Gurnee board approves four-year public works union contract

The Village of Gurnee Board on May 5 approved a collective bargaining agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 Public Works Unit covering May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2029. The board adopted the agreement by ordinance (2025-401) on a 6-0 roll-call vote.

The agreement, identified in the meeting as Ordinance 2025-401, was approved after the board met in executive session under the exemption for collective bargaining. Mayor Thomas Hood presided; Trustee Balmus moved to adopt the ordinance and Trustee Garner seconded the motion. The roll call record showed unanimous support: Thomas (aye), Thorsenson (yes), Woodside (aye), Ross (aye), Garner (aye) and O’Brien (aye).

Why it matters: the contract covers village public works employees represented by Local 150 and will govern terms of employment and labor relations for the four-year period. The board did not disclose salary or budgetary details during the public meeting.

What happened in the meeting: the board recessed into executive session citing the collective-bargaining exemption (C2) and, on return, voted to adopt the ordinance implementing the agreement. No substantive debate or amendment was recorded in the public session; the board’s approval followed the executive-session discussion.

Official next steps and limits: the ordinance takes effect as adopted; the meeting record did not include financial terms or implementation actions tied to the village budget. Any changes to wages or benefits that require budget adjustments would follow normal budget processes and were not described on the record.

Provenance: The board announced the item after returning from executive session, identified the ordinance, and recorded the roll-call vote in the public minutes.