More than 200 employees at Brookfield Zoo Chicago have gone on strike. Pickets were out in force Monday afternoon at the zoo’s south gate.
The striking workers are members of the Teamsters Local 727 union. Members voted April 28 to authorize a labor strike beginning Monday, May 4, after the existing collective bargaining agreement ended at 11:59 a.m. on Friday, May 1.
The vote occurred after members of the union — which represents workers in the zoo’s animal care, custodial, grounds and police departments — agreed to reject the zoo’s last, best and final offer, given Monday, April 27. Continued bargaining the morning of May 1 seems to have been unsuccessful, as union workers at the zoo began striking on May 4, according to a zoo press release issued that morning.
The zoo said some animal encounters and programming may be adjusted or postponed in the event of a strike but that it plans to remain open to the public with animal care as a priority. In a late afternoon statement on May 4, the zoo said union animal care staff will continue to go to work and provide necessary care while other union workers strike.
News of the vote to authorize the strike broke last week after the union said the zoo “abruptly ended bargaining early” on April 27, when a full day of bargaining was scheduled. Another half-day scheduled for April 29 did not come to fruition before continued bargaining on May 1.
Last week, Sean McGough, a business agent at Teamsters Local 727, told the Landmark that union workers felt underpaid and understaffed. He said the workers voted to authorize the strike due to unfair labor practices the union has accused the zoo of committing during bargaining.
