Another Reason to Picket

From the FOP picket flyer:

• Fact: Alderman Beale wants to stop our Uniform Allowance and Duty Availability pay

Aldercreature Beale had no problem accepting a 6% pay raise for his part-time job and no problem with voting his staff a 5% raise. He also was among the 50 jackasses who saw nothing wrong with taking an increase in the aldercreature's discretionary fund (last reported to be in the neighborhood of $1.33 million to spend on whatever they want) as the economy was tanking.

And on the subject of the planned march, does anyone know if the Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains have been approached or invited? The PBPA usually relies on the FOP to do the majority of the negotiating so it might be a good thing to have them along.

How about the retirees? The retirees come together and vote in a large block come election time. How many might have a few spare hours to come downtown and march with us? This has a lot of potential.

Oh, and Daley says we're being "unfair"

• It is "unfair" for police to try to link their pay dispute to Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, Mayor Richard Daley said Saturday.

  Police union members unhappy with contract negotiations say they will picket City Hall on Thursday--the same day the International Olympic Committee's evaluation team arrives in Chicago.

  "If everybody has a complaint about something else, it has nothing to do with 2016," the mayor said. "It's really unfair because the Olympics is bigger than Mayor Daley. It's bigger than the police or fire union, all these unions. It's bigger than them.

No word on how unfair it is the City hasn't kept up with pension obligations as per State law.