Union OKs 'Last Ditch' Bargaining Session; No Word from County

In a letter to negotiators for both AFSCME and Will County, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services commissioner David Born urged the parties to meet intensively this Wednesday and Thursday in an attempt to avert a work stoppage.

READ MORE: 

• Strike Looms as Mediator Pushes for County, Employee Sitdown
• No Progress Made in Bargaining Session to Avert County Strike

The union bargaining committee met today (Saturday) and voted to grant the mediator’s request.

“We want to be very clear that our union is willing to be part of any good-faith attempt to reach an agreement,” AFSCME local 1028 president Dave Delrose said.

But the union stressed that in order for the renewed negotiations to be productive, management must return to the table with a different approach. 

“County negotiators must come to the table fully prepared with the authority to negotiate,” Delrose said. “From what we can tell, county executive Larry Walsh has been missing in action, with management’s bargaining team taking its direction from a county board committee that rarely meets. You can’t conduct negotiations that way. Someone has to actually be in charge.”

Delrose pointed out that on the day negotiations are now set to resume, Walsh has scheduled a Chicago fundraiser for his political operation.