Jorge Ramirez

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Jorge Ramirez

Age: 43

Occupation: President, Chicago Federation of Labor

Union membership is shrinking, but Ramirez still dictates the course of a consortium of groups that is 500,000 people strong. And neither Pat Quinn (No. 50) nor Rahm Emanuel (No. 1) makes a move on pensions or wage issues without consulting this guy first.

Photo: Lane Christiansen/Chicago Tribune