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Season 5, Episode 33

Gianni: IDOT employees represented by Teamsters vote to strike

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Guest Name:

Pasquale Gianni

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teamster.org 

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Pasquale Gianni, Council and Political Director of Teamsters Joint Council 25 appeared on the the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and explained why the Teamsters employed by the Illinois Department of Transportation are preparing to go on strike against the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Gianni discussed how the current battle with IDOT actually started during the term of former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. During Rauner’s tenure, members of the Teamsters went four years without a Collective Bargaining Agreement and had their paychecks frozen. However, they were able to negotiate a move to the Teamster’s Union Health and Welfare plan, which proved to be an upgrade in benefits and ultimately resulted in less wages deducted from the paycheck for insurance. 

Today, the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, wants the IDOT Teamsters to go back on the state’s plan, which Gianni called a no-starter. Eight Local Unions under the Joint Council’s umbrella have reached their breaking point during these negotiations, and by a 95 percent margin, voted to authorize a strike.

He acknowledged that the Teamster’s Health and Welfare plan has Cadilac benefits that the members do not want to give up. He believes Pritzker wants all the state’s union employees to be on the same plan as a way not to show favoritism. A final decision to go on strike could come within the next few weeks.

Listen to the entire episode to hear more about the situation of Teamsters Joint Council 25.

America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

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