SEIU Local 73 Field Organizer Rick Loza, standing, addresses Bolingbrook Park District Board members April 21. Nineteen months ago, employees of the building and grounds division voted to join SEIU Local 73. Today, members still don’t have a contract. With negotiations underway, several areas of the contract have been reached, but both sides remain apart when it comes to wages for staff. In a symbolic gesture, Loza presented each board member with a can of green beans — representative of the actual value of raises the board offered its employees. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com

BOLINGBROOK — Contract negotiations between the Bolingbrook Park District and employees of the Bolingbrook Park District Building and Grounds Division appear to be stuck on wages.

Though no specific dollar amounts or actual wages were used for reference, field organizer Rick Loza with SEIU Local 73 — the union representing the members, presented board members with a can of green beans — representative of the actual value of raises the board is offering. “If you do the math,” he told the board, “you can see we are not exaggerating.”

Both sides are meeting this week, and Loza asked the board to discuss an offer at that meeting that members could truly accept. “Right now, our members are getting angrier, and angrier after every single session. They are not happy.”

Board President Denise Allen countered and accused the union of regressive bargaining, a tactic that is “slowing things down.” At a February bargaining session, Allen said the union presented a wage proposal higher than its previous proposal. “They are going backwards by raising their demands,” she said. Allen went on to call the union wage proposals “excessive.”

In negotiations, Allen said, the union has asked for retroactive pay through January 2015, and a percentage increase over the life of the 3-year contract. Without providing actual dollar amounts, or an estimate of what increased wages would cost the district, Allen indicated a potential increase of 21 percent on average for full-time staff, and 27 percent increase on average for part-time staff.

“This is why the park district will not just pay what the union is asking for,” she added.

Bolingbrook Park District employee Alice Murray cautioned the board to be careful using percentages not in relation to actual wages. “When you make a very low hourly wage, and you’re given a percentage of a wage increase, it’s still a very low wage,” Murray explained.

Bolingbrook resident and Will County Board member Jackie Traynere spoke on behalf of the employees of SEIU Local 73. For the past 12 years, Traynere said county-wide elected officials and Will County board members have not taken a raise — unlike various members of the Bolingbrook Park District.

Will County Board board member Jacqueline Traynere offers her support for the workers. She said she appreciates how important it is to keep the park grounds nice and safe for the community — and she also understands a fair, living wage is important to the people who are employed by the park district. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

“I have to believe, that if you can afford those wages for the supervisors, and managers, and directors, you can find somewhere in the budget, some small amount to increase the wages for these employees. I feel what was offered was embarrassing,” she told the board.

During the meeting, a newly hired, full-time staff member was introduced to board members. Commissioner Jerry Hix welcomed him by saying the park district is a challenging operation. He quashed any anxiety the new employee may have had by saying, “you’ve got a lot of talented people around you.”

A rally is being planned for the employees May 5, with details to follow.