Three Chicagoland funeral homes where workers were set to strike today were vandalized Sunday night. Lauterburg-Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Hwy., Arlington Heights, Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner St., Des Plaines, and Weinstein Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd., Wilmette had their windows shattered and profane graffiti sprayed on their buildings late Sunday night, according to corporate owner Service Corporation International. SCI’s network of funeral homes consists almost entirely of existing businesses acquired by SCI with retention of the original funeral home name.
The 16 funeral directors, embalmers and livery drivers represented by Teamsters Local 727 were set to walk out at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and the union was scheduled to host a rally to show support for its members at Weinstein Funderal Home in Wilmette. A fourth funeral home, Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Stickney, was also scheduled for the walkout, but was not vandalized.
Two days after the vandalism at the three funeral homes, Service Corporation International agreed to meet with the local union to negotiate a new contract with the the employees. The union denies any involvement with the vandalism incidents. The Teamsters voted to strike on July 5 and threatened to file unfair labor practice charges against the SCI, a publicly traded funeral home and deathcare products company. The union claims SCI has engaged in bad faith bargaining and direct dealing, while the SCI contends the disagreement concerns whether the unionized workers go to the company’s health care plan or the union’s plan.
During the period 2006-2007 SCI merged with Alderwoods Group