By Julie Wernau | After eight years at the helm of some of the city’s most controversial
labor disputes, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon has
decided not to seek re-election in June.

The federation is a powerful umbrella organization for about 300 unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO, representing half a million union members in Cook County.

During his tenure, Gannon, 56, was often seen going head-to-head with Mayor Daley. He helped lead a fight against an effort by Wal-Mart to build up to five super centers in Chicago and organized a package of cost-cutting measures to fend off more than 1,000 city employee layoffs last year. Recently, Gannon failed to convince CTA unions to make cuts that would have averted more than 1,000 layoffs and transportation service cuts that go into effect Sunday.

“This decision is not an easy one to make. I have spent the last year discussing it with my wife before ultimately reaching this conclusion. It has been extremely difficult but the decision not to run for a third term is right for me and for my family. I love this labor movement and I have loved this job, but the time is right for me to move on,” Gannon said in a statement.

“I am proud of our many accomplishments during my time at the Chicago Federation of Labor,” he said. “This job requires 120 percent from a leader who can stand up for working people throughout Chicago and Cook County. They deserve no less that that. My heart will always be with organized labor. But the time is right for new leadership that will continue to move this organization forward on behalf of the people we represent.”

Responding to questions about Dennis Gannon’s decision not to seek re-election as president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, Mayor Richard Daley said the two had a good working relationship despite disagreements over the years.
 
“Like anything else, you can have disagreements with someone, in some way the media portrays disagreements with someone that there’s a hatred there, there’s a dislike. There’s not,” Daley said at a news conference to announce federal funding to help people on the verge of homelessness keep their homes or find new residences.
 
“Dennis has been a very good labor leader. He started working many, many years ago, worked his way up to it. He saw fit to retire. I talked to him about it, and he was always helpful, not only to labor, but to the city,” he said. “So he’ll be missed, but like anything else, the important factor in regards to some of the changes that have taken place in our society have taken place rapidly, in regards to dealing with budgets and dealing with reality in our society. And remember, working people provided the whole necessary position of the middle class in America, and we have to keep the middle class.”
 
After pressing CTA unions Thursday to come back to the negotiating table to avert widespread service cuts scheduled to begin Sunday, the mayor said Gannon has been notable for his willingness to discuss union concessions in order to keep his membership working despite shrinking government revenue.
 
“I think like anything else, you have to be able to sit down and work things out,” he said. “If you don’t sit down and work things out, the issue you’re trying to confront will just get bigger and bigger, and it’s going to cost the taxpayers more and more money in the end result. We all work for the taxpayers. I work for the taxpayers on a daily basis. You have public trust there. You have to work for that. But at the same time, you have to understand the realities that are taking place in our society.”

The federation said Gannon is backing Jorge Ramirez, secretary-treasurer for the federation. Nominations are in May, and it remains to be seen whether the election will be contested. Gannon was uncontested in each of his previous elections.

Gannon notified the members of the CFL Executive Board, representing Chicago’s largest local unions, at a meeting earlier this week.

Gannon will continue to serve as president until the end of June.