I very much enjoyed reading about the mural at the United Electrical Workers union hall. I hope that the union can find a way to preserve that amazing piece of art relevant to labor union history.
One mural that I did not see on your mural map (also super-cool) is one we have here at the Pullman Branch Library.
This mural is titled “Forces of Pullman Labor” by Bernard Williams, and it depicts Pullman’s labor history along with the struggle of African American Pullman Porters and A. Philip Randolph as they formed the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American labor union chartered by the American Federation of Labor, in 1925. This mural-on-canvas dates to 1995. The selection of books in the corner of the image below gives an idea of the great size of the mural, which adorns the children’s area at the branch.
Bruce A. Sullivan, librarian, Chicago Public Library, Pullman Branch
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Winter parking ban fleeces Chicagoans
The weekend papers had two related stories, one on the city being owed billons by scofflaws. A shorter article declared the city has towed more cars on the first day of the winter parking ban than in each of the past three years.
There was no snow on the first day of the ban. Supposedly, this ordinance is to keep streets clear for snow emergencies. The fact that the city towed 263 vehicles, resulting in a minimum of a $150 towing fee plus a $60 ticket and $25 per day storage, shows the disrespect the city has for its residents. This resulted in a minimum of $50,820 windfall, assuming no storage fees.
A warning ticket could have been issued. After the first day, yes, a tow and fine is appropriate. But this is similar to the street cleaning in many wards. Some have permanent street signs that say when cleaning will occur, fair enough. But in many wards the cleaning is random, and a sign goes up a day or two before. How is someone supposed to go out of town for a week without the city sticking it to them on cleaning or the winter ban?
Red-light cameras? Let’s not go there. It’s all about fleecing the citizens. So when folks excoriate scofflaws, I say, sometimes turnabout is fair play.
Mark Frank, Rogers Park
