Dist. 203 treats construction crews to lunch
Naperville Unit District 203 provided a free lunch for construction crews Tuesday in hopes of showing its appreciation for striking workers who returned to the job.
The district recently reached a deal with laborers and operating engineers that exempts the $87.7 million renovation at Naperville Central High School from the strike that has crippled hundreds of construction projects across the region.
"I really appreciate it, the fact that ... when I see them working and they're putting their heart and soul into it realizing we need to get this school open for the 25th (of August)," said Ralph Weaver, director of facilities and construction.
Several hundred workers dined on chicken, coleslaw, beans and cookies catered by 5-B's Catering Service.
The district ordered enough food for slightly more than 300 people at a cost of about $3,200.
Weaver said such lunches for workers are built into the project budget. A lunch already was in the works for earlier this month before the strike put plans on hold. He also held one in the spring and expects to have another in August, saying the gesture "goes a long way."
"Morale ... is a very positive force in getting things done and this shows the cooperation of the district," he said.
The district not only is hoping to get things done but to do so in a hurry. Work at Naperville Central 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.
The unions are at odds over pay and benefits with the Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association and Excavators Inc.
District officials feared the stoppage would mean work wouldn't be done in time to get students back into the building by the start of school on Aug. 25. Last week, they brokered a deal with the unions to exempt Central from the strike in exchange for the district promising to use skilled union laborers for the next seven years.
The deal will be formally voted on by the school board Monday. To make up for lost time, workers are on site seven days a week and picking up second and third shifts.
Ed Maher, spokesman for the operating engineers, said crews are happy to be back to work and appreciate Tuesday's lunch as well.
"It's a good show of faith by the school," Maher said. "Certainly the workers who were picketing endured a great deal of grief from people during Ribfest so I think it's a nice show of appreciation by the school district for the members coming back to work."
The work at Central, 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 turn on its football field.
The entire project is scheduled to wrap up by December 2011.