Local 700 Teamster members at the Cook County Forest Preserves in Chicago voted overwhelmingly to reject management’s “Final Offer” and authorize a strike. Per Illinois State law, once the Local calls for a strike, there is a five-day waiting period before members can legally strike.

The nearly 200 Teamsters do everything to maintain the preserves, from cleaning bathrooms and picking up trash to maintaining trails and conducting prescribed forest burns. 

“Without our work, many Forest Preserves spaces will become unsanitary and potentially dangerous,” said David Yokley, a Laborer. “We know that the public respects our work. Now it’s time for management to show us some respect.”

In December, members overwhelmingly rejected a two-year contract extension. Nearly eight months later, management's “final offer” remains largely unchanged. 

Management did nothing on members’ core issues of increasing their wage scale and overtime pay when they work over five consecutive days. 

“This offer is a slap in the face. We have accepted contract extensions for the past several years. We have no more cheeks left to slap,” said Bill Foley, a Serviceman. “We deserve better pay and time off to see our families. It’s time for us to fight for what we deserve.” 

Members have been organizing for months to get management to make them a fair offer.

“We formed a Contract Action Team to keep members informed and have gotten members involved in fighting for a fair contract,” Said Brannon Curtis-Wittenberg, a Senior Resource Technician. “If management refuses to make us a fair offer in the next five days, we will be ready to strike.”