Scabby the Rat sighting

SEIU Local 73

SEIU Local 73 members with the Bolingbrook Park District Building and Grounds Division, along with their supporters, protest May 5 in Bolingbrook on the corner of Boughton Road and Delware Avenue. The intersection was local the homes to several Bolingbrook Park District board members. Members joined the union 21 months ago, but have yet to see their first contract. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

Negotiations moving at a snail’s pace

Bolingbrook Park District Board

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

Jennifer Rice Managing Editor

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

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.

Residents crowd meeting to show support

Employees of the Bolingbrook Park District Building and Grounds Division joined SEIU Local 73

Employees of the Bolingbrook Park District Building and Grounds Division joined SEIU Local 73 18 months ago, but have yet to see their first contract. Residents showed up at a recent park district meeting to show support and ask why there is no contract. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

Jennifer Rice Managing Editor

By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com

BOLINGBROOK — The public may not have gotten the answers they were looking for during a recent Bolingbrook Park District board meeting, but they walked away knowing they’re not giving up.

More than 35 park district employees and residents attended the Feb. 18 meeting to show their support of about 52 SEIU Local 73 members who joined the union 18 months ago, but have no contract in place. Members are from the building and grounds division.

“I’m here to understand what’s going on,” said Bolingbrook resident Norman Brown as he addressed board members.

Hammering out initial contracts are no walk in the park, but SEIU Local 73 Field Organizer Rick Loza said the park district is not giving the workers a fair contract.

Bolingbrook resident Norman Brown

Bolingbrook resident Norman Brown, standing, addresses members of the Bolingbrook Park District Board stressing his support for members of SEIU Local 73 who have been negotiating 18 months for their first contract. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

“We want to resolve this issue. We have 99 percent of the contract done, with the exception of wages,” Loza explained.

Both sides have recently met, and will meet again Feb. 25. A federal mediator is involved. At the heart of the issue is the matter of being treated fairly. Part-time employees are upset at seeing full-time positions open up, only to have them filled by outsiders.

They would like to see an adequate pay increase for the work they perform, but instead, are informed of insulting pay raises.

Residents who addressed the board were passionate in their support for the SEIU Local 73 members.

“I would say please give these professional employees a top notch contract to mirror the top-notch organization, board and director that you have,” Bolingbrook resident Kevin Brown said to applause.

Many residents acknowledged the many accolades and awards the park district has received over the years — done through the hard work and dedication of its building and grounds division.

Loza stressed the board has never said anything negative about the quality of the member’s work, yet, “we feel the employer is dragging this along. We’re talking about getting a fair compensation for the value of their work. They are not being respected for that, and I think that is where our members are angry.”

bolingbrook_park_district_2

Board President Denise Allen told residents they are following the bargaining process. “We have come to significant progress in many areas on both sides, but there are some tougher issues, and we are still far apart,” Allen explained.

Loza added members are not asking for unreasonable increases in salary. “What we’re talking about is the respect and dignity they deserve as workers.”