District 88 looking to cut own deal with construction unions
DuPage High School District 88 officials hope to cut their own deal with construction unions to resume work on a project that, if significantly delayed, could affect everything from the district's athletic programs to its administrative offices.
Superintendent Steve Humphrey said he has reached out to leaders of International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 to see what can be done to get the district's $115 million renovation projects at Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools completed before the start of classes on Sept. 7.
That union, along with the Laborers' District Council of Chicago and Vicinity, went on strike July 1 in a dispute over pay and benefits with Mid-America Bargaining Association and Excavators Inc. The strike has shut down hundreds of road and other projects across the region.
On Thursday, Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Mark Mitrovich announced his district has come to an agreement with the two striking unions to resume work on an $87.7 million renovation of Naperville Central High School. In return, according to a union official, the district has pledged to use union labor for any projects in the next seven years.
District 88's high schools, Addison Trail and Willowbrook in Villa Park, have undergone extensive renovations since work began nearly three years ago. The roughly $115 million price tag for the work was funded primarily by a voter-approved tax increase in April 2007 to borrow about $104 million.
Still left unfinished, however, are technology wiring and practice fields at Addison Trail and track work and driveways at Willowbrook. The district serves nearly 4,000 students between the two high schools.
Humphrey said many area organizations also use the facilities for programming and the district has limited options if things do not work out.
"We can't move the kids, we don't have any other space," he said. "You can't just pick up a chemistry program and move it down the road to another building."
Plans for the work included a big push for completion this summer and had construction slotted for every available day until about a week before school starts.
"Delaying is not in the cards," Humphrey said. "The parents are ready to get this started. Throughout all of this, the kids are being held hostage. We're not just going to sit by and watch this not happen. I'm certain (union leaders) are interested in making sure our kids are back in school, too."
After reading news reports of District 203's situation earlier this week, Humphrey said he called Mitrovich to see what he planned to do.
On Thursday, Humphrey spoke with Mitrovich to find out how the deal was reached.
"It's got to help but every district has to do their own agreement," he said. "The timing is important. We have a lot of kids that are impacted and we have a deadline. We will not get there unless the workers get back out there."