Local 727 Goes to Federal Court to Challenge MPEA Overhaul Legislation

Coli: 'It Doesn't Matter If We Win Or Lose, We Have to Fight'

Teamsters Local 727 has spent more than three months and upwards of $100,000 in federal court fighting the McCormick Place overhaul legislation that was signed into law on May 28, 2010.

"All along, we said that we would contest this legislation every step of the way, and we continue to do so through the legal process," said John T. Coli, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. "An enormous amount of time, effort and resources have gone into trying to protect our members. We are not backing down from this fight."

Public Act 898 is aimed at changing union work rules because lawmakers want to lower costs at the convention center. However, Local 727 contends that those modifications are unconstitutional, interfere with the National Labor Relations Act, and will not, ultimately, lower convention costs because they are not directed at the parties actually controlling those costs.

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority overhaul ignores current collective bargaining agreements and specifically regulates, restricts and impairs the ability of unions to negotiate with employers over wages, hours and working conditions for duties performed on the premises of the MPEA. Because the new law attempts to set and regulate labor policy on MPEA premises, it interferes with established collective bargaining agreements and national labor statutes.

"This case is important to the entire labor movement," Coli said at an open-forum meeting for members on Sept. 2 at McCormick Place. "If the government can make laws here that interfere with our contract, what's to stop them from doing the same thing at other city- or state-owned venues like Soldier Field or the United Center?"

On June 7, Local 727 filed a lawsuit in federal court against the MPEA, Trustee James Reilly and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to declare parts of the new Act to be unconstitutional, and therefore, null and void.

Local 727 filed for a preliminary injunction June 15 and for a temporary restraining order July 23, to prevent the defendants from enforcing the MPEA Act. The court denied the temporary restraining order, but the status of the preliminary injunction is still pending.

As Local 727 continues to aggressively challenge the new law in federal court, the union and its attorneys are exploring every option for overturning the unconstitutional legislation.

"The court's decision could have far-reaching implications. There are serious constitutional issues being discussed and debated," Coli said. "It doesn't matter if we win or lose, we have to fight."

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