Chicago Parking Valet’s Julio Gonzalez ARRESTED for Failing to Appear in Federal Court
Julio Gonzalez of Chicago Parking Valet was taken into custody today by a U.S. Marshal. Only five business days prior, U.S. District Court Judge Joan B. Gottschell issued a bench warrant for Gonzalez’s arrest for his failure to appear in federal court and defend himself against a lawsuit filed by Teamsters Local 727 to enforce an arbitration award against Gonzalez.
The case stems from a successful arbitration against Chicago Parking Valet to compel the company to pay dues that it allegedly deducted from members’ paychecks and failed to submit to Local 727 per the collective bargaining agreement.
Local 727 estimates that the amount Chicago Parking Valet owes is upwards of $250,000 in benefit contributions and union dues alone, in addition to the wages, sick/vacation pay and other benefits it denied Local 727 members. According to the Arbitrator’s November 2014 decision, which the Union’s lawsuit seeks to enforce, Chicago Parking Valet violated the collective bargaining agreement by failing to classify and treat the Reid Murdoch Center parking garage as a commercial location under its collective bargaining agreement with the Union. As a result, the Arbitrator ordered that all members, the union and the benefit funds were to be made whole by Chicago Parking Valet.
“The Union will not back down from employers like Chicago Parking Valet, who mistakenly believe that they can shirk their contractual responsibilities and evade the law,” said John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “It’s encouraging to see Mr. Gonzalez brought to justice at last and I am hopeful that the Union and our members will finally be made whole.”
Local 727 represents more than 3,500 parking industry workers across the Chicagoland area.
Members with questions should contact Business Representative Ben Rodriguez at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected].
Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or additional grievance. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.
