City of Chicago Refuses Mediation in Unfair Labor Practice Dispute

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Mar 05, 2010, 09:58 ET

Teamsters Reach Out for Resolution, City Declines to Participate

CHICAGO, March 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- City of Chicago officials are refusing to participate in federal meditation to reconcile unfair labor practice charges filed by Teamsters Local 700 on behalf of city truck drivers and public employees.

A reconciliation effort offered to the city and the union this week follows the recent authorization of thousands of workers for the Teamsters to implement a citywide strike, if such action is necessary in the union's fight to force the city to honor its contract. The city has consistently failed to process its employees' grievances and has unilaterally ignored Local 700's unfair labor practice charges.

"The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has reached out to the Teamsters and the City of Chicago to help resolve our disputes," said William P. Logan, Local 700 Assistant Trustee. "While the Teamsters are ready to wholeheartedly embrace mediation, it seems the olive branch has been rebuffed.

"The City of Chicago has refused to honor the labor agreement it signed and is now refusing to even come to the table to find some common ground," Logan added.

The numerous unfair labor practice charges facing the city include:

Repudiation of the Teamsters' collective bargaining agreement;
Failure to process grievances in a timely manner;
Unilateral reduction in hours of work for hundreds of employees; and
Unilateral changes in working conditions and terms and conditions of employment.

If the Illinois Labor Relations Board upholds the charges filed by Local 700, the Teamsters may take additional action, including the possibility of an unfair labor practice strike. Local 700 has advised members no action is to be taken without the union's express direction.

Teamsters currently serve the City of Chicago across several departments, including Streets and Sanitation, Transportation, Aviation and Water and Fleet Management.

Teamsters Local 700, an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, represents more than 13,000 public service employees throughout Illinois.

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 25