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Just because they’re not in roll call...
Brothers and Sisters, during the holiday sea- son many of us will be exchanging gifts with family and friends, with the most stressful event having been picking out the perfect gift for that special person. But that is not true for all of us. Some of our members have become victims of an administration that has been grabbed by the neck and choked by the hands of political pressure. The members I write
filed six medical grievances; three of these were for de- nied recurrence claims that would require the Medical Service Section (MSS) to follow Appendix N of our con- tract. Appendix N lays out the procedures for injuries on duty and recurrence claims. In most of these cases, the member was not provided with a referral list of physicians qualified to render appropriate medical care for the inju- ry claimed. In another case, the MSS skipped a step in Ap-
pendix N that would have allowed the member to pick a doctor from the referral list for relatedness and in- stead had the member go right to an Independent
RAY CASIANO, JR.
about have been stripped or separated without pay
as if in a state of purgatory. I have had the unfor- tunate yet humbling experience of looking into
the eyes of some of these Officers as they shared
their story of the stressful situation they now face,
just for doing their job. The only resolve I have is to
know that the Lodge will do everything in its power
to have these members properly represented to the point that could be expected by any of our members. So during this season of giving, let’s not forget these Officers and their families.
As we all know, the pressure that grabs at the Depart- ment’s administrators is motivated by a movement built on a false narrative that has snowballed into an outcry for police accountability—and in some cases, for no police at all. Really! As I have mentioned before, we know what it’s like with the few Officers we have, so imagine a society without law enforcement. Unthinkable, right? Yet that’s what we have idiots rallying for. So just because some of our Officers are not in roll call, they should not be forgot- ten during their difficult time. We are all blue.
Medical corner
Medical Examination.
So besides fighting crime, we also find ourselves
fighting the City for our due benefits. And they wonder why morale is low.
Acknowledgments
This month I would like to acknowledge the “backbone” of our Lodge: the staff. These ladies are the people that will most likely be the first to greet you when you show up at the Lodge, or even over the phone before you get a chance to speak to or meet your Field Rep. These ladies work vigorously to provide the service and attention our members deserve. From medical and retiree questions answered by Maggie, to the “Queen Bee” Kathy Moore making sure that our members are protected with legal representation and some of the best To/From report writ- ing you’ll ever read, these ladies understand your needs. We also have Brita, Catharine, Doreen and Marikay—all part of the FOP family here at Chicago Lodge #7, taking care of our members and showcasing professionalism. So the next time you call the Lodge, take a moment to thank them—I’m sure it will put a smile on their face. Thanks, ladies, for all your hard work.
Retirees
Reminder to all of our retirees: You MUST qualify with Illinois Retired Officer Carry Concealed (IROCC) immedi- ately after retirement! There is NO GRACE PERIOD of one year from the Department’s firearm qualification. Visit their website at www.irocc.org to download the applica- tion, then make your appointment by calling 217-726- 9537; you may even be lucky enough to see the one and only Teddy Ochocki as your range master.
From Maggie O’Grady and I here at the Lodge, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! d
FOP is here to “Serve and Protect” you, so that you can better “Serve and Protect” the citizens of Chicago. God bless!
First Vice President’s
REPORT
In late October, the Lodge rolled out a recommended retiree healthcare program with face-to-face appoint- ments leading into the month of November at FOP, as promised by our President, Dean Angelo Sr., and by our administration, which was a huge success. During the initial days of the rollout, I had the opportunity to meet many of our retirees and answer some of their questions. The retiree healthcare plans were put together know- ing that the City was going to leave our retirees without healthcare insurance at the end of 2016. What a way for a City that calls itself a “World Class City” to treat its first responders after years of faithful service to it. So it should come as no surprise that if they are willing to do that to our retirees, they will surely attempt to deny our active members of benefits if given the chance.
The City counts on our members not calling the Lodge to inform us of their denial and inquiring about their rights under the CBA. Since our last newsletter, I have
10 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2016