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Union leaders, custodial staff allege harassment and rushed discipline at Cook County SD 130 meeting
Summary
At a Cook County SD 130 board meeting, SEIU Local 73 and district custodial staff accused the administration of harassment, delayed bargaining and pursuing criminal referrals against workers; union leaders asked the board to drop charges and pause disciplinary actions pending a fair process.
Jeffrey Howard, executive vice president of SEIU Local 73, told the Cook County SD 130 Board of Education that the district’s administration has escalated "a campaign of harassment" against custodial and maintenance workers, including "seeking criminal referrals and prosecution" for alleged work-related conduct. "We're calling on the charges against our member to be dropped immediately," Howard said, and urged the board to address what he called discriminatory practices in worker treatment.
Doug Taylor, who asked the board to allow several speakers to go before him, pressed the board to "slow this down," describing what he called a rushed disciplinary timeline that placed employees on leave and moved quickly to termination. Taylor summarized the sequence he said occurred: suspected incidents on Feb. 9, interviews on Feb. 23, and termination proceedings two weeks later. "Due process is a basic right, and we haven't seen the evidence to help prepare any representation for our members," he said.
Several custodial staff who spoke during public comment described staffing shortages, inconsistent supplies and a lack of training. Ernestina Enrique, who said she has worked for the district 11 years, said her school has been short staffed "for nearly a month," that requested cleaning equipment (a vacuum requested on 12/09/2025) had not arrived, and that cleaning chemicals were changed without training. "What I ask for is respect, support, good communication, and fair treatment," she told the board.
Maria Martinez said she had been a permanent custodian and now works as a floater; she said staff frequently lack cleaning chemicals and formal training and that shortages create risks to student and staff health. "I want all the kids to be healthy and a clean, safe environment," Martinez said, and asked the board to "see that we have value. We are important."
Stephanie Windra, president of the Paraprofessionals Union, introduced herself and commended paraprofessionals’ work while saying she had "no specific concerns to bring forward" that evening but affirmed a willingness to partner with the district.
Union representatives and staff asked the board to pause discipline and give bargaining and due-process procedures more time. The board did not engage in back-and-forth during the public comment period; later in the meeting the board voted on several personnel actions in open session and moved to closed session to discuss additional personnel matters and collective bargaining topics.
What happens next: speakers asked the board to halt disciplinary actions while the union reviews evidence and bargaining continues. The board recorded several roll-call votes later in the meeting approving personnel actions; the meeting also moved into closed session to address personnel, negotiations and other confidential matters.
