
Both are members of the Service Employees International Union - Local 73. They say a $1,000 pandemic payment, along with a $2,000 bonus, would be a big financial help. It's money county leadership promised to them and its other union and non-union employees. So far, SEIUs leadership says their workers are the only large group not to get it.
"They feel like they've been led along with a carrot in their face but spanked in the butt with a stick."
A spokesperson for Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle blames the hold-up on contract arbitration. But Larry Alcoff, the union's chief negotiator says last fall, county leaders asked SEIU to provide a memo of the agreement to get around that issue and get their 2,500 workers that much-needed money. He says the union did -- only to have the county reject it.
"They said that we could do it and then they said they wouldn't do it," Alcoff said.
"We believe that Preckwinkle is upset that we went out on strike," Amanda said.
This 18-day strike last summer. Workers' first financial hit. This, another.
"To me, it affects predominantly single women, Black and Brown families," Amanda said.
County President Preckwinkle's spokesperson adamantly denies there is any retaliation involved in this matter. If you're wondering, the pandemic portion of the pay comes from federal dollars.
The spokesperson couldn't say how many employees, overall, are getting that payout or the total amount.