By Steve Rhodes

“Officials with the Chicago Teachers Union announced today that the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board had issued a multi-count complaint against Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for coercing longer school day votes in 13 CPS schools,” the teachers union says in a news release. “The complaint found that CPS had committed dozens of different unfair labor practices.”
Wow. That seems like pretty big news.
“The IELRB found that CPS unlawfully threatened and coerced teachers who participated in school votes to extend the school day, including by threatening possible school closures if they did not support it.”
Holy cow!
“The Board also found that CPS offered teachers illegal inducements, such as lump sum payments, iPads, and extra compensatory days off in exchange for voting to extend the school day.”
Bribes!
“The IELRB also ruled that CPS had barred Union representatives from speaking to teachers who were considering the extended school day. The Board also ruled that CPS unlawfully refused to inform the Union as to the details of the votes in which teachers were forced to participate.”
Rahm rebuked!
“The IELRB ruled that CPS’s actions interfere with employee rights, unlawfully discourage teachers from supporting the Union’s leadership, and undermine the Union’s legitimate role as bargaining representative on behalf of CPS teachers, violating Sections 14(a)(1), (3) and (5) of the Educational Labor Relations Act.”
A clean sweep for the union!
Or a pack of lies?

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Posted on October 14, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

The Obama re-election campaign sent out this e-mail on Wednesday:

Last night, the American Jobs Act was filibustered by Senate Republicans. There was no vote on the actual bill.
But it would have succeeded: the American Jobs Act has at least 51 votes – a clear majority – to pass the Senate. And a new poll shows that 63 percent of Americans support it, too.
Today the President recorded a message he wants you to see, laying out where we go from here in the fight for jobs.

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Posted on October 13, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Working the phones Tuesday night, I learned some interesting nuggets regarding the Chicago Cubs pursuit of Boston GM Theo Epstein and why he would consider leaving his post as the head of baseball operations in his hometown for a team that hasn’t tasted a championship since 1908,” David Kaplan writes for CSNChicago.
“First, and foremost is Epstein’s interest in a new challenge in his professional life and the lure of ending the longest championship drought in sports history is proving to be a tremendous magnet in attracting him to the Cubs. Second, is Epstein’s quickly blossoming relationship with Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts.
“Sources tell us that Ricketts laid out his plan to Epstein and offered him near total authority on baseball decisions with no one to answer to other than the Ricketts family themselves.”

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Posted on October 12, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

1. The most important part of last night’s Bears-Lions broadcast.
2. From Deadspin:
“What we watched: The bumbling Bears. Oh, sure, the Lions’ win last night was historic, it kept them unbeaten, and it no doubt soothed the sting that resulted from the Tigers having fallen behind, two games to none, in the ALCS just hours earlier. But . . . those Bears. Nine false-start penalties? Yes, the game was indoors, but it’s not like Lovie Smith found that out once the team bus pulled up outside Ford Field. Yeesh.”

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Posted on October 11, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

As I began reading Neil Steinberg’s column today – it’s my duty – I thought I might actually excerpt from it approvingly. His initial thoughts on the complexity of Columbus Day seemed to merit mention. And then he goes off the rails.
“And yet perhaps because I learned the 1970s history catechism, where national unity trumps the complaints of each individual group, I feel for the Italians, who just want to be part of the story and celebrate themselves without having to wipe the blood of the slaughtered off their hands every October.”
Huh. I thought the notion of “national unity trumping the complaints of each individual group” was the history catechism of the 1980s, not the 70s. You know, the reaction of Reagan’s America against the encroaching enlightenment of the previous two decades.
But that’s the least of it.

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Posted on October 10, 2011

By Natasha Julius

In recognition of our vital role in establishing world peace, the Weekend Desk will be forced to share this update with two other pieces of furniture.
Market Update
Presidential Dignity plummeted this week to its lowest level in nine years. Analysts point out, however, that this has historically been an extremely volatile market.

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Posted on October 8, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

1. “Zac Efron went to Chicago . . . and all he got was a $100,000 bottle of champagne from the son of a Russian billionaire!!!” TMZ reports.
“The Russian also bought some stuff for his OWN table, including 2 magnum bottles of Grey Goose, 2 magnum bottles of Dom Perignon, 4 bottles of Cristal and 3 magnum bottles of Laurent-Perrier Brut Rose.
“The total bill – $112,550 . . . PLUS – dude dropped a $22,510 TIP for his server, Jasmine – 20%. Not bad for a Tuesday night.”

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Posted on October 7, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Yesterday, I lived in a world with a Steve Jobs in it. Tonight, I don’t. That’s truly how I feel right now,” Andy Ihnatko wrote for the Sun-Times last night.
“We need people in technology with focus and passion who think ahead and see what’s possible, if only the right pieces can be pushed into place and clicked together. He wasn’t the guy at Apple who came up with those ideas, but he was the guy who created an environment that encouraged, even demanded, that kind of thinking, and the guy who would put the full might and authority of an enormous company behind you and your work if he thought you were right.”
And not just in technology.

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Posted on October 6, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

How it began:
“Bill Cellini, a high school physics teacher by training, was elected to the Springfield City Council as streets commissioner in 1963 at age 28.”
His real genius, though: Seein’ his opportunities and takin’ ’em.

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Posted on October 5, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

Always tough following a late night at the bar, even if it was relatively slow. Hard to get to sleep for awhile once I’m home no matter how tired . . . after all, there’s catching up on Facebook and texting Bob and committing anecdotes about incidents and customers to memory for that book I’ll probably never write . . . so just trying to get going here. It’s not easy doing this every day! Here’s what we’ve got so far:

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Posted on October 4, 2011