ILLINOIS, USA — Teamsters with the Illinois Department of Transportation are now able to go on strike.
The union represents around 3,800 workers who maintain and fix the state roads. 95% of them voted to authorize a strike.
The most recent contract for those employees ended on July 1, 2023. Teamsters and IDOT still haven't agreed on a new contract, with the big disagreement being over healthcare.
News 8 spoke with Pasquale Gianni, a lobbyist for Teamsters Joint Council 25, which represents Teamsters across Illinois like Local 327 in Rock Island.
Gianni explained that IDOT Teamsters employees have relied on healthcare plans offered from the union, and that IDOT wants them to use plans offered by the state instead — a move he thinks is a bad deal.
"Significant increase in cost, out-of-pocket cost to members, coupled with inferior benefits," Gianni said. "We don't want to let that happen, and our members are very unified in wanting to keep their insurance."
News 8 reached out to the Illinois DOT, which gave this response:
“The safety of the traveling public always has been and always will be the Illinois Department of Transportation’s top priority. The department values its hard-working staff and employees, and looks forward to continuing a successful partnership with all of its collective bargaining units now and into the future.”
The authorization does not mean any Teamsters are going on strike immediately, but each local Teamsters now has the option to go on strike if their negotiations with the Illinois DOT fall through.
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