SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Members of Teamsters Local 916 are accusing the Illinois Department of Transportation of illegally surveilling workers.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Teamsters members announced that they filed an unfair labor practice charge against IDOT's Central Bureau and Division 1. The union claims that IDOT illegally monitored workers on two separate occasions to track employees who were supporting the union. The allegations come just a few days after Teamsters members working for IDOT voted to authorize a strike if a new contract isn't reached soon.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is not only failing to offer workers a fair and equitable contract, but they are violating labor law while doing so,” JP Fyans III with Teamsters Local 916 said. “IDOT workers have a legal right to form a union and support their union by wearing T-shirts and buttons. These intimidation tactics will not work on IDOT Teamsters because these workers are united and determined to get the compensation and respect that they deserve.”
News 8 reached out to IDOT about the Teamsters' allegations. We received the following response:
“The state has been in active contract negotiations with the Teamsters since April 2023. Over the weekend, the first Teamster bargaining unit (Local 700 – Cook County) to reach a deal with the state voted to ratify a new contract that provides good compensation and healthcare benefits to Teamster employees while recognizing that the state must balance its budget. That fair deal, or one substantially similar, is available to the other Teamster bargaining units. The state looks forward to continuing a successful partnership with all of its collective bargaining units now and into the future.”
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