County committee approves four-year highway labor contract with three unions
July 28, 2025 | Peoria County, Illinois
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The County Operations Committee on July 29 approved a four-year collective bargaining agreement covering Highway Department employees represented by Laborers Local 165, Operating Engineers Local 649 and Teamsters Local 627. The committee voted to place the resolution on the floor and approved it by voice vote with no recorded dissents.
Committee leaders said the contract follows a tentative agreement reached in June and was negotiated jointly with union representatives. The agreement provides wage increases of 4% in the first year, then 3%, 3% and 3.25% in subsequent years, with the clerk’s summary noting an “all-in cost” of about 3.85 percent. The wage increases are effective June 1 of each contract year.
The contract also modifies workplace provisions: employees may earn up to 40 hours of compensatory time; vacation accrual moves from an annual to a monthly basis to match most county departments; and the agreement includes up to 80 hours of paid parental leave, additional safety shirts and a boot allowance. Committee members and staff described those as negotiated language changes rather than newly created benefits absent agreement.
The motion to place the resolution on the floor was made by Mister Renault and seconded by Mister Elsasser; the committee chair then called for a voice vote. The committee chair recorded that the absent member later indicated an aye vote, producing a unanimous committee approval on the record.
Committee members thanked Highway Department staff and the three bargaining units for reaching the agreement. Staff said the contract starts June 1 and reflects the terms negotiated in the tentative agreement. The committee did not amend the resolution during the meeting and no follow-up direction was recorded.
The county will incorporate the contract into the Highway Department’s budget and payroll processes; staff did not identify additional implementation steps beyond standard contract administration during the meeting.
Committee leaders said the contract follows a tentative agreement reached in June and was negotiated jointly with union representatives. The agreement provides wage increases of 4% in the first year, then 3%, 3% and 3.25% in subsequent years, with the clerk’s summary noting an “all-in cost” of about 3.85 percent. The wage increases are effective June 1 of each contract year.
The contract also modifies workplace provisions: employees may earn up to 40 hours of compensatory time; vacation accrual moves from an annual to a monthly basis to match most county departments; and the agreement includes up to 80 hours of paid parental leave, additional safety shirts and a boot allowance. Committee members and staff described those as negotiated language changes rather than newly created benefits absent agreement.
The motion to place the resolution on the floor was made by Mister Renault and seconded by Mister Elsasser; the committee chair then called for a voice vote. The committee chair recorded that the absent member later indicated an aye vote, producing a unanimous committee approval on the record.
Committee members thanked Highway Department staff and the three bargaining units for reaching the agreement. Staff said the contract starts June 1 and reflects the terms negotiated in the tentative agreement. The committee did not amend the resolution during the meeting and no follow-up direction was recorded.
The county will incorporate the contract into the Highway Department’s budget and payroll processes; staff did not identify additional implementation steps beyond standard contract administration during the meeting.
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