Even after wringing concessions from organized labor and drying up a "rainy day" fund created by privatizing parking meters, Chicago has a $519.7 million budget shortfall in 2010 that can only be filled with tax increases and spending cuts. Sun-Times

Fresh off a cost-cutting battle with City Hall labor unions that resulted in layoffs, Mayor Richard Daley signaled Tuesday that union workers at other city agencies he controls are now in his sights to take unpaid days off. Trib

Wal-Mart officials said the results of a poll show Chicagoans overwhelmingly favor a second store for Chicago, but it's unclear whether their latest public relations push will win them converts among aldermen who have so far sided with organized labor groups that oppose the store. Trib

Organized labor hasn't budged from its stance that Wal-Mart shouldn't build stores unless it agrees to allow workers to form unions. Crains

Marc Gordon, president of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, accused Unite Here Local 1 and its City Council allies of crafting an ordinance that would give the union a “big bargaining chip” in negotiations currently under way with 26 union hotels. Sun-Times

Ald. Robert Fioretti (D-2) is an outspoken supporter of the hotel employees' cause. So for him to exercise aldermanic privilege to help the union by hindering the hotel would violate the National Labor Relations Act, an expert says. Trib

Dissatisfied with long hours, churning turnover and, in some cases, lower pay than instructors at other public schools, an increasing number of teachers at charter schools are unionizing. NY Times