Union agreement officially ends Chicago strike

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 ratified an agreement tentatively struck Monday, effectively ending a three-week strike that put hundreds of construction projects on hold in the Chicago area.

“It is now an official agreement, and the strike is officially over,” Ed Maher, spokesman for Local 150, told the Chicago Tribune. “The benefits came through the hard work of the people that came before us, and (the workers) made the tough decision to protect those benefits not just for themselves but for future generations.”

While most projects will resume construction, completion will still be delayed. City and state officials are working to get projects, including the Eisenhower Expressway resurfacing, back on schedule.

The unions initially asked for a 15.9% increase over the next three years and subsequently settled with the Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association for a 9.75% increase in wages and benefits over the next three years.

The agreement was already approved by the Chicago Laborers’ District Council on Monday.