Chicago Park District Workers Present Petition Demanding Healthcare for Hourly Workers

Chicago Park District workers presented more than 1,500 petition signatures demanding that all hourly workers obtain healthcare insurance through the Chicago Park District. 60% of hourly Chicago Park District workers don’t have health insurance.

“The Park District says its mission is to ‘lead wellness opportunities for all’ and to be a ‘leading employer,’ yet doesn’t provide healthcare for 60% of our year-round frontline workers,” said Kevin Rodriguez, Recreation Leader. We’re proud that over 1500 Park District staff and community members have signed on to our petition demanding that the District take the lead and fulfill its mission by providing healthcare for all workers.”

Since early September, Chicago Park District workers have been gathering petition signatures and healthcare horror stories that could be solved if all hourly employed workers had healthcare insurance through the Park District.

“My job with the park district is budgeted for 25 hours a week and doesn’t provide healthcare. With the cost of Affordable Care Act plans projected to triple in 2026, I will have to look for a subpar plan that will likely not cover my healthcare needs,” said Ray Walsh, Special Recreation Instructor. “I shouldn’t have to count pills and hope I have enough. I shouldn’t have to endure chronic pain when I have medication that relieves it, because I have to decide between pain and rationing my meds.” 

The District needs to do right by its workers and make healthcare accessible to all hourly workers, especially right now when Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are under attack. 

“The federal government has essentially abandoned working people and the cost of health insurance is going to be astronomically unaffordable for everyday people. When the federal government doesn’t do right by the American people, it’s local leadership and local government that we rely on to make sure people can survive,” said Stacia Scott Kennedy, SEIU Local 73 Executive Vice President. “We understand it is a cost to the park district to provide health insurance for your employees, but the cost of their well being is more important to our union.”