Update on SEIU Local 73 Cook County Workers Strike

About 1,200 nurses walked of the job for a whole business day on June 24. The labor action was organized by the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an Illinois affiliate of National Nurses United (or NNU). They took to the streets as part of continuing protests against the pay increase offer by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that was all but erased by the board’s demand that workers pay higher health insurance premiums. Labor organizers also said the 24-hour strike was an action to demand an end to the intolerable staffing shortages at the Cook County Department of Health.

Conditions at Stroger and Provident Hospitals were bad before the pandemic. Now they are worse.  These two major locations serve primarily low income Chicagoans of color, people who have borne the brunt of the pandemic, which has further exposed the gross inequalities in healthcare. With about 400 unfilled positions, nurses often work double shifts. They were striking for themselves and for the safety and well-being of their patients. About 330 nurses were enjoined from striking by a court injunction, and the rest experienced the collective strength of their 24-hour strike, their power in numbers to stay organized and vigilant, despite downpours of rain and threats from management.

Following on the heels of the nurses’ strike, approximately 2,000 Cook County workers organized by SEIU Local 73 went on strike outside the same hospitals and at other county sites the following morning on June 25, including the Cook County Jail and at highway maintenance facilities. Despite severe storm warnings and downpours throughout the day, they held firm. An additional 500 of their members were also kept at work by court injunction, but normal hospital functioning (which is never adequate) is definitely impacted by their absence.

The main issues are a living wage — over the massive health insurance increases — and equal pay for equal work.  “Respect us, Protect us, Pay us!” is a major rallying cry. Hiking health insurance more than a pay raise, amounts to a pay cut, and workers understand this. In the June 27 press release from SEIU Local 73, Sylvia Kizer, Building Service Worker at Stroger says, “They are forcing us to choose between putting food on our tables and keeping our healthcare. We are the lowest-paid workers in the County and President Preckwinkle is sitting on $1 billion from the Federal Government. Shame on her!”  Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is a central target of the strikers. Having run as a candidate that supports labor, she has failed to deliver justice to these essential front-line workers.

Dian Palmer, President of striking Local 73 declared “We are going to stay on this line until we get a fair contract.  There ain’t no stopping us now!”   Following another strong showing Saturday, Preckwinkle and the County finally came back to the bargaining table but have so far offered nothing.

Together these two unions have demanded the conditions, compensation, and respect that all workers deserve.  The nurses have vowed that they will not be coerced into doing the jobs of the other hospital workers.  

As of Monday morning, June 28, 2021, Chicago:

The strike continues by 2000 Cook County workers.  

Solidarity from other unions, from passing truckers and members of the community, has heightened the spirits and strengthened the resolve of these strikers. Turnout includes support from SEIU HCII and SEIU Local 1. CTU members were also out on the picket line in solidarity, having been through two strikes that coincided with SEIU workers in the Chicago Public Schools. During their joint 2019 strike against CPS, which made gains for teachers, and other support staff including clerical workers in the schools, we began to see the power of workers mobilized in solidarity with one another.  The entire labor movement needs to show up in solidarity with these courageous workers in the days ahead.  If they do not receive a fair contract, they plan more massive mobilizations at the worksites as well as in downtown Chicago.