SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — The people tasked with maintaining and improving all of Illinois’ roads are threatening to go on strike if they can’t reach a new deal with the state.
"The members’ frustrations, they’re at an all-time high," J.P. Fyans, President of Teamsters Local 916 said.
Last week, 95 percent of IDOT union employees voted to authorize a strike.
The union members have two key issues, including higher salaries, and attempts by the state to change health insurance plans. The union currently operates under an insurance plan that is managed by multiple groups, including the unions themselves. Fyans said the state wants them to switch to a state-sponsored health insurance plan, which would increase premium costs.
"The insurance taken away that current insurance structure and go into the state insurance is an overall reduction in pay for the members of over 25%," Fyans said. "So with without any offset, which they propose no offset to this group. That’s a massive concessionary contract."
U of I labor professor Michael LeRoy said a strike of this magnitude at IDOT is unprecedented.
And it’s hard to gauge what kind of impact it could potentially have.
"From my own professional experience, I don’t even know what that looks like in terms of projecting a length of a work stoppage," LeRoy said. "And what would it look like?"
In 2023, there was a record number of strikes across the country. LeRoy said it’s been a historic time for the unions, and largely these strikes have been successful.
"Illinois public employees are among the highest paid public employees in the nation," LeRoy said. "So if you want to norm across other states, Illinois is in great shape. However, if you want to compare Illinois public workers to their private sector counterparts, they, surprisingly, are behind in the past one to two years, when you look at what UPS is doing when you’re looking at private sector, labor markets, how they have an increased compensation, all of a sudden, people are looking around and thinking I could go to work for another employer and get a better deal for decades, that was not true. Now, it is becoming more of a possibility."
There are multiple unions wrapped up in the ongoing negotiations. Teamsters 916 represents project managers, and other Teamsters unions in the state also represent highway maintainers like plow drivers, and other highway jobs. All of whom could join the strike if a deal isn’t reached.
"It’s been the continuation of the low morale," Fyans said. "And I got, and that’s why the people were very frustrated."
On Friday at a stop in Champaign, Governor J.B. Pritzker said he hopes the two sides can come to a deal.
"My hope is that they will come to an agreement, but I can’t guarantee it," Pritzker (D-Illinois) said. "And I don’t think that people will be have their lives interrupted. If there were a strike."
There are multiple bargaining sessions scheduled for the next week before union leadership reports back to their membership. There are also two practice pickets planned for this week.
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via WCIA.com https://www.wcia.com
February 13, 2024 at 09:08AM
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