February 22
LEADERSHIP MEETING AT UNITARIAN CHURCH -- A large leadership team meets to
discuss living wage and the optimal strategy for success.
March 31
PUBLIC MEETING WITH SOON-TO-BE MAYOR STEVE STOCKTON --Over 120 CIOP leaders from Bloomington-Normal meet with Mayor-elect
Steve Stockton. He responds unequivocally in support for Living Wage and further committed to meet with CIOP within 30 days and place
Living Wage as an early priority of his administration.
April
CITY ELECTION -- -- Roughly a week afterwards two incumbent City Council supporters of Living Wage were
defeated in their re-election bids.
Summer 2005
POSTCARDS SENT TO NEW ALDERMAN STEVEN PURCELL -- Over the summer, CIOP amassed between two and three hundred postcards
supporting living wage and sent them to Purcell’s home.
August 3
ARENA BEAM CEREMONY -- CIOP representatives attend the arena beam ceremony passing out stickers and talking with
decision-makers and the media.
Summer 2005
MEETING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS -- CIOP gives presentations at neighborhood associations targeting Purcell’s ward.
STUDENT GROUP MEETS WITH PURCELL -- A leadership team comprised of Wesleyan students who live in Ward 7 meet with Purcell
demanding he support living wage.
August 31
WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH LEADERSHIP MEETING/TRAINING -- CIOP leaders from across Bloomington-Normal meet to discuss
strategy and take part in a brief training session.
Septermber 27
PRESS CONFERENCE ON 10 CENT SOLUTION -- CIOP presents its calculations regarding the financial impact of living wage at
the arena. For an investment of approximately 10 cents per ticket, all employees at the arena could earn a living wage.
FOLLOWED BY PRESENCE AT ARENA PRESS CONFERENCE -- CIOP hands out literature and dimes outside a press conference
unveiling Bloomington’s two newest sports teams.
(Summer 2005 and January 10, 2006)
CIA (ARENA MANAGEMENT) MEETINGS -- After weeks of phone calls, CIOP sits down with arena management. They reaffirm
living wage as “definitely doable” yet erroneously claim that they do not have the power to set wages. A follow up meeting with the
city demonstrates that they are lying.
(second meeting) Mayor Stockton puts together a meeting with himself, the city manager, arena management, and CIOP leadership. CIOP is
ready to negotiate in good faith and reach a reasonable agreement before the arena opens. Management sits at the table answering questions
about making living wage viable with silence. They had come to sit and not to negotiate.
(November 15th and 16th)
STUDENT FORUMS -- Over 130 students pour into an overflowing Illinois State University conference room on a cold, snowy
night to learn about living wage and how they can become involved. The following evening 70 Illinois Wesleyan students actively participate
in a similar forum. Scores of students flood arena offices with demands that they pay a living wage. Leaders are identified and will form the
basis of a new CIOP-affiliated organization that will continue the process of organizing on campus and becoming more involved in the
community-at-large.
(March 9th)
INTER-FAITH PRAYER SERVICE FOR WORKER RIGHTS AND JUSTICE -- Over 70 people attended an inspiring service demonstrating the'
unifying and spiritual potential of praying together for justice.
(March 23rd)
STUDY AND PRESS CONFERENCE -- CIOP provides the community with a comprehensive study detailing the issue of living wage
in our community unveiling the work at a City Hall press conference.
(March 28th)
CIA ACTION -- A large group of CIOP supporters flood the offices of Arena Management demanding they meet with us to work
out a reasonable settlement to wages at the arena and stop shunning the community perspective for this publicly-funded building.
(April 7th)
ARENA OPEN HOUSE -- CIOP volunteers give out living wage stickers and informational materials to arena visitors receiving
positive feedback from community members, many of whom proudly wore their pro-living wage stickers inside the venue.
(April 13th)
FIRST HEADLINER AT ARENA SUPPORTS CIOP -- Rocker John Mellencamp issued a statement to the press supporting CIOP’s living
wage campaign and met with a delegation of CIOP leadership before his show.
(June 26th)
SHERYL CROW SUPPORTS LIVING WAGE -- Crow, the arena’s scheduled opener, who was forced to reschedule her performance issues
a statement supporting Living Wage at the arena expressing hope that she can return one day to a Living Wage Arena.
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