'Nobody Wins in a Strike,' Funeral Director Says as Strike Continues

By MARY KATE BROGAN

In a dispute over benefits, several funeral directors from Teamsters Local 727, have risen in protest outside 11 of the 16 homes in the Chicago region owned by Dignity Memorial, an SCI company.

Protestors outside of Kenny Brothers Funeral Directors in Evergreen Park have been receiving support in the form of honks from drivers on 95th Street, and last week, they even received donuts and coffee from a woman who said she was a CPS schoolteacher who had been on strike and wanted to help their cause, funeral director Dave Kobak says.

Kobak, a funeral director of nearly 32 years and former president of the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce, says that despite the feelings of goodwill others are instilling, SCI’s actions are mutually frustrating for funeral directors and businesses alike.

“It’s not good for us because we’re losing money, and it’s not good for them because they’re losing business,” Kobak says. “You know, nobody wins in a strike. This is the first time that we’ve had to do this, and it’s terrible.”

Brian Rainville, a representative of Teamsters Local 727, said that the funeral directors were happy with their old contract, but the new contract SCI offered them eliminated the benefits that the old plan had included.

“We recognize that benefits cost money,” Rainville says. “That’s why we asked for less money than they were offering us.”

Rainville says the Teamsters’ most recent offer with SCI would maintain old benefits such as the pension plan, health insurance and the legal and education plan, as well as adding a three percent wage increase each year for five years.

“Even though they can afford it,” Rainville says, “They’re unwilling to pay for the benefits.”

SCI spokeswoman Shannon Quinn said the company will still bear the burden of picking up employees' Teamster health plan, but employees would be responsible for any increases to the union healthcare program.

While the funeral directors are still protesting SCI more than a week later, they say the encouragement they’ve received from friends and family, and even from total strangers who honk in support as they pass, has definitely helped get them through this tough time.

SCI has brought in out-of-town funeral directors to continue operations during the strike.

The Teamsters have set up a hotline (312-206-4123) and website of "community friendly" funeral homes (IntegrityInIllinois.com) in communities and neighborhoods where there are SCI-owned, or Dignity Memorial-brand homes.

This story has been updated with new information.