Chicago Park District Updates

December 22, 2025

As we approach the end of the year, Parks members should be proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together in 2025. Though it has been a difficult year for many in Chicago, thanks to members’ leadership and participation, this year we were able to accomplish the following:

• Union stewards met with the new Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa on his first day working at the Park District to discuss our overall priorities for improving the workplace, a first in Park District history.
• 60 total previously non-union workers in 3 new titles organized to join our bargaining unit: Center Directors, Program and Event Coordinators, and Program and Event Facilitators. Center Directors are close to finalizing a historic agreement. 
• Field organizers conducted over 1,550 total worksite visits to parks in the last year.
• Membership density at the Parks is 91.5% and continuing to grow.
• New leaders stepped up as stewards, increasing our total stewards to nearly 50.
• The Park Supervisor Premium Committee won a historic agreement that increased the premium of about 80 parks, including more than 20 parks newly receiving a premium.
• The Landscape Committee negotiated to add Heavy Equipment Pay (010) for landscape workers towing trailers and is pushing for clear procedures, safety precautions, and compensation for the hazards faced cleaning homeless encampments.
• Conducted multiple in-person meetings in each region on a quarterly basis.
• Union stewards and members directly advocated for investments that were added to the 2026 budget including: $1M toward air-conditioning of fieldhouses, $5M toward infrastructure and repairs at South and West Side parks to correct inequities, $150K increase in park supply budgets, and CCTV installation at 5 landscape yards for safety purposes.
• About $40,000 total in backpay was won this year for parks members through both cases filed by the Member Action Center and all-affected grievances filed by the Local 73 Parks Division. 
• The Hourly Healthcare Committee presented a petition with over 1,500 signatures from union members and community members to the Superintendent and Board of Commissioners and shared their testimonials, resulting in some board members publicly voicing support for working on expanding healthcare.
• Advocated for improvements to safety procedures and security staffing: the District has launched a parks safety pilot program which will lead to $400K in new security positions in 2026.  
• The Union continued to advocate for increases in cultural programming, equity in programming and investments across the District, improved staffing, and a more fair and transparent promotions process. 

A big shout out to all members who stepped up and took an active role in their union this year, including stewards, delegates, Executive Board members, and members on labor-management committees that worked hard to address issues with the District: Promotions Committee, Landscape Committee, Aquatics Committee, Supervisor Premium Committee, Center Directors Bargaining Committee, Hourly Healthcare Committee, and Cultural/Arts Committee. 

As we continue to fight for improvements and start to prepare for our new contract in 2026 the work isn’t done yet! With your participation and involvement we can continue to build a stronger union and make the Chicago Park District a more fair and equitable place to work.

Until then, we hope all have a happy holiday season, and happy New Year!

December 12, 2025

For Seasonal Foremen:

We believe that the retro payment amounts that were paid out today from our grievance for Seasonal Foremen were calculated incorrectly by Chicago Park District payroll.

We understand many of you are frustrated. We appreciate your patience and we are working diligently to have the Park District resolve this as quickly as possible and payout the remaining funds.

If you have questions please contact Anna Wood, AWood@seiu73.org.

November 19, 2025

Chicago Park District Workers Present Petition Demanding Healthcare for Hourly Workers

September 10, 2025

Vice President, Stacia Scott Kennedy speaks at the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners Meeting.

June 18, 2025

Vice President, Stacia Scott Kennedy speaks at the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners Meeting.

April 2, 2025

Yesterday, your union stewards, President Dian Palmer, Executive VP Stacia Scott Kennedy, and union staff met with Carlos Ramirez-Rosa on his first day as the new Superintendent/CEO of the District. 

In the meeting, President Dian Palmer shared the union’s vision for fully staffed parks that are equitably resourced and safe for all Chicagoans. 

Union stewards presented some of the priority issues affecting our membership, including:

• Healthcare for hourlies
• Overtime denial affecting programming
• Management bloat, need for more full-time positions, and vacancies
• Reversing the decline in cultural programming and staff
• Safety and security in the parks
• Reversing the trend of privatization and public-private partnerships
• Lack of transparency and fairness in the promotions process
• Temperature regulation and facility environmental concerns
• Fairness in park premium pay 
• Payroll issues

Click here for the brief that was provided to the Superintendent summarizing some of the key issues.

Superintendent Ramirez-Rosa shared his history of supporting union workers and made a commitment to working on the issues presented. We were glad that he placed a priority on meeting with union stewards and leadership on his first day in office, the first Superintendent to do so. We look forward to what we hope will be a collaborative relationship in making our Park District the best in the country.