AFSCME wins new contract with pay, sick time gains in Schaumburg

Village of Schaumburg employees’ fight for a fair contract has ended with a big win for the members of AFSCME Local 1919. In late August the union bargaining committee tentatively agreed to terms for a new four-year contract, and the unit of 150 employees unanimously ratified it on Sept. 12.

The agreement comes after members of the local mobilized over the summer to pack a Village Board meeting and mount an email campaign targeting village leaders.

Under the new contract, AFSCME members achieved one of their top priorities: gaining the right to use accrued sick time to care for immediate family. The matter was dramatically illustrated in testimony before the Village Board by 23-year employee Norma Higgins, who despite having earned hundreds of hours of sick leave over her career was unable to use it care for her husband when he had cancer.

Going forward, sick time can be used to care for parents, spouses and children.

What’s more, every employee is due to receive retroactive pay increases dating back nearly a year and a half to May 2017 when the previous contract was slated to expire.

And union members won another family-friendly provision with the added right to take one or two days of vacation with only a day’s notice. Previously two weeks’ notice was required to take even a single day off.

“After 15 long months of negotiations, we’re very happy with the gains we made in this contract,” said Debbie Diamond, an animal control officer and the president of AFSCME Local 1919.