More Cook County Cuts

A Wednesday press conference by the unions and activists brought the attention back to the massive Cook County healthcare cuts, with allegations that up to fifteen County-administered health clinics might be closed, up from the official number of eight just weeks before.

The press conference was held by: the National Nurses Organizing Committee union; the March 10th Coalition of immigrants rights activists, who focus on County health chief Robert Simon's attacks on undocumented patients; SEIU Local 73, representing custodial staff whose jobs will be privatized; and Access Living, a progressive center of disabilities of activism and resources.

Boeing Protest

Over one hundred people gathered outside the Daley Center to join the break-up protest to dump Boeing. The entirely un-permitted demonstration saw no trouble excepting the usual overbearing police presence.

The protesters led a brief march to Boeing world headquarters, during the course of which they chanted and listened to a mix-cd of break-up songs that was distributed to most march participants. At the corporate headquarters, an unnecessary number of police lined the building as protesters called Boeing's ethics line to tell them to drop their military production and contracts or leave Chicago. A break-up letter was read and presented.

At least a dozen protesters marched on to the Haymarket Martyrs memorial nearby.

Raids

Between sixty and seventy-four (different newspapers report different numbers) workers were abducted by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents fromthe Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Beardstown, Il. Aside from two managers detained, the custodial workers were 'suspected' of being undocumented immigrants.

A protest was held today at ICE offices in downtown Chicago.