Press Releases
Teamsters Local 700 and City of Chicago Reach Tentative Agreement
(Park Ridge, Ill.) – After months of negotiating sessions, Teamsters Local 700 and the City of Chicago have come to a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract on behalf of the more than 2,000 city workers represented by the union. Union members are expected to vote on their contract within the next 10 days.
“Negotiations were long and difficult,” said Teamsters Local 700 President Becky Strzechowski. “Local 700 members are entitled to a fair and equitable agreement that reflects the extraordinary sacrifices they make on behalf of the citizens of Chicago. We believe that this agreement addresses important issues of health and safety, critical training, wages, and the promise of a career path to full-time, family-sustaining jobs in the City of Chicago.”
City members of Local 700 came to a meeting at Teamsters Local 705 on Sunday, Jan. 7 to learn the news that they had a tentative agreement. Members received details of the proposed agreement during the meeting and will receive mailed copies later this week. A ratification vote will be scheduled within the next 10 days and a majority vote is needed to accept the agreement.
Sunday’s meeting was originally called by the union as a possible strike authorization vote for the members as negotiations had hit a wall. The negotiating parties did not reach a tentative agreement until late Saturday evening, thereby averting the strike authorization vote which was still a possibility had an agreement not been reached.
“As public servants of the City, our members work around the clock, 365 days-a-year to keep the city in pristine condition for its residents and visitors,” Strzechowski said. “These members have waited 10 years to have their voices heard and we were honored to represent them during this process. I and members of the bargaining committee are proud of the strong agreement that we have to present to our City members. We are grateful to our union stewards and the entire City membership for standing by the committee while going through this long process.”
Teamsters Local 700 represents more than 10,000 public sector workers across Illinois.