Hyatt’s Pritzkers out to kill teacher pensions. Why is the Ill. Ed. Assoc. giving them business?

[Hannah Bell]

One of the loudest, most powerful corporate organizations in the state, the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, has been the leading voice in advocating the destruction of public employee pensions, most particularly the Teacher Retirement System.

The President of the Civic Committee is R. Eden Martin, a lawyer and vocal advocate against public school teachers and our retirement system. And who else sits on the Civic committee? Why Tom Pritzker and Penny Pritzker. By the way, the Hyatt Regency O’Hare unlike many other Hyatt properties is not just managed by the Hyatt corporation. It is a Pritzker family owned property.

The obvious question? Why does the IEA ever hold its convention at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare? What is the problem? In this economy we can’t find another facility in the Chicago area that can accommodate 1,000 delegates?

http://preaprez.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/hyatts-pritzkers-out-to-destroy-teacher-pensions-so-the-iea-remains-a-loyal-customer/


The IEA’s state convention, which is held in March, usually takes place at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

That property is managed and owned by the Pritzker family, including Penny Pritzker, who was Obama’s fund-raising chair in 2008....The Hyatt Regency O’Hare is the target of a job action by Unite Here, the union which represents Hyatt workers.

The IEA leadership has not yet announced if it will withdraw its large business from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

Last week, mayoral candidate and former Chief of Staff for President Obama, Rahm Emanuel met with the same Penny Pritzker. The Trib reports:

"The former congressman and White house chief of staff met with nine local education organizers, including Penny Pritzker, who also served as President Barack Obama’s national finance chair in the 2008 campaign, an Emanuel campaign official said today."

Meanwhile, as I pointed out in an earlier post, the alleged education organizer Penny Pritzker is a member of the Civic Committee. The Civic Committee has been the leading corporate organization, who along with the Chicago Tribune have been attacking teacher and public employee pensions.

http://preaprez.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/rahm-penny-and-the-iea/