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SChOOlS Plainfield teachers to fight pension plan PAGE 7
T HE ENTERPRISE Your Complete Source For Plainfield News Since 1887
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Volume 126 No. 19
www.enterprisepublications.com
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Serving Will and Kendall counties
28 pages
WIll COUNTY
Union workers approve new contract, county board next County employees returned to work on Dec. 5
PHOTOS & STORY BY SUZANNE BAKER ENTERPRISE REPORTER
By Nick Reiher Managing Editor
Students at Plainfield High School - Central Campus shifted back and forth in the sub-freezing temperatures on Friday trying to keep the blood flowing to their fingers and toes.
PHOTOS BY SUZANNE BAKER/ENTERPRISE STAFF
>>>see ‘bAttle’ PAGe 4
INSIDE
With rifle blanks flying, an American soldier advances toward the German line during a reenactment Friday of the Battle of the Bulge skirmish at Plainfield high School – Central Campus. American soldiers flip through the paperwork of a German soldier during a re-enactment scene. eric Percy (back) talks to Plainfield Central students as a German soldier gathers his equipment after the military re-enactment. German soldiers take cover behind fencing in a portrayal of the Battle of the Bulge. The grassy area on the west side of the school was the scene of the battle ground.
Opinions............................................6 Community Events...........................8 Police Report..................................10 Sports.............................................13 Puzzles............................................20 SUBSCRIBe TODAY! — Call (815) 436-2431 or go online to www.enterprisepublications.com
Will County Board leaders at a Dec. 12 meeting will get their first official look at the contract approved overwhelmingly by members of AFSCME Local 1028. Will County If all goes well, the full executive board should vote on larry Walsh the contract at its Dec. 19 meeting. The Dec. 5 vote ended 15 months of negotiations that culminated in a 16-day strike by some 1,000 Will County employees. A tentative agreement had been reached around 2:30 a.m. Dec. 4. County employees returned to work Thursday. The main sticking points were increased health care costs and wage increases. Previously, employee contributions were based on a percentage of their salary. One of the county’s major goals of these negotiations was to make a switch to employees paying a percentage of the premium of their healthcare benefits. “Our strike was about ensuring that county employees have the fair pay and affordable health care they deserve in return for their hard work, dedication and service to county residents,” said Dave Delrose,AFSCME Local 1028 president.“We See UNION, page 4
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