Desde el otoño de 2019, SEIU Local 73 ha realizado cuatro huelgas. En ese otoño se unieron al Sindicato de Maestros de Chicago en su lucha contra las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago; en septiembre de 2020 se unieron a la Asociación de Enfermeras de Chicago en el Hospital de la Universidad Illinois en Chicago; en diciembre de 2020 realizaron una huelga de un día con 2,500 trabajadores en contra del gobierno del Condado Cook; y este verano han realizado una huelga histórica de 18 días con esos mismos trabajadores en contra de la misma administración.
Chicago, IL – On July 12, more than 2500 Cook County, Illinois workers who are members of SEIU Local 73 ended an 18-day strike after winning major improvements on key issues. Two issues remained outstanding in the deal but will now move to interest-based arbitration, which only became an option because the workers went on strike.
Chicago, IL – Cook County workers in are standing strong after 17 days on strike. The strike by members of SEIU Local 73 took a bitter turn four days after workers walked off the job, when Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle offered three other unions contracts with the wages demanded by SEIU and refused in bargaining to offer SEIU similar terms.
Chicago, IL – Cook County workers in are standing strong after 17 days on strike. The strike by members of SEIU Local 73 took a bitter turn four days after workers walked off the job, when Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle offered three other unions contracts with the wages demanded by SEIU and refused in bargaining to offer SEIU similar terms.
Chicago, IL – Workers at Cook County in Illinois have been on strike for two weeks as of today, July 8. Yesterday the workers ratcheted up the pressure on Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle with a large rally and sit-in at the president’s office.
Chicago, IL – Hundreds of workers clad in purple rallied in 90-degree heat in front of Provident Hospital on Chicago’s South Side today, July 5. According to Ericka White, a county employee in the business office and an elected member of the bargaining committee for Local 73, “Our members are strong and we’re going to win our demands.”
Chicago, IL – Striking members of SEIU Local 73 in the highway and transportation division of Cook County government shut down a construction site in Buffalo Grove, a town in the suburbs northwest of Chicago. This two-mile long bridge project was shut down on Friday, June 25, the first day of the strike. The union Operating Engineers, Laborers, and Carpenters are respecting the picket line at the county construction site in Buffalo Grove. This is a $60 million project with $29 million in federal funds.
Chicago, IL – Hundreds of striking members of SEIU Local 73 rallied today, June 26. The rain continued to fall intermittently, sometimes in a downpour, but the festive spirit of the strikers wasn’t extinguished. Even the tornado siren at the end of the rally didn’t dampen their militancy.
Chicago, IL – 2449 members of SEIU Local 73 who work at Cook County Health in Chicago began an open-ended strike on Friday, June 25 at 6 a.m. The SEIU members have been in bargaining with Cook County for over nine months and decided the only way to get the contract they deserve is to fight for it. The facilities that are striking include Stroger and Provident Hospitals; clinics and mental health services at Cermak; Cook County corporate offices and clerk’s office, and the county jail. Members at all of these locations will strike indefinitely until they win a contract that they feel is adequate to return to work.
Chicago, IL -The largest strike since the economic crisis hit came to an end at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), September 24. Last night and this morning, tentative agreements were announced for the 4000 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, and the 1300 members of the Illinois Nurses Association (INA).
Chicago, IL – On Saturday, September 19, members of SEIU Local 73 continued their strike at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), rallying with community and labor allies. The 4000 workers say they are fighting for UIC to “respect us, protect us and pay us” and have vowed to remain on strike until their demands are met.
Chicago, IL – Over 1000 University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) workers from SEIU Local 73 and the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) flooded the center of downtown Chicago, September 18, calling for Governor JB Pritzker to support their demands in the largest strike ever at the university.
Chicago, IL -Today, September 12, SEIU Local 73 union leaders have discovered that UIC is bringing in workers from out of state to cross the picket line. These out-of-state workers are coming from Texas, Tennessee, Nevada and Mississippi, all of which are currently listed on the city of Chicago’s COVID Emergency Travel Order. This action calls into question UIC’s commitment to a decent contract, as it goes directly against one of the main bargaining issues, universal COVID-19 protections.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the testimony of Joe Iosbaker to the September 10 University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Board of Trustees meeting. University of Chicago workers are preparing a major strike for safety, respect and wages.
Chicago, IL – SEIU Local 73, which represents about 4000 workers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) gave notice of their intent to strike September 3. Key demands of the workers include safety, pay and respect. 94 % of the members voted for the open-ended strike which is set to begin on September 14.
Chicago, IL – Tonight, October 30, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) suspended its ten-day strike in the public schools, pending a back-to-work agreement. The House of Delegates (HOD) voted to accept the tentative agreement with the PSRP’s (Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel) providing lead-ership. These clerks and teacher aides are among the lower paid workers in the schools.
Chicago, IL – Members of the Chicago Teachers Union members and SEIU Local 73 are in the seventh day of their joint striking. As of Friday, October 25, this strike under Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now equal in length to the strike under Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012.
Chicago, IL – The joint strike by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and SEIU Local 73 continued October 18 and through the weekend as the office of Mayor Lori Lightfoot continued to refuse to meet the strikers' demands.
