Chicago parking attendants reach deal with operators to end strike

Chicago area parking attendants have reached an agreement with the Chicago Parking Association after launching what was characterized as an unfair labor practice strike, the Teamsters Local 727 union announced Friday.

The strike began four days ago after the union's nearly 1,200 members voted down the Chicago Parking Association's "last, best, and final" offer, deeming it "disrespectful," the union said in a statement.

The union was bargaining with the company over its contract that expired last week, when 98% of voting members authorized a strike, alleging the parking association was negotiating in bad faith.

On Tuesday, members began picketing at O’Hare Airport, McCormick Place and the Hyatt Regency.

By Friday afternoon, more than 30 separate unfair labor practice charges were pending. A Sunday night Chicago Bears game at Solider Field was fast approaching, with no workers to provide parking.

That was when the agreement was reached, which the union's Secretary-Treasure John Coli, Jr. said was a "major victory."

"The terms of this new agreement protects bargaining unit work against emerging technologies, increases PTO, provides a new retiree benefit and will provide the largest benefit and wage increases ever achieved by the Union in the parking industry," he said in the statement.

On Tuesday, parking operations continued normally at O’Hare and at McCormick Place despite the picket, both sites confirmed.

Representatives for Hyatt Regency did not respond to a request for comment.

Parking operations are expected to resume immediately, a Chicago Parking Association spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

“The Chicago Parking Association is pleased to have reached a settlement with Teamsters Local 727," the spokesperson said. "We look forward to continuing to serve our customers throughout Chicagoland... We appreciate our customers’ patience throughout this process and are excited to move forward together.”