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Difficult Labor Day
Labor Day this year finds workers in a difficult position.

There's no money to go around, and everybody knows it, says Tom Balanoff, head of the Illinois Council of the Service Employees International Union.

"The problems we have I think are the problems that all workers are facing right now, and that's just a real squeeze on wages, on hours, on ability to hold onto benefits," he said. "This economic crisis we’re in clearly is having a huge impact on our members, and having probably a bigger impact on non-union workers."

The Service Employees primarily represent janitors, building maintenance personnel and health care workers, mostly in the private sector.

Balanoff says when it comes to negotiating contracts, in this environment, getting raises is tough. He says he's trying to avoid wage cuts, and preserve members' jobs and benefits. He hopes workers share in the proceeds when the economy improves.

(Illinois Radio Network)
09 05 10 by Newsroom
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