Timing is everything with state and local construction strike

Timing is everything when it comes to the strike affecting state and local construction projects.

The walkout by members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 and Laborers' District Council of Chicago and Vicinity is well-timed in that no work would have occurred over the July Fourth holiday so the impact is minimal.

But if nothing's resolved at a bargaining session this week with the unions and Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association and Excavators Inc., the timing couldn't be worse. As the days wear on, costs will rise and precious good weather will be wasted pushing some work into 2011. The fallout affects about 300 state projects including the massive Eisenhower Expressway resurfacing and crucial local jobs such as rebuilding Naperville Central High School.

Union leaders say the employers won't budge on requests for increases of 5 percent in contributions to health benefits they made as a starting offer.

The contractors represented by MARBA and Excavators Inc. said they offered a 1 percent increase and blamed workers for unrealistic demands given the recession.

The union retorted they have firsthand knowledge of the recession because many members are unemployed and average annual hours have shrunk from 1,600 to 1,000.

Employers countered that with wages ranging from $35 to $45 an hour plus benefits, it's counterproductive for workers to strike instead of negotiating.

And on and on and on. Certainly, the walkout has increased urgency for a breakthrough at Wednesday's bargaining session - and we'll be watching.

Readers askBike rider Mike Harland of Wheaton had this complaint about Metra. "This morning (June 28), I tried to board the UP West line in Wheaton, with my bicycle, to travel to Geneva. The conductor would not let me board and said bicycles were not allowed on the train today. I told him Metra's website said it would be OK and was there anyone he could radio to double check? He said he had already discussed it with the other conductors and no bikes were allowed on the train today."To add insult to injury, after the train left there was an announcement on the station PA system reminding riders that bikes would only be allowed on the train today and not the rest of the week."Metra's Michael Gills responds that Harland "should have been allowed to board with his bike that morning. The conductor should have been aware that on Monday only and on three lines only (the UP West included), we waived our usual ban on bikes during the Taste of Chicago. This was the only incident as far as we know where this happened. We have discussed with UP the need to make sure their employees are up to date about changes to the usual rules."Incomingbull; Work on the Edens Expressway Spur begins Tuesday. The Illinois tollway project stretches from the Edens Expressway to the Tri-State.bull; If you speed in construction zones, state troopers aren't the only ones watching. Since 2005, the Illinois State Department of Transportation has deployed three vans equipped with photo radar equipment at work zones during the construction season. Two vans are in the metropolitan area and the third is downstate - if you're caught, it's a $375 ticket for the first time and $1,000 for a second offense.