Page 28 - June2020 FOP Magazine

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bers during that time and the seemingly endless berating from City Hall.
Whether they came to see if the new president and his team had the savvy to go with the chutzpah or whether they wanted to hear about the union’s position amid the tumultuous time, the presence of nearly 500 members forged a reverberating statement.
“Well, it not only boosted morale, it let them know that this is their FOP,” commented Dan Gorman, the Lodge 7 second vice president, who noted the difference between this admin- istration and several others he has served in the past. “They know we’re not just sitting at home watching all this on televi- sion. We aren’t out eating steak dinners. We are eating the box lunches with the members.”
Meet the pres.
The big meeting had a chance to experience an auspicious beginning. As he stepped up to begin, Catanzara said he no- ticed four female African American members sitting in the front row. He had not thought about whether members would want to express their constitutional right to kneel during the Pledge of Allegiance.
He did not want to say anything.
He did not need to.
Like all members in attendance, they were there for the right
reasons. They brought the consummate professionalism and eager anticipation that the president hopes will be a hallmark of the Lodge going forward.
“At one point, one of these members stepped up to the mi- crophone to say, “thank you for having the balls to speak up for us,’” Catanzara explained. “It was that kind of feel-good night.”
It was the kind of night when members shared that they re- ceived more information at this meeting than they had during the previous six months.
Lodge 7 Recording Secretary Greg Bella, the Yoda of FOP leadership, offered perhaps the most illuminating appraisal of the big meeting by looking at all the new faces and asking, “Who are all these guys?” Follow Bella’s lead and look at the photos of the meeting. Notice the diversity of the members in attendance.
“That hasn’t happened since I’ve been on the job,” ex-
claimed Nenad Markovich, a newly elected sergeant-at-arms who retired in January 2019 after 28 years. “You had gray- haired old guys, African Americans and young kids coming out here interested in their union. That’s our future.”
Frank Quinn III, a 28-year member who is in his first term as a sergeant-at-arms, confirmed that this was the second or third biggest meeting he had ever seen. Whether it was to voice concerns or praise the new board on its first 30 days of scintillating response, everybody in attendance seemed to have something to say.
When it came time for questions and comments, the line of members waiting to step up to the microphone was lon- ger than at Al’s Italian Beef during the peak of the lunch rush. As a result, the meeting ran well past 11 p.m., partly because nobody wanted to leave this oh-so-reinforcing and recharging environment.
“It was electrifying. Very upbeat. Very positive,” described Third Vice President Fernando Flores. “I think people are be- coming believers.”
Meeting agenda
The significance of the big meeting is multi-tiered. On one level, some of these members attending their first one will be like Quinn, who attended his initial meeting 20 years ago and is now an esteemed board member. On another level, some are like DiSanti, who said he had trouble getting all the an- swers from his union rep several years ago, so he started com- ing to meetings.
And, of course, there is the curiosity. Many members had heard about Catanzara – and had heard him. But they wanted to see for themselves.
“I know a lot of members had seen John in the media and they wanted to see what he’s all about in person,” Gorman reasoned. “But the attendance also tells me that the younger officers want to know what’s going on. I did not start paying attention to the FOP until I had 10 years on when healthcare and the pension became more important to me. Now, officers are concerned about the issues at three years on.”
Make no mistake, though, the attendance was eye-opening in places far beyond the FOP Hall. Repercussions will be felt at City Hall, at headquarters and at all the districts. It’s a manifes- tation of the new Lodge 7.
“I think for a long time people have stepped away from the
Meeting their needs
A look at some of the Lodge 7 members who stepped up to the microphone to speak out at the first general meeting under the new FOP administration.
28 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2020