Local
Chicago Parking Garage Workers Ratify Contract, Ending Four-Day Strike
Teamsters Local 727 members approved a new agreement with the Chicago Parking Association, securing wage and benefit increases and job protections after a four-day strike that ended just before a Bears home game.
CHICAGO â Parking garage workers across the Chicago area voted to ratify a new contract on Saturday, one day after union negotiators reached a tentative agreement with the companies that operate lots and garages at O'Hare and Midway airports, Soldier Field and dozens of other locations.
The approval by members of Teamsters Local 727 ends a four-day strike that began Tuesday, after workers rejected the companies' previous offer on Monday. The prior contract had expired the Saturday before.
In a statement, the union said the agreement delivers "fair and equitable wage and benefit increases and more job protections." Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The strike had threatened to disrupt parking operations at some of the region's busiest venues, including Soldier Field, where the Chicago Bears were scheduled to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The tentative deal was announced Friday afternoon, clearing the way for normal operations ahead of the game.
Teamsters Local 727 represents roughly 1,200 workers employed by 15 parking companies in the Chicago area. The companies, represented by the Chicago Parking Association, include SP Plus/Metropolis, LAZ Parking, Interpark, ABM, Imperial/Reimagine Parking, Legacy Parking, ACE, Peoples Auto Park, Advance Parking, Metro Valet, Park Plus, Pioneer Parking, Vargas, Secure Parking and Windy City Parking Services.
During the walkout, the union accused the parking companies of refusing to bargain in good faith and committing unfair labor practices. The companies did not publicly respond to those allegations.
The dispute is the latest in a series of labor actions by service workers in the Chicago region seeking higher pay and stronger protections amid rising costs of living. For the roughly 1,200 workers who staff the region's parking infrastructure â many of them earning hourly wages â the ratified contract provides a measure of stability after a week of uncertainty.
Union officials said the agreement was reached after marathon negotiations and credited members for holding the line during the strike.