Victory! Additional Holidays for School City of East Chicago Workers

School City of East Chicago workers fought for a special cultural holiday and won more than they initially requested.

Workers have been demanding a paid holiday to observe the Polish-American holiday Śmigus-dyngus Day, or Easter Monday. After the District denied their requests for two years, SEIU Local 73 filed a class action suit, and workers walked away with a win that exceeded their demands. The District guaranteed workers will receive Śmigus-dyngus Day as a paid holiday and also awarded them an additional day off during Christmas break and two floating holidays.

“All workers deserve time off to observe holidays that align with their personal beliefs, especially those with cultural significance. By rising to the challenge, workers won Śmigus-dyngus Day off and additional days to spend with their families. This settlement shows that when we fight, we win,” said Joseph Richert, SEIU Local 73 Secretary-Treasurer.