noting that the basketball facility is being paid for via philanthropy

DePaul Art Museum will close in June The university’s museum closes due to budget cuts after occupying a space on Fullerton Avenue since 2011.

DePaul is closing their (quite well-curated) art museum, @ninametz.bsky.social reports. They are, however, planning to spend $42 million on a basketball facility in Lincoln Park

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/26/d...

A little-known program allows CTA and Metra to suspend riders. Most of them are Black. The racial disparity has raised some eyebrows, including those of State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation that allowed the transit systems to start suspending riders.

State law allows CTA/Metra to suspend riders accused of violence or threatening behavior. Cook County PD's office says it has "concern over how this law is being applied in practice, particularly given the explicit racial bias the data shows.”

gift link: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/26/c...

A little-known program allows CTA and Metra to suspend riders. Most of them are Black. The racial disparity has raised some eyebrows, including those of State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation that allowed the transit systems to start suspending riders.

A little-known program aimed at keeping people accused of violence off public transportation has proved difficult to enforce and is disproportionately used to suspend Black riders from the CTA and Metra, a Tribune analysis shows. From @taliasoglin.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/26/c...

Chicago’s autonomous delivery robots are getting into scrapes with humans, per city records we obtained via FOIA. with @robertchannick.bsky.social

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/f...

Week in Review: CPS Student Walkout; Bears Stadium Search Chicago students and congressional Democrats keep up the heat on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. And Indiana lawmakers push ahead with a bill aimed at luring the Chicago Bears.

Chicago Tonight | Week in Review: CPS Student Walkout; Bears Stadium Search, with @robhartmedia.bsky.social @avhndz.bsky.social Shruti Singh @taliasoglin.bsky.social & host @ndblumberg.bsky.social

CTU alleges rival union conspired with the boss in fight over low-wage CPS employees The Chicago Teachers Union has accused the Chicago Board of Education of conspiring with a rival union to undermine its bargaining unit.

The blood feud between CTU and SEIU continues, with major implications for City Hall: CTU alleges rival union conspired with the boss in fight over low-wage CPS employees. By Kate Armanini and @taliasoglin.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/30/c...

Uber and Lyft drivers could win union rights if state law changes An estimated 100,000 rideshare drivers in Illinois could win the right to join a union under new legislation expected to be filed in Springfield this month.

Uber and Lyft drivers could win union rights as independent contractors in Illinois under legislation expected to be filed soon: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/20/u...

"We move this city, and it’s time that we start getting some support and some respect," one driver/organizer said

Federal funding cuts threaten Chicago Harbor Lock, one of the nation’s busiest More than 900,000 passengers and 80,000 vessels traveled through the Chicago Harbor Lock last year. Federal funding cuts have become a source of worry for boaters.

The Army Corps asked for $3.85 million for the Harbor Lock next year. It may get less than $300k.

Close followers of Harbor Lock news will remember it from Sept, when Border Patrol docked near it after conducting a river cruise whilst armed with rifles

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/c...

Advocate warned city that feds might target rideshare drivers at O’Hare weeks before airport raids, emails show An advocate for rideshare drivers first emailed the city on Sept. 19. But the city did not appear to take any action until a raid at the parking lot three weeks later.

Weeks before Border Patrol started raiding rideshare lots at O'Hare, an advocate warned the city that might happen: "Our organization is concerned that the lot may become a target for ICE raids"

No one responded until feds touched down at O'Hare 3 weeks later www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/o...

Advocate warned city that feds might target rideshare drivers at O’Hare weeks before airport raids, emails show An advocate for rideshare drivers first emailed the city on Sept. 19. But the city did not appear to take any action until a raid at the parking lot three weeks later.

Advocate warned city that feds might target rideshare drivers at O’Hare weeks before airport raids, and the city did not respond, emails show. Story by @taliasoglin.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/o...

Mauser plans to close Little Village plant amid monthslong strike The Mauser workers have been striking for improved working conditions and contract language that would protect them from workplace immigration raids.

In Little Village, workers have been on strike for immigration protections at Mauser Packaging Solutions for the last four months. Now, the company says it's closing the plant down:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/06/m...

Broadview, 8:40 a.m.

Jewel-Osco pharmacy division argues National Labor Relations Act unconstitutional The company joins a lengthy and growing list of employers including SpaceX, Amazon, Trader Joe’s, the University of Southern California, dating app Grindr and Oak Brook-based hot dog empire Portill…

Jewel-Osco pharmacy division argues (via outside counsel Littler Mendelson) that the NLRA is unconstitutional

Follows similar arguments made by employers including: SpaceX, Amazon, Trader Joe's, USC, Grindr, Portillo's, etc etc etc

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/23/j...

disappointing and will have serious consequences for Chicago. sadly unsurprising coming from the ethically-challenged folk at Alden Global Capital

How a Teamster Leader’s Flirtations With Trump Have Divided the Union

Context on that piece:

www.nytimes.com/2024/07/11/u...

O'Brien on O'Neill Burke: “There’s a pandemic in politics these days…it’s called lie-abetes”

Also, "We are gonna fight and make her an example not just in Chicago, nationwide. If you’re a politician and you don’t support working people, we are gonna fund campaigns to put you out of office”

In Illinois, Democrats tout pro-labor bona fides, but sometimes push back when their staffs seek unions Advocates say the hesitation of bosses to recognize unions is the unwillingness of even self-professed pro-labor employers to give up control over their staff.

Teamsters from around the country, including Sean O'Brien, were in downtown Chicago today demanding union recognition for Cook County prosecutors. Context: Eileen O'Neill Burke made a campaign pledge to recognize a prosecutors' union, but has not done so:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/i...

The Department of Labor sent a memo to staffers today warning them against speaking to the media: "Individuals who disclose confidential information or engage in unauthorized communications with the media may face serious legal consequences—including potential criminal penalties"

In Illinois, Democrats tout pro-labor bona fides, but sometimes push back when their staffs seek unions Advocates say the hesitation of bosses to recognize unions is the unwillingness of even self-professed pro-labor employers to give up control over their staff.

Dems support labor, but unionization efforts in public offices are facing pushback, incl. from State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, who said during the campaign she'd be "honored" to be part of the union effort. Glad @taliasoglin.bsky.social dug in: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/i...

In Illinois, Democrats tout pro-labor bona fides, but sometimes push back when their staffs seek unions Advocates say the hesitation of bosses to recognize unions is the unwillingness of even self-professed pro-labor employers to give up control over their staff.

In Illinois, public employees sometimes find that their employers' enthusiasm for labor doesn't extend to their own efforts to unionize:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/i...

“Per population, the death toll of Palestinian journalists is roughly equivalent to the killing of 8,500 U.S. newsroom employees.”

watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/p...

Tony’s workers vote overwhelmingly against joining grocery union When the ballots were counted Friday, the workers had voted 1,115-605 against unionization, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Voter turnout was about 94%.

Really big loss for UFCW in Chicago this week — Tony’s workers voted 1,115 to 605 against unionizing

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/t...

2,400 grocery workers to decide whether Tony’s Fresh Market will go union The union election will be one of the largest held in the U.S. private sector so far this year.

One of the biggest union elections so far this year is taking place in Chicago this week:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/25/2...

This appears to be a somewhat symbolic move to punish sanctuary cities. Former SBA regional administrator Geri Aglipay told me she worries it will send a message that the SBA doesn't support immigrants. But for now, this move alone shouldn't impede access to SBA services in state

Confusion swirls after Small Business Administration says it will move Chicago regional office over sanctuary city policies Confusion began when the agency announced it would relocate six regional offices throughout the country because they are in cities that “do not comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforc…

In federal agency chaos news, the SBA is moving *an* office out of Chicago, but the agency does *not* appear to have any plans to move its district office out of the city — that's where small business owners go to get help with loans, etc

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/07/s...

Cook County housing authority union workers say they struggle to afford rent, mortgage payments Housing Authority of Cook County employees say the workloads are tough and wages are low, causing many union employees to leave the agency, one that is deemed “troubled” by HUD.

Housing specialists working for the Cook County housing authority don't make enough money to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Cook County, by Lizzie Kane:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/c...

Grocery workers union seeks inroads at Tony’s Fresh Market UFCW Local 881 already represents thousands of grocery workers at Jewel-Osco and Mariano’s grocery stores throughout the Chicago area.

UFCW is trying to organize grocery workers at Tony's Fresh Market, which was bought by private equity three years ago — if they win these elections, this would add 2,400 Chicago area grocery workers to the union's membership:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/g...

Trader Joe’s union notches uncertain win amid backdrop of Trump-era federal labor landscape Trader Joe’s said it plans to appeal the decision, a move that would stall the case indefinitely before the paralyzed National Labor Relations Board.

Trader Joe's United just got a decision in its favor in a contested election in Chicago. But Trader Joe's says it will appeal the order, setting the case up to stall indefinitely in front of the currently paralyzed labor board:

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/t...

Cook County prosecutors seek to unionize in first major drive in decades A group of assistant state’s attorneys seeks voluntary recognition of a bargaining unit that would represent hundreds of lawyers.

Cook County prosecutors are seeking a union with the Teamsters

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/11/c...

(Cook County PDs are already unionized with AFSCME)