Skip navigation

Daily Archives: February 5th, 2011

Impossible to Understand (under normal circumstances)


Why is the SUL allowing the constant harassment of employees who unionized at the Springfield Urban League? The SUL has systematically hounded employees who are pro union while under the legal sanction of the National Labor Relations Board. This is a United States Government agency which sanctioned and approved the election. The upper (mis) management of SUL has determined that they are above the law and continually prey on the Head Start workers to cause fear in the ranks and stall on creating a contract for the workers as mandated by the Labor Board. This entire show is orchestrated by the upper management and carried out by underlings who maintain favor on the backs of their fellow workers. This entire charade is designed to continue business as usual while denigrating the Head Start program and it’s clients. Apparently this behavior is condoned by the Regional and State Head Start and Urban Leagues as they do not seem to be concerned enough to take even a cursory glance at the situation. The only positive outcome of this will be the completion of a contract and the cessation of the systematic harassment of the workers. The purpose of Head Start is as the name implies, a Head Start for the preschool children along with at least 2 decent meals and a nurturing learning environment. The program has become a personal ATM for the management of Head Start and the SUL administrators whose job is to safeguard and properly spend the funds allocated for the community. The buildings housing Head Start have been closed for mold, lead and lack of heat at various times but apparently the major concern is to keep the attendance rolls up to whatever is required to keep the funds flowing regardless of the effect on the teachers and their charges.

Destruction of an Icon


For many decades the Springfield Urban League has been a bulwark in the Eastside area of Springfield, Il. Recent events culminating in the termination of 30 plus employees in an attempt to break the back of a legally elected Union. The Union would not have been necessary had the Urban League in the administration of it’s Head Start Programs followed its mission statement! This is a pattern of behavior that has plagued the SUL for the past 20 years at one level or another. The current manifestation has nepotism as a secondary (or primary) cause along with the overall causes of greed and egotism. Upper management has taken the position of “How dare you Unionize” without our permission? This has caused management to seek out out and try to eliminate the strongest elements of the Unionized workers, who incidentally are among the best (long time) workers. The tactic appears to be a delay of
the collective bargaining while diluting the active Union members and causing fear among the not so active members. I have come to believe that the local papers do not think so much of these events as they are not covering it. These actions by SUL (Springfield Urban League) affect all of the Head Start parents and their children (in many cases their Grandparents). The National arms of the Urban League and the Head Start associations do not appear to be concerned about these developments but possibly because they are not aware of them. There was a time years ago when people aspired to work for the Springfield Urban League and it’s Head Start program but now those names have a decidedly bad connotation in this town.