Cook County Forest Preserve Workers Authorize Strike Vote

Teamsters Local 700 said on July 30 that nearly 200 workers at the Forest Preserves of Cook County voted to reject management’s “final offer” and authorize a strike. The union said no walkout had begun immediately, but the vote cleared the way for one after a waiting period required under Illinois law. The workers are part of the public workforce that maintains the district’s parks and natural areas across Cook County. The Forest Preserves of Cook County said on its website that it manages about 70,000 acres, and its 2026 budget totals $194.1 million. ### Who voted, and what do these workers do? Local 700 said the bargaining unit covers nearly 200 Teamsters employed by the Cook County forest preserve district. The union said those workers clean bathrooms, pick up trash, maintain trails and carry out prescribed forest burns. David Yokley, identified by the union as a laborer, said in the union post that “without our work, many Forest Preserves spaces will become unsanitary and potentially dangerous.” Bill Foley, identified as a serviceman, said the offer was “a slap in the face” and tied the dispute to pay and time off. (tdu.org) ### What are the workers fighting over in this contract dispute? (tdu.org) The union said management’s final offer did not address what it called the workers’ “core issues” on wage scales and overtime pay for employees who work more than five consecutive days. The same post said members had rejected a two-year contract extension in December before the latest vote. (tdu.org) Brannon Curtis-Wittenberg, identified by the union as a senior resource technician, said members had organized for months through a contract action team. He said in the post that if management did not make what he called a fair offer within five days, workers would be ready to strike. ### Why didn’t the strike start immediately after the vote? (tdu.org) Illinois law sets procedures before a public-sector contract can be terminated or modified, including notice and bargaining requirements, and the union said state law imposes a five-day waiting period before these workers can legally strike. The Illinois Labor Relations Board’s local panel handles collective bargaining matters involving local governments in Cook County and other large jurisdictions. (tdu.org) The union’s account is the clearest public description now available of the immediate next step. Teamsters for a Democratic Union, which published the July 30 account, said the waiting period began after the authorization vote. ### What is the employer in this dispute? The Forest Preserves of Cook County says it is the oldest and largest forest preserve district in the United States and describes its land base as roughly 70,000 acres. (tdu.org) The district is administered by a general superintendent and overseen by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board of Commissioners, according to its website. The district’s 2026 budget page says Board President Toni Preckwinkle introduced a $194.1 million budget recommendation in October 2025. The corporate budget that funds day-to-day operations was listed at $92.6 million. ### What happens next in the negotiations? The July 30 union post said a strike could not legally begin until the five-day waiting period had run. (fpdcc.com) That means the earliest timing described publicly by the union would have fallen in early August, though no public source reviewed here showed that a walkout had been called. The next formal steps are either a revised contract offer or a strike call by Local 700. (fpdcc.com) The Forest Preserves of Cook County Board of Commissioners posts meeting information on its website, and the district’s human resources department says it handles labor relations. (fpdcc.com) (tdu.org)