Copyright 2006 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
By FRAN SPIELMAN
The Chicago Sun Times (Illinois)
Chicago firefighters are a chronically unhappy bunch. They change union presidents about as often as Mayor Daley changes chiefs of staff.
It’s a good thing John Chwarzynski has two more years to go on his term as president of the Chicago Fire Fighters Local 2. If he didn’t, there’d be a movement to dump him, too.
One year after sweeping into office with 68.2 percent of the vote, disgruntled firefighters and paramedics are already circulating petitions for a vote of no confidence in Chwarzynski.
Hundreds of signatures reportedly were gathered outside a union meeting Wednesday night. More are being gathered at firehouses. It was not known how many signatures would be needed to force a no-confidence vote.
Even if it happens — and passes — it would not be enough to force Chwarzynski from office. But the embarrassment would surely send him a message and undermine his authority.
Chwarzynski took the rebellion in stride. He argued that firefighters and paramedics are “a tough group” who are “always disgruntled” and “resistant to change.”
“I ran on a platform for change. When you make changes with people in entrenched positions, they get upset and angry. The Old Guard gets in, and they don’t want to leave,” Chwarzynski said.
‘HE HASN’T GONE FAR ENOUGH’
“There’s 22 standing committees and 140 people who’ve become stagnant and unproductive. The president interprets the bylaws. Committees have one-year terms. At the end of the terms, we’re going to open it up. If we don’t open up these spots to new ideas, how are we going to change? Disgruntled committee members whose terms were not renewed are out to stir up trouble.”
Some of those behind the no-confidence vote say it’s more complicated than internal union politics. They question whether Chwarzynski, a private attorney, is devoting enough time to his union duties.
They also say Chwarzynski should have taken a tougher stand against City Hall to protest the decision to make the first firefighters’ entrance exam in more than a decade pass-fail to increase diversity.
“He should still be pushing for the best-qualified people to come on this job. . . . He hasn’t gone far enough on a number of issues. He’s not doing anything on his own. He has to be prodded into doing things,” said one disgruntled member.
Chwarzynski is a rough-and-tumble, second-generation firefighter who used a law degree earned by attending John Marshall Law School at night to represent widows and disabled firefighters, often without compensation.
Last year, he swamped incumbent union President Jim McNally, who gained notoriety when he appeared in blackface in the late 1980s to protest race-norming of a promotional exam. It was the sixth change at the helm of Local 2 in 24 years.
On Thursday, Chwarzynski pointed to the union contract he delivered “in record time.” It included increased benefits — like specialty pay, post-retirement health care accounts and 10-hour days for the Fire Prevention Bureau — without any givebacks.