Teamster Reinstated With Full Back Pay at Chicago Parking Location

Hiker Back to Work More Than a Year After Wrongful Termination

More than a year after he was unjustly terminated, parking hiker Dejene Bahiru is back on the job after the National Labor Relations Board ruled in his favor.

Bahiru was fired by Chicago Parking Management, Inc. in April 2009 after inquiring about his Teamsters Local 727 Health and Welfare Benefit Funds. Valet Parking Services of Illinois had previously operated the garage at 888 S. Michigan Ave. under Local 727’s commercial parking agreement. When CPMi took control of the location on Nov. 15, 2008, it tried to skirt the union contract.

Local 727 filed charges with the NLRB in July 2009 asking that CPMi be considered a successor to VPS, and as such, required to operate under the commercial agreement and reinstate Bahiru with full back pay. The NLRB handed down its decision on June 22, 2010, and Bahiru returned to work on June 28. His back pay, which totals more than $30,000, will be paid in 12 installments over the next year.

“I’m happy with my Teamster representatives and thankful for all they have done,” Bahiru said. “They always responded to my calls and were always helpful. I’m so glad to be back at work.”

Another employee at 888 S. Michigan Ave., part-time hiker Fikadu Mikkonen, also had been unjustly terminated. Mikkonen returned to work on June 28 and will receive back pay.

“Protecting union jobs is our highest priority,” said John Coli Jr., Local 727 Vice President. “We will continue to fight for our members to keep Local 727 as strong as ever.”

Teamsters Local 727 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, which represents more than 100,000 hardworking men and women throughout Illinois and Indiana.

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