Teamsters end 16-day strike at Cook County Forest Preserves

PALATINE, Ill. — A 16-day strike by roughly 230 Forest Preserves of Cook County workers ended Wednesday after members of Teamsters Local 700 voted to ratify a new contract offer.

The vote sends truck drivers, mechanics and skilled trades workers back on the job beginning Thursday morning, the Lombard-based Teamsters local said in a statement. The strike had been felt across the suburban forest preserves, including those that serve residents of Palatine and the broader northwest Cook County area.

"Our members did not want a strike, they wanted to be treated like the skilled public employees they are," Local 700 President Ramon Williams said in the statement. "They held the line for 16 days in the rain and the heat, demanding a fair contract and respect on the job. This agreement makes significant gains on wages and working conditions, and we will now move forward at the Forest Preserves."

Forest preserve officials said the new contract includes a 2% raise retroactive to January, another 2% retroactive to July, and a 4% raise in July 2027. The deal also includes a one-time payment of $2,500 for full-time employees and $1,250 for seasonal employees, as well as paid lunch and breaks, and changes to overtime pay rules, scheduling notification, shift assignment choices and a reduction of weekend work.

"This agreement addresses issues raised by Local 700 while allowing the Forest Preserves to remain on a sustainable fiscal path," General Superintendent Adam Bianchi said in a statement. "We are eager to have all our dedicated employees together again to meet our shared mission."

The agreement expires in December 2027, according to the union.

The union's members clear roads, provide maintenance to vehicles and equipment, collect trash, conduct prescribed burns and maintain trails and picnic groves. After rejecting multiple proposals from the district, the union authorized a strike on July 31 and walked out Aug. 17.