A large inflatable Scabby the Rat greeted passersby outside Midlothian Village Hall Monday, drawing honks of support from passing drivers. The national symbol of labor disputes was erected after a dozen public works employees went on strike following the failure of federal mediation sessions to secure a new contract, according to Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.
Inside, village and union representatives were in their third mediation session, working to reach an agreement after the contract expired at the end of April last year, according to Local 150.
Mike Quinn, who has dedicated 30 years to the village’s Public Works Department, said this is the first time in his tenure a contract dispute has escalated to a strike.
“I just want to get back to work,” Quinn said Monday, the ninth day of the strike during which employees have gone without pay and braved cold temperatures to picket.
“I miss my grandkids,” Quinn said.
Local 150 filed an unfair labor practice charge Feb. 12 with the Illinois Labor Relations Board then later notified the village of its intent to call a strike.
The labor union said it’s members are striking not only to address the alleged unfair labor practice, but also to advocate for a fair and equitable contract. Key demands include wages and insurance, the union said. The union is seeking insurance coverage for bargaining unit retirees, something it says is available to other village employees.
Since the strike began on Feb. 23, public works employees, and representatives of Local 150, have stood outside Village Hall in the cold around the clock in 12-hour shifts.
Many of them, including Nick Sawicki, who has worked for the village for eight years, say the strike has been especially tough on their families. For those with young children, adjusting sleep schedules and balancing family life has been a challenge.
“You are basically thrown out, like literally into the cold, just trying to be treated fairly,” Sawicki said.
Still, the workers value their jobs and have no desire to leave, Sawicki said.
“I would say this is my last job,” he said. “I love doing what I do.”
The union said a mediation session took place Jan. 23, with a federal mediator meeting separately with both sides, during which each made oral contract proposals.
Another session was held Feb. 21, according to the union, which said it was prepared to “sit at the bargaining table as long as necessary to negotiate a fair contract.”
After presenting its final offer, the union said the village ended the session for the day and was not able to meet again until March 3.
Mayor Gary L’Heureux said in a statement previously shared with the Southtown that the walkout comes at a time when the village is facing water main breaks.
“These breaks are threatening the safety of the drinking water to our residents and have resulted in over a half-million gallons of clean, drinking water to be flushed down the drain, costing the Village and its residents thousands of dollars,” L’Heureux wrote.
The village alleges union members interfered with a village contractor attempting to stop the leak, resulting in the contractor leaving the job site without fixing the leak.
“The situation was not and will never solely be the responsibility of union members,” according to a statement from Local 150. “The Village has allowed their employees to knowingly work under a contract that lapsed 10 months ago. This oversight reflects a broader issue of neglecting the urgency of solidifying a new agreement.”
The union said the village left employees with “no other option but to strike” after leaving the bargaining table in February.
“Sending a bargaining team not authorized to finalize a contract indicates the Village of Midlothian was willing to risk the safety of its community,” Local 150 wrote. “For that, they are liable for every drop of water lost and every potential hazard posed to residents.”
For Sawicki, the strike is a testament to the employees’ desire for fair treatment.
“It just lets us know that the Village Board and the mayor, they are all willing to treat us fairly like they do with the other departments,” Sawicki said. “We want to be equals to everyone else that does hard work in this village.”
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