After nearly three years without a contract, clerical and technical workers at the City Colleges of Chicago system have reached a agreement that has ended a one-day strike.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the workers' union and college administrators announced a settlement after 10 hours of talks on Wednesday. Details of the agreement had not been disclosed as of Thursday morning.
Hundreds of full- and part-time clerical and technical workers formed picket lines at the seven City Colleges campuses Wednesday, then staged a short march and rally outside the system's main office in downtown Chicago.
“The City Colleges of Chicago staff and administration are proud to announce that we have come to a tentative agreement,” union and college officials said in a joint statement. “We are dedicated to our work and our students and eager to get back to work.”
The agreement comes after nearly three years of bargaining.
The contract for full-time workers expired in June 2016 and the agreement for part-timers expired in June 2017.
The 450 workers are represented by the Federation of College Clerical and Technical Personnel. The group had pledged to continue its walkout until it negotiated a contract agreement.
City Colleges of Chicago is the largest community colleges system in Illinois. It serves more than 80,000 students annually at seven colleges and five satellite sites.
Under the most recent contract, minimum salaries for part-time hourly employees were raised to $9 per hour. The six-year contract then provided for annual hourly wage increases of 25 to 35 cents. For example, those who were earning $9 per hour at the start of the contract saw their pay rise to $10.80 per hour by the end of the contract.
