The Illinois FOP Labor Council

The Labor Council provides full service union representation in negotiating and enforcing union contracts, improving salaries, working conditions and benefits for law enforcement professionals throughout Illinois.

Our members are protected 24 hours a day by a staff of 10 full-time, in-house attorneys and staff members who have the best proven track record of winning. We represent law enforcement professionals exclusively and full-time. When someone wants an expert, they call in the FOP Labor Council.

Standing up for our members effectively and responsibly is a daily occurrence. No unit is too big or too small. We provide training seminars and conduct annual meetings where our members determine the direction of their Labor Council.


We Are One Illinois



http://www.weareoneillinois.org/

We Are One Illinois recently held a rally at the state capitol rotunda to show solidarity among Illinois government workers whose pensions and collective bargaining rights are threatened. Around the country, workers are under attack, made to pay for an economy ravaged by the corporate elite. Workers converged at the Illinois State Capitol to make sure our elected officials heard our voices in unison.

Illinois Labor Stands Together To Defend Working Families

We Are One Illinois is focusing on the upcoming legislative veto session, which got underway on October 25, to demand that Governor Quinn and state legislators support a supplemental appropriation that would provide funding to honor all union contracts.

Labor will also be prepared to renew our strong opposition to any attempt to push through legislation that, in clear violation of the state constitution, reduces pension benefits for current employees.

Our message: Organized labor is united in insisting that Illinois cannot become another Wisconsin or Ohio. If public employee unions cannot bargain contracts that are legally enforceable, then collective bargaining will soon cease to be a viable vehicle for workers' aspirations. We call on state legislators to provide adequate funds to fulfill the State's obligations under our collective bargaining laws and to refuse to support SB 512 or any similar measure intended to drastically reduce pension benefits for public employees.

Collective Bargaining At Risk In Illinois

The rights of all public employees in Illinois have been put in grave jeopardy by Governor Quinn and leading legislators. Gov. Quinn has acted to void key provisions of negotiated union contracts and is aggressively defending his actions in state and federal court, alleging that public employers have no obligation to honor union contracts if they don't have sufficient funds.

The Governor's position that no contractual requirements exist because the legislature did not appropriate enough money strikes at the heart of public sector collective bargaining in Illinois. If upheld by the courts, it would allow any governor, mayor, school administrator, state university or community college president to unilaterally void union contracts at any time based on the claim of inadequate funding from the relevant legislative body. No union contract would ever truly be binding on any employer if the Governor's position is sustained.

If he prevails in this fight, Quinn will have accomplished by executive fiat, with the tacit approval of the Democratic legislative leaders, what Governor Walker did by legislation in Wisconsin - the evisceration of long-established bargaining rights for all public employees in the state of Illinois.

Public Pensions At Risk In Illinois

Key legislators, under strong pressure from big business interests, are seeking to drastically reduce the pension benefits of current public employees, effectively eliminating defined benefit pension plans as viable options for most employees. This legislation could be voted on in the Veto Session.


House Passes LEOSA Amendments Bill

Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, hailed action in the U.S. House of Representatives, which passed S. 1132, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act, last night by voice vote under a suspension of the rules.

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was the sponsor of S. 1132. With the active support of the Judiciary Committees Ranking Member, Senator Jefferson B. Sessions III (R-AL), the legislation was favorably reported by that committee in March of this year and passed by unanimous consent in May.

"I want to express my deep appreciation to Chairman Leahy and Majority Leader Hoyer for their commitment to this issue", Canterbury said. Both of these gentlemen are FOP champions who worked very hard, first to win passage in the Senate and then to get the bill on the calendar for action in the House before the end of the regular session. They deserve a lot of the credit for today's victory.

The House companion bill, H.R. 3752, as introduced by Representative J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) and championed by Representatives Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), the House Majority Leader, and Lamar S. Smith (R-TX), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee. Representative Robert C. Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security and an opponent of the original LEOSA, had previously announced his intention to hold the bill in subcommittee, which would have killed the bill for the year. FOP members in his home State and District, as well as continuous contact with the FOPs Washington staff and personal contact with Chairman Leahy eventually prevailed on Rep. Scott to release the bill for a floor vote.

"Many of our retired officers are facing significant hurdles because some States have failed to implement the law as intended by Congress. This bill, which the President has promised to sign, will help them overcome those obstacles", Canterbury said.

The bill, which was crafted in large part by the FOP, was given a high priority by the organization. No other law enforcement organizations or police groups took played any role in its successful passage despite intense interest in the bill on the part of active and retired officers. The legislation will improve certain provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), especially with respect to retired law enforcement officers, and will make clear that law enforcement officers employed by the Amtrak and Federal Reserve Police Departments, as well as those employed by the executive branch of the Federal Government who are classified as a GS-0083 branch, especially the U.S. Department of Defense, meet the definition of qualified law enforcement officer in current law. The bill would also lower the aggregate years of service needed to meet the definition of qualified retired law enforcement officer from fifteen (15) to ten (10) and removes confusing language related to that same definition.

The bill will be transmitted to the President to be signed into law.


We Remember Our Fallen Officers...



 
Police Officer Paul W. Nauden
Chicago Police Department
End of Watch: Friday, May 20, 2011
Cause of Death: Heart Attack

Officer Paul Nauden suffered a fatal heart attack while conducting an undercover narcotics buy as part of a large narcotics investigation.

While on scene he informed other undercover officers that he did not feel well and could not complete the transaction. He left the scene in order to not jeopardize the operation and the other officers. He flagged down a passing ambulance a short distance away and was transported to a local hospital. He passed away early the next morning.

Officer Nauden had served with the Chicago Police Department for 21 years and was assigned to the Narcotics Section. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters.



Memorial information and design courtesy of Officer Down Memorial Page, used with permission.
   Labor Council News:

2012 Annual Conference:

28th ILFOP Labor Council Annual Conference
Hosted by Sangamon Lodge 55

Friday, March 23 - Saturday, March 24, 2012

Hilton Springfield
700 East Adams Street
Springfield, IL 62701

Tel 217-789-1530

$70/Single $85/Double

  • Registration Form

  • Reservation Link

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