Strike Looms at Six Chicago-Area Prime Healthcare Hospitals as Maintenance Workers Issue 10-Day Notice

More than 50 skilled maintenance workers at six Prime Healthcare hospitals across Illinois have issued a 10-day strike notice, setting the stage for a potential walkout as early as July 2 if contract negotiations fail to produce an agreement.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 represents 53 building engineers, maintenance workers, and chief engineers at the affected facilities, which include Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston and Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital on Chicago's Near Northwest Side. All six hospitals were formerly owned by Ascension Illinois before Prime Healthcare completed its acquisition in March 2025.

Seniority at the Heart of the Dispute

According to union officials, the labor conflict traces directly to how Prime Healthcare and its subsidiary, MedSpace Services, handled the transition of workers following the acquisition. Employees were required to reapply for their own positions — in some cases twice — and lost the seniority protections they had accumulated under previous ownership.

"These workers had their seniority wiped out," said Local 399 Project Manager Mia Korinke. "They were asked to apply for brand new jobs, basically apply for their positions over again, actually twice, and then their seniority clock started over at that new hiring date."

The union says workers have been negotiating for more than a year and have filed multiple unfair labor practice charges alleging that Prime Healthcare and MedSpace failed to bargain in good faith. Both companies have denied those allegations.

Workers are seeking three primary changes: restoration of seniority rights, reinstatement of a structured wage scale, and a pay increase to keep up with inflation. Korinke emphasized that the demands are measured.

"Workers are looking for a very modest pay increase," she said. "They're not asking for the moon, they really just want to keep up with inflation."

What a Strike Would Mean

Although the group of workers is relatively small, their roles are far from minor. These employees oversee critical hospital infrastructure and systems that keep facilities running safely around the clock. A sustained work stoppage could complicate day-to-day operations across all six locations.

MedSpace Services pushed back on the union's characterization of the negotiations, saying in a statement that it has bargained in good faith and is prepared to maintain operations if workers do walk off the job.

"MedSpace has bargained in good faith during all our negotiations with IUOE 399 and will continue to do so, with respect for our employees and in support of our shared future," a company spokesperson said. "The hospitals have comprehensive plans in place to ensure operations continue without interruption, and we do not anticipate any impact to patient care."

Deadline Approaching

Negotiations between the union and management remain ongoing as the July 2 strike deadline approaches, with picketing expected to begin July 3 if no deal is struck. Korinke said the union would prefer to resolve the dispute at the bargaining table.

"We don't necessarily want to go on strike, but they recognize that there's not a lot of options for them right now," she said.

The outcome of talks in the coming days will determine whether patients and staff at some of Chicago's most recognized hospitals begin the month of July navigating an active labor action.