Chicago Federation of Labor
President Jorge Ramirez joined a growing chorus of supporters on
Wednesday who are calling on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to reconsider a $99
million city contract that would cause more than 300 union custodial
workers at O’Hare Airport to lose their jobs by the end of this week.
Ramirez,
who has been considered an ally of Emanuel, was joined by fellow labor
leaders and advocates at a press conference held at City Hall to oppose
the a five-year deal with United Maintenance Inc., to provide
cleaning services to O’Hare beginning December 15.
“This contract
really jeopardizes the well-being of close to 350 men and women who go
to work every day keeping the world’s busiest airport clean,” Ramirez
said. “These workers have done nothing wrong, yet on Friday, less than
two weeks before Christmas they stand to lose their jobs.”
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Bah, humbug! 
Time is running out for more than 300 O’Hare janitors who stand to
lose their jobs by the end of next week as a result of a new city
contract.
O'Hare janitors worried about the future of their jobs made a trip to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's house yesterday afternoon to protest a new city contract. The workers rallied outside of the mayor's home on his 53rd birthday to protest the deal that will cause some 300 workers to lose their jobs next month, just days before the holidays.
The impending loss next month of 300 custodial jobs at O’Hare
International Airport has raised concerns over the future relationship
between city leaders and organized labor.
Campaigning for a higher minimum wage in Illinois, Stand Up! Chicago
joined forces with grassroots organizations from across the city for a
series of rallies and marches as a part of the National Minimum Wage Day
of Action. 
The same group of about 50 SEIU Local 1 janitors 
On Thursday afternoon, a group of SEIU* Local 1 members gathered
outside City Hall to protest the layoffs of 50 Chicago union janitors
and to call for a new labor contract ordinance.