Mayor, Laborers Local Reach Deal

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 1, 2012 10:00PM

© 2012 City of Chicago, photos by Brooke Collins.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Laborers Union Local 1001 reached what the mayor's office is calling a "groundbreaking" agreement today that could save the city $30 million over the next six years.

The agreement calls for a "hybrid" worker position created by the Department of Streets and Sanitation where new hires are trained in all manner of jobs ranging from tree trimming and hand labor to sanitation and graffiti removal, allowing the workers to float from task to task based on need. The hourly wage for for new employees will be $20 an hour, not the current $33 enjoyed by current Laborers.

Moreover, rate increases will be based on hours worked and not pre-negotiated. A three-tiered rate system will be put in place, with premium pay for certain assignments, and the employees will be paid in accordance with the assignments on which they are actually working.

If the city hires 50 employees for each of the next six years to keep pace with attrition, the total savings would top $30 million by 2017. New hires will have a probationary period of four years instead of the current six months; have a veterans’ preference for hiring; and feature a training program that will help the new employees learn the skills to service all of these positions. The new agreement allows a Fitness for Duty exam, if a supervisor observes an inability to perform job duties.

Emanuel said in a statement the deal is a win-win for the city, Labor and residents. "This is a perfect example of the City and labor working together to craft an innovative solution that protects jobs, saves taxpayer money, and allows us to provide services more efficiently." Laborers Local 1001 business manager Lou Phillips concurred. "This agreement is proof positive of the results that can be achieved through the cooperation and partnership between Laborers’ Local 1001 and the City of Chicago"