Several days ago, 94% of Chicago Park District employees voted to go on strike. If negotiations between the labor union and the park district don't improve within the next couple of weeks, employees will be encouraged to walk off of their jobs. I was part of the percentage that voted against it. Most of my co-workers at LaFollette Park think a 'yes' vote will protect their jobs. I've worked at enough places - most of whom were not covered by a labor union - to know that management will dig their heels in to keep situations the way they currently are.
"I can't be fired for just anything," park district employees think in their defense of the union. I laugh derisively because management has always found a way to show employees the door regardless. I also shake my head because the presence of the union often allows employees who should have been let go to stay on. Why do people think, especially in this time when technology is king, that so many are looking at working for themselves? When I began working over 40 years ago, employers had more loyalty towards employees. Now it's everybody for themselves, and having a union involved doesn't make much difference in my opinion.
I don't have time to sit around twiddling my thumbs in the event of a strike. Nor can I or the scores of other park district employees who don't have extra jobs and/or side gigs to supplement their income afford to miss paychecks during a strike.
From conversations I've had with participants in the boxing classes, I've come to the conclusion that most are not boxing fans. The youths who play football, basketball, and baseball in the park district follow those sports. Very few in the boxing classes, youths or adults, watch any matches. Most know about Muhammad Ali. Some mention Floyd Mayweather Jr or Mike Tyson. But that's the extent of the knowledge about boxing. The result is a lack of connection to the sport which doesn't bode well especially for people who talk about wanting to compete. I'm always getting a lot of odd questions about what goes on in boxing matches that wouldn't come up if people were actually fans of the sport.
The lack of boxing fans contributes heavily to the fact that LaFollette Park's boxing program is not where it needs to be and should be.
