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Chicago Park District Aquatics Staff Deliver Petition Demanding Higher Lifeguard Pay
A delegation of SEIU Local 73 members who work at the Chicago Park District delivered a petition demanding management negotiate wage increases for lifeguards to recruit and retain skilled workers and keep Chicago’s beaches and pools open this summer and beyond.
The Park District is struggling to fill hundreds of vacant lifeguard positions, and many current lifeguards are leaving for higher paid work. Increasing the wages for lifeguards would address this issue by fairly paying workers for their skills.
The petition was received by a member of management who met with the delegation and listened to their concerns.
“I’ve been around for 20 years. When I started, lifeguards were working full time and going to school. Barely any had second jobs. Now, almost all have a second job, or lifeguarding is their second job. When I was a lifeguard, I was paid double minimum wage, and I’ve watched the gap shrink over time,” said James Ryan, Natatorium Instructor at Mann Park.
“I work two jobs just to keep up. The only reason I stick around is because of the coaching. The kids are everything we work for. I work at Taft High School and it’s the same kids that I teach there, and I have a hard time recruiting. They tell me, ‘I can work at McDonald’s and Target and make more,’” said Roberto Henriquez, Lifeguard at South Shore High School Pool.
Lifeguards are required to go through hours of unpaid training before officially starting their roles, including a 40-hour Lifeguarding training through the American Red Cross, an additional 25-hour Lifeguard Academy training, and swimming tests with standards that are more rigorous than surrounding Park Districts.
The worker shortage places extra work on current lifeguards, making it more difficult to stay alert and help individuals in distress. According to the American Red Cross training that all Park District members go through, lifeguards must be rotated every 30 minutes, which is difficult to maintain with current staffing levels. Park District workers also say that the summer brings larger crowds and more safety risks, and the staffing shortage means fewer resources to keep Chicagoans safe. This could lead to closed facilities during the summer.
“We just don’t have the people to fill those positions. Especially during the summer, you need lifeguards out there watching. A mistake is a life, you need people out there to do surveillance and make sure people go home safe. These are lifesaving positions,” said Saray Iniguez, Natatorium Instructor at Fernwood Park.