Around 100 union workers walked off the job at Brookfield Zoo on Monday morning, calling for what they described as a a fair contract and urging the zoo to close to the public until an agreement is reached.
Workers represented by Teamsters Local 727 denied the zoo’s final contract offer. The union said its bargaining committee presented a full and comprehensive offer “In a good faith effort to settle the contract” but said the zoo rejected its offer without presenting a counterproposal.
Key bargaining issues include wage increases, health insurance costs and staffing guarantees.
A Teamsters spokesperson said all union members except animal care specialists walked off the job at 5 a.m. Animal care specialists will join the strike once a care plan for animals is finalized, according to the union.
In an update Monday, the union said Brookfield Zoo “confirmed that its plan to provide an alternative, comparable health care plan for the members was not true.”
The zoo, writing in a statement, said it doesn’t believe the contribution levels it has offered are insufficient and appear to be “in line with – or in some cases higher than” – what other employees contribute to the same fund.
The zoo said it is committed to reaching a fair contract that also ensures long-term stability.
Complete statements released by the union and the zoo can be found below:
Teamsters Local 727 Statement
“More than 100 members of Teamsters Local 727 at the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), doing business as the Brookfield Zoo Chicago, have launched an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. All members, except for animal care specialists, walked out at 5 a.m. this morning. The animal care specialists will join the strike line once the essential care plan for the animals has been finalized.
On Friday, May 1, the zoo confirmed that its plan to provide an alternative, comparable health care plan for the members was not true. Management acknowledged that they are not proposing any heath care plan to replace the current union health care that would not be available under the company’s last, best, and final offer.
“It’s clear that management is trying to slow roll an agreement on a plan for the animal care specialists to provide essential care to the animals during a work stoppage. This is a blatant attempt to interfere with these members’ lawful right to strike,” said John Coli, Jr, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “While we work to plan for the animals to be cared for, our other members at the Zoo will hold down the strike line. We urge the public not to visit Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Not only are we asking for support for our ULP strike, but many of the animals will not be on exhibit and there will be no custodial or maintenance staff on site. We have urged the zoo to close to the public until an agreement is reached.”
In a good faith effort to settle the contract, the union bargaining committee presented a full and comprehensive offer. The zoo ended negotiations, rejecting the union’s offer without presenting a counterproposal.
Teamsters Local 727 represents nearly 10,000 hardworking men and women throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to teamsterslocal727.org.”
Brookfield Zoo Statement
“Brookfield Zoo Chicago wants to be clear: we are not taking away healthcare from our employees.
The Zoo does not administer or control the healthcare plan for Teamsters Local 727 employees. That plan is managed through the Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund, which covers employees across multiple employers. For decades, our role, like other contributing employers, has been to negotiate and provide contributions to that fund on behalf of our employees.
Throughout this process, the Zoo has continued to propose meaningful contributions to support employees’ healthcare coverage, consistent with longstanding practice. We do not believe that the contribution levels in question we have offered are insufficient, and based on available information, they appear to be in line with, or in some cases higher than, what other employers contribute to the same fund.
We have repeatedly asked for detailed information from the Union to better understand their claims regarding healthcare costs and fund sufficiency. To date, those requests have not been met with the level of transparency needed to fully evaluate or validate those assertions.
What remains unchanged is our commitment to our employees. We are working in good faith to reach a fair and responsible agreement – one that continues to support competitive wages and affordable, sustainable healthcare coverage.”
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