Agreement offers fair and robust wage package; prioritizes members, the District and communities
The Chicago Park District is pleased to announce we’ve reached a tentative contract agreement with the SEIU Local 73 leadership. This progress enables the District to continue to offer the programs and services that Chicago residents have come to expect and deserve while offering a fair, and robust wage package to the members of SEIU Local 73, including year-round, part-time and seasonal workers.
The employees of SEIU Local 73 make up the majority of the District’s dedicated workforce. Their professional duties are essential to maintaining our parks and supporting children and families in every neighborhood of the city. We are grateful to have arrived at a package that provides benefits that are in the best interest of our workforce, the District and the children and families we serve.
In 2022, the Park District implemented a benefits package for current employees and new hires that included the Park District’s first-ever, paid parental leave, and an additional paid holiday. Last summer, the District had a successful seasonal recruitment campaign generating more than 4,000 applicants resulting in more than 2,200 seasonal workers. The Chicago Park District launched the “Your Perfect Summer Job” recruitment campaign and has received an even stronger response this year. In the summer months, our workforce doubles in size as we bring on seasonal employees to successfully implement our summer programming and operational needs across the city.
The tentative agreement must be ratified by the union members and approved by the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners.