Politics & Government

Will County Contract Talks Break Off Again; Strike Continues

County Executive Larry Walsh puts the blame on the union, whom he says did not come to the table ready to negotiate.

Monday's bargaining session between Will County and AFSCME Local 1028 produced no change in the stalemate over a new contract, Will County Executive Larry Walsh said in a written statement Monday night.

Larry Walsh statement:

Talks between Will County and AFSCME 1028 have failed to produce any meaningful movement today after a weeklong work stoppage by county union workers. County Executive Walsh said he was disappointed to see that the Union was not better prepared to make progress and end the strike.

“I am truly disappointed that the union was not prepared to make a formal counter proposal when we began today,” said Will County Executive Larry Walsh. “After a week of picketing county facilities, and over a week since the last negotiations session broke off, the Union was not able to give us a meaningful counter offer and move us towards a resolution.”

Walsh and the county's negotiation team have been meeting with AFSCME Local 1028 for over 15 months, the last 5 months with the aid of a federal mediator, and the main sticking point remains increased health care costs and wage increases. 

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The county has continued to return to the bargaining table, at the request of the federal mediator, in a good faith effort to end the strike and get workers back to their jobs. 

“After listening to all the speeches at last week’s County Board meeting, I really was optimistic that AFSCME would come in prepared to negotiate today,” said Walsh. 

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“However, when we first met this morning the union requested information that it could have requested in our last bargaining session or, at a minimum, last week. The union indicated that without the information it first requested this morning, it was not prepared to give the County a counter proposal.

"Because of the union’s lack of preparation, the parties were unable to move forward constructively at today’s session. This type of conduct has been a recurring problem and has led to repeated delays throughout the many months of negotiations. This has to stop if we want to reach an agreement.”

After over six hours of waiting for AFSCME to present a formal proposal, County offices learned that strikers were distributing flyers at county facilities that were filled with factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations of what has been offered at the table. 

“I would hope that the Union would put more energy into negotiations and less into their propaganda,” said Walsh. “If the union truly wants to get employees back to work before the holidays, they need to stop the posturing in negotiations for their press releases and flyers. I would hope the Union gets serious about reaching a settlement.”

Walsh thanked the many County employees who have continued to work throughout strike and said he has confidence in all of the elected officials, department heads, and other county staff who continue to provide quality and friendly services to Will County residents during the strike.



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