Page 6 - May 2017 Newsletter

GRAHAM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
when no one has your back, it’s even worse.
Since taking office, I think we have already ac- complished a lot. We have created a good working relationship with the Superintendent and the De- partment staff to address officer grievances and rep- resentation issues. The FOP Board unanimously ap- proved hiring a well-respected law firm to assist in
the all-important upcoming contract negotiations. We’ve built a great staff of new, eager members and informed veterans. None of them have a big ego, and they are all very down-to-earth. These are two great
qualities that will benefit all our members.
Field Representative Bob Bartlett and First Vice President Pat Murray will be working on legal de- fense. Financial Secretary Mike Garza is chair of the grievances. Rich Aguilar is working along with Gar- za. Third Vice President Jay Ryan is handling medical grievances. John Capparelli is keeping an eye on the
finances.
We’ve also begun putting together our all-import-
ant committees. Murray has been burning the mid- night oil setting them.
We’ve also begun getting our message out with regular media interviews and statements, along with
launching our new blog (check out The FOP News at fop7blog.org).
Soon we will be putting out a survey for members to fill out so we know what is most important to them in the upcoming elections. I know attempts by the Department to make changes in discipline will be at the top of the list.
We’re going to fight them with everything we have.
In three years, I want to be able to look around and see a Lodge that ensures members are not being un- fairly vilified, the pension is in good shape, we are getting good wages and benefits, and we are fighting for the members on a daily basis.
I tell young officers that I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve worked as a police officer. I want them to have the same opportunity I’ve had.
And I know how rewarding fighting for the police officers can be. It was a quite a challenge to sit in a room with five different officers who wanted five dif- ferent work schedules and slowly hammer out a new schedule. It was a great feeling of accomplishment to put it before the City and have them pass the change of a six-day workweek to four and two.
Best of all, we got it passed without giving up a thing.d
6 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2017