Politics & Government
Settlement Reportedly Reached in Plainfield Park District Labor Case
The district will reportedly comply with an Illinois Labor Relations Board ruling after an employee was allegedly fired in retaliation for union activity.
The Plainfield Park District last week responded to a Freedom of Information Act request from Plainfield Patch, saying no settlement documents currently exist between the park district and former maintenance staffer Joel Schumaker.
But park district Director of Communications Doug Booth reportedly told the Herald News that an agreement has been reached in a complaint involving Schumaker filed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31.
Last week, Booth told Patch he could not confirm whether Schumaker has been offered his job back, as ordered in a ruling by the Illinois Labor Relations Board, or offer details of the apparent settlement.
"All I can say is it looks like something the board will have to discuss at their meeting on March 4," Booth said.
In January, the labor board issued a ruling finding that Plainfield village trustee and former Executive Director Garrett Peck, who has since resigned, and current Interim Executive Director Gene Coldwater had interrogated Schumaker and a coworker regarding their union activity.
Peck was also accused of disciplining Schumaker by reassigning him to a new position before ultimately firing him, allegedly in retaliation for talking to coworkers about signing union cards.
It's unclear whether the park district will have to pay Schumaker for the wages missed since he was fired. Under the labor board ruling, the park board was required to offer back pay plus 7 percent interest.
At the time, Miller said he planned to file an appeal.
Under the labor board ruling, the park district would also be required to post a notice to employees for 60 days, letting staff know about the violations and outlining their rights to engage in self-unionization if they choose and to be free of retaliation for those activities. Click here to read the entire ruling.
In August 2013, the park board voted to set aside $70,000 for legal expenses, up from $20,000 the year before, to cover potential legal costs related to unionization.
At the time, Peck denied a rumor that employees were threatened or asked not to sign their union cards.
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