'They come for one of us, they come for all of us'

Sometimes it may seem like organized labor is getting backed into a corner by an unholy alliance of anti-union Right-wingers and billionaires, but unions aren’t yet on the ropes, much less out for the count.

In fact, in communities from coast to coast, mobilization is alive, and at workplaces internal organizing is increasing. All that promises to build momentum to fight harder for survival in general, and in particular to prepare for negotiations this year.

This month, some big contracts start to expire, and bargaining and possibly striking present themselves.

Expiring this month is UFCW Local 700’s contract for 3,800 Kroger workers in Indianapolis, as well as the Allied Grocery agreement in the Pacific Northwest, covering 30,000 members of UFCW Local 3000 and Teamsters Local 38 across several supermarket chains.

IBEW Locals 191 (Everett, Wash.) and 520 (Austin, Texas) both have May 31 expirations, covering 2,000 and 1,900 workers, respectively. Local 191 is active in Boeing plants and 520 in Samsung and SpaceX factories, and membership is growing in both locals.

Contracts expire May 31 and June 30 for more than 6,000 Catholic Health and Kaleida Health workers in two Communications Workers (CWA) locals in Buffalo, N.Y.

California K-12 teachers in school districts covering more than 50,000 educators in Los Angeles (35,000), Oakland (3,000), San Diego (7,000), and San Francisco (6,500) timed their contract expirations to all end next month.

Some 3,000 IUE-CWA members at GE aerospace and generator manufacturing facilities have contracts expiring June 22.

Almost 30,000 faculty members, coaches, counselors, librarians, and other higher-ed workers in the California State University system have a contract that expires June 30.

The Operating Engineers’ master contract for 10,000 workers who run heavy equipment for a Southern California contractors’ association expires June 30.

Also expiring June 30 are contracts at 15 nonprofit legal agencies serving low-income clients in New York City, where workers’ unions lined up their contracts to expire the same day. The pacts cover 2,500 workers in an SEIU local and two United Auto Workers locals.

The Machinists have another Boeing agreement expiring July 27 affecting 2,500 members of IAM District 837 in St. Louis, where they build fighter jets.

This fall, contracts expire for almost 60,000 workers at health-care giant Kaiser Permanente on September 30.

In addition, ongoing disputes, tensions and talks remain with U.S. Postal Service unions; in transportation, with railroad and airline unions; in retail and restaurants, with Teamsters stepping up to deal with Amazon and SEIU continuing to support Starbucks workers; in the public sector from state, county and municipal employees to federal workers; in media, struggling against government threats and ownership greed; and more.

The “wild card” in this bout isn’t Donald Trump – though his administration is a huge opponent. It’s the positive that labor’s 71% approval rating among Americans is growing with younger workers – 91% of workers younger than 30 supports unions.

“This is a generational turning point,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, one of action and solidarity.

“Solidarity is not a word on a sign,” she said. “When I talk to steelworkers, nurses, bus drivers and hotel workers, I hear the opposite of division. Nobody’s asking for more tax breaks for Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos at the expense of Medicare or Social Security.

“Solidarity is lived out every single day,” she added. “When they come for one of us, they come for all of us.”

‘There’s something happening here’ But rallies need unions, like unions need community support

There wasn’t an absence of union people in the crowd of more than 1,000 stretching between Knoxville and Wisconsin on U.S. Route 150 in Peoria on May 3.

But there was no organized labor.

There were no banners from the Teachers, Building Trades, Teamsters, SEIU or Postal Workers despite those unions’ lawsuits and other grievances over, respectively, threats in education, illegally deported Sheet Metal Worker Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Amazon’s ties to the White House, and risks of Medicaid cuts hurting people who need home health care, nursing home assistance, privatizing the Post Office – much less a trade war affecting consumers and workers.

Still, Marty Clinch, a retired IBEW worker demonstrating with a half dozen other electrical workers, said it’s time to call it like it is.

“Everything they say is complete BS. They’re pulling stuff all the time, and it’s affecting us all,” he said. “And as time goes on, more and more people are going to get ticked off.”

On the heels of April’s “Hands Off” rallies and other national days of action, Americans upset with the Whie House and its loyalists and billionaires upending the country and culture have turned out in U.S. communities from Anchorage to Gulfport, Miss., plus big cities, small towns, and mid-sized markets like Peoria.

Speaking to a crowd in New York City, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said, “[The Trump administration] should be afraid of the power of labor and everyday workers across the country. When they see us gather in the street, you should know that when I go back to Washington, they talk about it and they are getting very afraid. They are getting nervous.”

It was similar at recent events in west-central Illinois on April 26, too.

* That day, about 100 people turned out at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Peoria, where the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria held a “Shine On Democracy” rally and roundtable. There, LWV Vice President for Issues & Advocacy Kathy Cortez talked about a proposed law endangering voting rights, Peoria Area Food Bank manager Wayne Cannon listed dire consequences if Congress passes the White House’s “big, beautiful bill” that could cut SNAP food stamps, and others discussed Trump eliminating public media, officials not following the rule of law, withholding funding for the arts, and an overall constitutional crisis.

But there was no labor presence.

* That afternoon, the UAW hall in East Peoria was filled to capacity with more than 800 people gathered to protest area Congressman Darin LaHood’s surrender to the MAGA agenda (and refusal to hold town halls or meet with people). There, the energy was boisterous, but no union banners were raised besides the Autoworkers, affixed to walls.

The frequent chant was “We won’t go back!” and dozens of signs defended veterans and voters, teachers and  libraries, workers whose government jobs and programs have been eliminated and individual rights.

Ill. Rep. Sharon Chung (D-91^st) said public participation is vital, and she recalled when she felt called to get involved politically.

“I lived in a neighborhood in Bloomington-Normal where on one side of the street the Representative was Darin LaHood, and other side was Rodney Davis,” she said. “Talk about a crap sandwich!”

LaHood faces challenges, from his constituents and from three newcomers considering runs against him. Joe Albrights from East Peoria and Paul Nolley from Rockford have filed their candidacies, and Rivian worker Scott Best may throw his hat into the ring.

Retired autoworker Rick Taylor said the crisis can’t be about one person, whether Darin LaHood or Donald Trump.

“It’s not just a crazy man,” he said. “It’s a crazy group of men.”

Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, a WIU professor commenting about rousing rallies, said, “Sometimes big energy is needed to mark change. If you are looking for that kind of energy, you don’t have to look far to find it. Across the country – from the lettuce fields of California to classrooms in Chicago, from kitchens in Queens to loading docks in Atlanta – working people are rising up and speaking out against the injustices in our country.”

In Macomb, she added, the focus was civil rights, adequate funding for public schools at all levels, and fair labor rights.

Nationally, the 50501 grassroots group that’s helped organizers of marches and rallies said, “Donald Trump has defied a direct, binding order from the United States Supreme Court. This is the moment that confirms our Constitution has been crippled.”

Taylor, the retiree from UAW Local 974, blasted the White House, Congressional Republicans, and Cabinet officials appointed for their loyalty instead of their expertise.

“They don’t really care about anything,” Taylor said. “They want to take for themselves.”

His wife Marsha added, “It’s been building. I was at Darin’s last town hall meeting, I think 2017 at Five Points, and even then there was a lot of booing and howling.”

Steve Fairbanks, a veteran and retired AFSCME worker whose dad was an electrical worker for about 40 years, said the May 3 rally was larger than the April 26 event.

“People at first can be a little timid, maybe hesitant to protest,” he said. “But they came out today.”

In Washington, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said, “We have tens of thousands of people showing up to rallies, and protests, and town halls – working folks who are ready to do something. We have entire communities coming out to protect their immigrant neighbors. We have brave lawyers taking the fight to this administration and winning in court, so that thousands of Americans can return to their jobs.

“And we have people continuing to organize,” she continued. “Workers are saying: ‘If the government isn’t going to fight for me, or raise my wages to a livable wage, I’ll stand with my co-workers and do it myself’.”

In the Peoria area, Clinch said people absolutely have to step up, and that include labor unions.

“As we used to say on the job site outside,  “Get off your ass, get on your feet. Get out of the shade and into the heat.”

GOP candidate for Peoria mayor sees lessons in Israel’s ancient economy

Last month Republican City Councilman John Kelly lost his bid to replace Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, getting 7,122 votes to Ali’s 11,001.

I get along OK with Kelly (although our close friends may look at us askance and think, “What are you thinking?”). We used to have spirited, civil conversations at the Twin Towers’ cigar shop, and share the Catholic faith – although I’d argue I’m more of a New Testament Book of James guy, and John’s found good ideas in parts of the Old Testament.

In fact, Kelly, a former financial adviser, published “The Other Law of Moses: God's Remarkable Plan for Prosperity” in 2012, and reading it now, amid all the economic chaos unleashed in Washington, Peorians might view the April 1 election results as missing an opportunity, or dodging a bullet.

I recently asked Kelly to reflect on his 250-page paperback.

 

The bare bones of your book’s analysis of ancient Israel’s system was equal rights, days of rest, an occasional Sabbath year/Jubilee year, and tithing (which seemed comparable to modern property taxes). Do you feel there are elements that would make sense to everyday people now?

The five principles I [wrote about] are Equal Rights, the Sabbath day, the Sabbatical year, the Jubilee year, and the Tithe.

Equal Rights: The Law applied to all adults, from a king to a commoner. Unearned government privilege was forbidden. Outside of special government-granted privilege, we are heirs of this idea, to our benefit.

The Sabbath day: A day of worship and gratitude to God, as well as a day of rest from all but essential labor; not optional. Today, most of us do not acknowledge God’s sovereignty over His creation on a regular basis, if at all. This leads to social strife and excuses immorality and disorder.

The Sabbatical year: After six years of working the land, the seventh year was a sabbath for the land. No planting or harvesting was to be done. The land was left to lie fallow. Further, all debts were to be cancelled.

The Jubilee year: After seven Sabbatical years (49 years) the following year, the 50^th, was the Jubilee year. The main feature of this year of celebration was the redistribution of land to each family in all the tribes except the tribe of Levi (who inhabited 48 towns throughout the country). So, all families had about the same endowment of land, and, therefore, economic potential. This was legal land possession, not ownership. God was the landowner, and He gave His people equal shares in it. This land redistribution was unique, then and now.

The Tithe: The tithe was a land rent to the landlord: God. A 10^th of the land’s production was the price of land possession. If a person was engaged in a non-agricultural profession, there was no tithe payment required. Only the best 10% of the tithe was used for religious or worship purposes. The other 90% was used for what we would today call civil government: roads, bridges, irrigation systems, etc. The only other legal source was a head tax, where each family was charged the same amount. Used during the Exodus, it was seldom used once the Israelites acquired the Promised land.

Once the era of kings began [from the reign of Saul, around 1020 B.C., to the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C.], these rules were routinely broken, resulting in social harm, less prosperity, and more royal grants of unearned privilege. By the time Jesus appeared, the average Jew was in poverty, while usurpers of the land prospered.

 

Do you think the book and law has any 21^st century applications -- especially in this Jubilee year, which the Catholic church for centuries has advocated for cancelling debts, freeing slaves, letting ground stay fallow and recover, etc.?

Yes. Debts in biblical times were short-term by today’s standards because the collateral (livestock, this year’s crop, etc.) only had value for a short time. Lenders took that into account as well as how close the next Sabbatical year was.

Today’s collateral assets typically hold their value much longer: houses and other buildings, a company’s balance sheet, or an individual’s net worth. I believe that our people and certainly our governments carry too much debt.

Slavery involves the coercive ownership of another’s person for the purpose of owning that person’s labor, We all agree that that is immoral, but it also results in diminished economic outcomes for society. In the meantime, the slaveholder, who holds great legal power, gets rich.

I find it interesting that the federal government relies on this coercive system, taking the fruits of citizens’ labor – wages and salaries – to fund itself. As in classical slavery, this diminishes economic activity.

The Israelites were forbidden to hold another Israelite as a slave. However, they were allowed to hold a person from a conquered nation as a slave for six years. At the end of such time, a significant grubstake was required to be given to the freed slave.

As a result of little debt and even less slavery, Israelites were individually much more prosperous than their counterparts in other nations. So: I believe that governments should eliminate income taxes, on grounds both moral and economic. The resulting surge in economic activity would lead to much greater prosperity and personal freedom.

 

Lastly, whether Peoria, rural areas or Washington, D.C., do you see merit in your book’s observation that accepting privilege makes one complicit in upending the law? On page 189, your book cites Matthew 23: 23-24 – “You hypocrites! You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law – justice, mercy and good faith,,, . You blind guides, straining out gnats and swallowing camels!”

An unearned government grant of privilege is a benefit given to a favored person, group or entity, but denied to everyone else. The lobbying industry lives and breathes on seeking such boons. Special deals for special people are often unfair. Carve-outs in government action, to demonstrate the efficacy of a policy or law are acceptable, so long as there is a sunset to the demonstration.

Former WTVP execs sued, station gets delayed funding

The insurance company for WTVP-TV 47 on March 13 filed suit against two ex-WTVP officials to try to recover money the insurer paid last spring on a claim of embezzlement and fraud.

The Cincinnati Insurance Company is suing the estate of the late Lesley Matuszak, WTVP’s former CEO, and also WTVP’s one-time Director of Finance and Human Resources Linda McLaughlin for $250,000 plus lawyers’ fees and costs tied to the insurer’s investigation of the alleged misuse of funds at WTVP, in what police said was embezzlement and the insurer calls a conspiracy.

The dollar amount sought is what Cincinnati Insurance Co. paid WTVP’s corporation, Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications – the limit the policy provided. The suit says the station actually lost $375,017.29, meaning that WTVP faced “uninsured losses and out-of-pocket expenses” of about $125,000 since $250,000 was the insurer’s maximum obligation.

The lawsuit says, “As part of the conspiracy, defendant McLaughlin knowingly and intentionally participated in, facilitated, and directed the fraudulent actions carried out by defendant Matuszak. This conspiracy was aimed at deceiving WTVP’s board of directors, ultimately leading to the approval and reimbursement of fraudulent and unauthorized expenses.”

The suit states, as first reported by journalist Andy Kravetz of WMBD-TV 31, “Upon information and belief, the defendants’ fraudulent actions and scheme and embezzlement [were] reported to the police and an investigation ensued implicating the defendants and their criminal activity.”

Matuszak and McLaughlin had liquidated $320,000 from WTVP’s investment holdings, and withdrew $100,000 line of credit from PNC, the insurer says. Matuszak hid the spending; she “misrepresented the station’s financial condition” and “falsely certified the accuracy of financial reports and concealed fraudulent activities.”

After falsely reporting on finances, the suit claims, “There were no other comments by the board members.

“The defendants improperly used company funds and credit cards for their own personal use and enjoyment,” the suit says, adding that the defendants’ committed “criminal activity” by purchasing items from “luxury clothing stores, liquor stores, furniture stores, gas stations, grocery stores and country club expenses,” all without authorization.

After board members eventually questioned spending, Matuszak committed suicide and McLaughlin resigned, and the station eliminated its magazine, cut some 30% of its budget and laid off nine employees. Most members of the board of directors also quit, and an audited financial statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, showed an overall loss of more than $870,000.

Later, the Peoria Police Department found probable cause to charge Matuszak, but declined to file charges since she was dead. Although implicated, McLaughlin never faced charges and “probable cause has not been reached for her arrest, unless she is able to be communicated with,” according to the Peoria police report. The police department declined to comment.

In such lawsuits, it’s possible to depose people involved under oath.

“McLaughlin was aware that the expenses in question were unauthorized,” the suit says, which continued to assert that actions by both Matuszak and McLaughlin “were not isolated or incidental but were part of a coordinated effort to conceal and perpetuate the fraudulent activities.”

Unlike criminal cases, which have a burden of proof of “beyond a reasonable doubt,” civil suits only require “a preponderance of evidence.” However, estates are legal entities that hold and manage assets on behalf of someone, and generally cannot be vulnerable to actions seeking a judgment. A “revocable” trust lets people still “own” its assets; in an “irrevocable” trust, people relinquish ownership and control, and plaintiffs can try to seize monetary distributions from the trust’s assets.

The Matuszak estate was served its summons on March 26, according to court records, which at press time do not show a proof of service to McLaughlin.

An initial court appearance is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 22.

 

WTVP receives much of CPB’s long-promised grant support

When Central Illinois’ public television station received last year’s funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on April 8, it relieved a few colossal burdens felt at WTVP-TV 47.

First, the pressure of tight finances was eased. Next, after hundreds of thousands of “questionable, improper and unauthorized” spending was exposed staring in 2023, a donation of at least $1.2 million to help WTVP stabilize was made on the condition there is CPB funding, and that requirement’s been made. Finally, reforms in fiscal policies and procedures were found acceptable by the CPB.

“We received the bulk of our CPB grant funding,” Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation President and CEO Jenn Gordon told the Community Word the day the funding arrived. “Fiscal Year 2024 grant funding [received] was $930,851.”

In addition, the station received 70% of its CPB grant funding for this year: $685,780, Gordon said.

“The remaining 30% for FY25 is pending some final financial reporting on our part,” she said. “We anticipate receiving that amount within the next 90 days.”

That means another $20,000 or so is also expected.

“To say the least, we are very pleased to have both our good standing and our funding restored from the CPB,” Gordon added.

About one-third of WTVP’s budget comes from CPB to help buy programming such as “Nature” and “PBS NewsHour.”

The CPB was created as a publicly funded, private corporation in 1967 because public media “creates and distributes content that is for, by and about Americans of a wide range of backgrounds; and provides services that foster dialogue among the stations and the communities they serve,” according to CPB.

Democrats filing to take on Congressman Darin from Illinois 16th District

Frustration, fear and rage seem increasingly common, and Facebook is far less a factor than what’s happening in Washington.

Or, NOT happening.

What can be done?

Many congressional representatives … aren’t.

“The title – REPRESENTATIVE – says it all. That’s their job,” says 64-year-old East Peoria Democrat Joe Albright, who’s running to be the next U.S. Representative. from Illinois’ 16^th District. “A lot of people around here think nobody represents them [in Congress].

Retired from Caterpillar after 18 years, Joe helps run a small business with his wife Jennifer. She was a good sounding board after they cast ballots in November, he says. In the voting booth, Albright noticed Congressman Darin LaHood had no challenger.

“I thought, ‘We need a choice,’ and my wife said, ‘What are we going to do about it?’

“I’d never really been political (except serving as a Spring Bay Trustee). But given my background [in accounting], I saw the Trump promises, which Darin supports, didn’t make sense. It all got more ridiculous in January and February – the polices don’t work; the math doesn’t add up.

“I figured, it was time to put up or shut up.”

He filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on March 13.

Over coffee one morning, people who’d heard rumors of his candidacy stopped by and wished him well.

“People talk to me and they’re hugging and crying,” he says. “Some want to verbalize their disappointment or disgust. One lady whose family has a small farm was upset – she said she could lose the farm.”

Joe describes his campaign as “standing for truth and building common ground.”

 

FROM AARON TO DARIN

Darin LaHood’s been in Congress for a decade, after replacing Aaron Schock.

Before that, Darin was defeated by Kevin Lyons in the 2008 race for Peoria County State’s Attorney and in 2011 was appointed to fill the seat of State Sen. Dale Risinger, who resigned. The next year Darin ran unopposed and served four years in Springfield.

Since, Darin has had a few Democratic opponents with too little Democratic Party support.

Running for Congress in 2016 and 2018, Darin beat Junius Rodriguez both times. In 2020 he defeated George Petrilli; in 2022 he beat Elizabeth Haderlein. Last year – after the 2020 Census cost Illinois a district and Darin ran in the new 16^th – no one ran against him.

Darin has received 66% to 72% of the votes, but most of those races were before Trump and MAGA wrested control of the GOP. And Darin, some say.

Previously, the District was Republican when its roots were the party of Everett Dirksen, Charles Percy and Jim Edgar. (Even Schock – before resigning because of what he called “distractions” about spending irregularities – had received 58% to 74% of the vote.)

Money-wise, Darin has built up a war chest in his 10 years on Capitol Hill. According to the nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization Center for Responsive Politics, Darin’s campaign has cash on hand of $5.5 million, and his last cycle had him raising $3.7 million – 57.3% from Political Action Committees (PACs), 22.5% from large individual contributions, just 3.8% from small donations, and zero self-financed.

The top sectors giving him money were from Insurance, Finance, Lobbyists, Health Professionals, and Pharmaceutical Products.

“Looking at who contributes shows who they’re beholden to,” Albright says. “I won’t take any ‘dark money.’ I’ll count on the people of the district – a people-powered campaign.”

 

OTHERS MAY STEP UP

Other candidates may challenge Darin, too, so Albright was asked about a Democratic primary.

“There’s not going to be tearing down each other, no negative approach,” he says. “There’s enough of that nonsense.”

Albright also teaches part-time at Bradley, where years ago he worked third shift as a Bradley police officer and occasionally met for coffee with former Republican Congressman Bob Michel, who lived nearby.

“We got along fine,” he says. “I totally soured on the Republican Party when Newt Gingrich took over in ’95.

“Today – looking to 2026 – we all just have to keep our eyes on the prize, and I’ll campaign on what I believe.”

About a week after Albright filed, 36-year-old Paul Nolley, a Rockford-area Democrat, filed with the FEC. Nolley said he’s worked for several nonprofits such as United Way, the YMCA and most recently Project First Rate, a group of union contractors and building trades in Northwest Illinois.

“I am running as a citizen candidate,” he told the Community Word. “No one in my

family has deep pockets, is politically connected, or is influential, unlike the incumbent.”

Another possible challenger is 24-year-old Scott Best, who’s worked at Rivian in Normal, but at press time had not filed his candidacy. Interestingly, Darin may have a primary challenge, as 42-year-old Chicagoan John Kitover on March 28 also filed to run for the 16^th as a Republican.

As far Albright, he’s launched his social-media presence and donations are set up.

“I’ve got fundraising [the Committee to Elect Joe Albright for U.S. Representative] and an actblue.com account [for contributions], and I’m visiting people and places all over the 16^th.

Congressional Districts are carved out to have about 750,000 residents, so that’s a lot of door-knocking between now and Nov. 3, 2026.

“I’m getting the word out,” Joe says. “Between August and October I’ll get the signatures I need to get on the ballot. Even in political terms, it’s a year and a half to work on it.”