District 203 breathing easier after apparent union agreement
Naperville Unit District 203 officials are breathing a sigh of relief that an end appears imminent to a construction strike that affected hundreds of projects across the region.
While the district had just inked a deal Monday keeping union workers on the job at Naperville Central High School, there was a danger of not getting materials and equipment for the $87.7 million renovation project while other workers still were on strike.
"Now that the strike is (potentially) over, that aspect is completely eliminated and we will be able to get our hands on what we need to finish the project," school board member Terry Fielden said.
It still is possible, however, that the district may face delays in obtaining some materials due to a backlog of requests, but he hopes that will be nothing more than a small hiccup.
Work on Central's renovation came to a halt July 1 when the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 and Laborers' District Council of Chicago and Vicinity went on strike.
A week into the strike, the district reached a verbal deal with the unions exempting the Central project and work at the school resumed.
In exchange, the district agreed to use union labor on any projects it contracts out for the next seven years. During that time no work stoppages would occur even in the event of a strike.
Ralph Weaver, director of facilities and construction, told the school board most bids in the district already are done by union labor and he doesn't expect to receive any fewer bids.
The school board formally signed off on the agreement Monday. The same night, after nine hours of negotiations, the unions reached a tentative agreement with Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association and Excavators Inc.
Fielden said there was no indication before the school board meeting that the unions would reach a deal with the contractors that night but the district already had committed to its own agreement with the workers regardless.
He said pursuing such a pact was the right choice for a project in which every day is crucial toward getting the work done in time for school to start Aug. 25. Because of the pact, the district lost just one week of work instead of three.
"When you're talking about that kind of volume and money there's no way you can make that up, so for us that was the best option," he said.
Crews are now working extra shifts to make up for the week they lost. The construction manager for the Central project has estimated the weeklong delay caused by the strike could cost $500,000 but officials are still trying to get a more firm number. They plan to have a claims adjuster review any additional costs.
Work at the school, 440 W. Aurora Ave., includes a three-story addition that will house all major subject areas. The 3,000-student school also will get infrastructure upgrades, a new learning resource center, new athletic and music space, improved traffic flow and synthetic turf on its football field.
The entire project is scheduled to wrap up by late 2011.