CTU isn't the only union in Chicago
The Fraternal Order of Police are giving me too a whole new meaning
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Surely Mayor Brandon Johnson couldn’t have expected Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police members to be anything other than be a nemesis during this first term; especially after the union vigorously supported Johnson’s fomer opponent Paul Vallas.
John Catanzara, the blustery and always controversial president of the FOP, this week lobbed a policy grenade that has the capability to blow up just about every plan the new mayor had for his administration. As usual, the two-headed culprit is money and the lack of understanding of politics.
Recently this space was used to describe how premature Johnson, Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Pedro Martinez, and Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis-Gates were in announcing a new 12-week paternity leave for CPS employees.It was premature because admittedly all of the details had not been worked out; nor had the idea been submitted to the Chicago Board of Education to approve it.
Now, the FOP is demanding its members, approximately 11,000, be afforded the same policy being pushed for CPS employees. The Johnson Administration is mum on the demand-a clear indication they were blindsided by it. The police union’s position is the new policy is being put in place without negotiations, therefore, the FOP should get this benefit and not have to negotiate for it. Police currently are eligible for 365 days sick pay for a two-year period. However, sick leave, accoring to Catanzara is a wholly different benefit than maternity leave.
Johnson obviously is so focused on returning the favor to CTU for its ground game and financial support he is forgetting it is not the only union in town. He has countered criticism that the change is a gift to the union. That is a tough positio to rationalize when an organization that advocates for teachers - the National Council on Teacher Quality- reported most of the 100 largest school districts offer fewer than 30 days paternal leave.
Realistically, Johnson should not have to keep track of the ramifications of every major decision he makes.
That is why he has paid advisors and staff members who are not only suppoosed to recommend, but also advise him of potential pitfalls. Now is the time for Johnson to admit he made poor choices in those areas and fire most if not all of his advisors. There is also is the possibility though that they are providing solid advice and he is ignoring them. It is not unusal for inexperienced office holders to fall into the lapsed thinking that their successful election imbued them with knowledge and keen perspectives they didn’t previously have.
Something we know is Johnson stood on stage nodding in agreement with Davis-Gates when she said the new paternity leave policy should be the standard for every family in every industry. That certainly bolsters the FOP position
The CPS’s Martinez already estimated the 12-week leave plan will cost about $10 million, and referred to it as an investment. The police department has about one-third of the 28,000 people working for the school district, so the cost for implementing the new paternity leave policy there won’t be as steep. However, the city is wallowing in a $128 million-plus budget deficit, and CPS is staring at a $628 hole. The pressing question becomes where does the money come from to pay for the new policy. He could make the tough and unprecedened choice to order a 10 percent immediated budget reduction for every city department. That would net something in the neighborhood of $1.6 billion.
Team Johnson has to know the potential for major reprecussions are front and center if he fails to meet the the FOP demands. Last year, the city pumped out more than $210 million dollars for CPD overtime. From dragging out surveillance hours to taking an excessive amount of time to write a report or even work traffic for special events; police officers have no shortage of ways to rachet up overtime.
A rash of promotions resulting in higher pay is yet another tool CPD can use to retaliate if Johnson says no. And we can’t overlook the fact that the department currently does not have a permanent superintendent in place and is not likely to have one before mid-July.
The city is facing an unprecedented issue with asylum seekers and already have spent tens of millons of dollars to house, clothe and feed them. Chicagoans are looking to the Johnson Administration for answers to the dilemma-answers that don’t appear to be forthcoming. The city finances, migrants, and now paternity leave would be a challenging trio of issues for the most experienced mayor. Johnson can’t waste any more time before sending out an SOS.
If one department is receiving a paternity leave benefit, all departments should. The length of leave might be negotiable, though (like 8 weeks instead of 12?)