Navy Pier filed suit against Teamsters Local 727 Wednesday alleging union workers protesting outside the popular tourist attraction have blocked people from entering the area.
Security guards have been portesting since May 18 after Navy Pier’s new security contractor, Allied Universal, planned to replace them.
In a statement, Allied said it was “pleased to have been awarded the security services contract at Navy Pier.”
“The Company is working towards a smooth transition and startup of services and will continue to do so over the days and weeks to come,” the statement reads. “Because the transition and onboarding process for Allied Universal’s staffing of the Navy Pier account is still ongoing, any statement regarding the representation of those employees would be premature.”
The Teamsters represents 43 security workers and say Allied plans to replace the guards with cheaper labor.
Will Petty, a union rep, says he was hoping Allied would come back to the table and avoid more protests.
“It’s a dangerous insult to the work that their doing and to the community,” Petty said.
Local
He says the lawsuit filed by Allied asks for a temporary restraining order to stop the Teamsters from picketing outside the popular tourist destination.
“Not only do they want to deprive these workers their right to colelctively bargain, they want to deny anyone else the right to stand up for them,” he said.
The suit reportedly says that union members have "been standing in the street, physically blockign delivery trucks, buses and other vehicles that seek access to the pier under the guise of a 'labor dispute'"
Navy Pier says in the suit that it is not seeking to stop them from picking, but from physically blocking the streets leading to the pier with their bodies or cars.
