Highway Impasse

Negotiations resume next Monday

Negotiations between striking construction workers and the companies that employ them went nowhere Monday.

The two sides are still far apart on a proposed rate hike that striking unions say they need to pay for rising health care costs, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association, the negotiator representing the construction companies, upped its wage increase offer from 3.75 percent to 4.25 percent over three years Monday.

Unions did not accept. In response they lowered their wage increase demand from 15 percent to 13.65 percent over three years.

Workers currently make between $53.37 per hour to $63.38 per hour in wages and benefits.

Negotiations have been postponed until next Monday.

In the meantime 100s of construction projects throughout Illinois – including three mammoth projects in Chicago – sit idle.

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