Brookfield Zoo Chicago labor updates
Contact: Kelsey Mauro, Associate Vice President of Communications, kelsey.mauro@brookfieldzoo.org
Press Release | 8:30 a.m. on May 6, 2026
Brookfield Zoo Chicago and Teamsters Local 727 have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year collective bargaining agreement, bringing an end to the three-day strike involving a portion of the more than 200 union-represented employees in the Zoo’s grounds, custodial, and facilities teams. Read the full press release.
Statement | 5:15 p.m. on May 4, 2026
We continue discussions with Teamsters Local 727 leadership and are working hard to ensure that our animal care continuity plans are upheld in accordance with contractual obligations. Our focus is clear: protecting the wellbeing of our animals while continuing to move toward a responsible agreement.
As required by USDA regulations, the Zoo maintains contingency plans at all times to address a variety of situations. We update the plan as the need arises, and have done so in light of today’s events. Animal care is always required and necessary. We have repeatedly provided this information to the union, including the contingency plan and the needs for continuity of animal care at this time.
As of this afternoon regarding immediate next steps related to animal care planning, the union has informed us that animal care staff who are scheduled to work will report at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow and will continue to provide the appropriate care necessary for the animals. Conversations with the union regarding ongoing planning and expectations will continue tomorrow.
The Teamsters Local 727 has gone on strike. We have bargained and will continue to bargain in good faith. We will continue to be transparent and honest in our communications and correct false information. For example, they continue to falsely state that we are taking health care away from our employees. Nothing is further from the truth. We have repeatedly stated our commitment to provide health care, as shared in our statement earlier today, and we have offered fair and reasonable pay and benefits.
Statement | 1:30 p.m. on May 4, 2026
Brookfield Zoo Chicago wants to be clear: we are not taking away healthcare from our employees.
The Zoo does not administer or control the healthcare plan for Teamsters Local 727 employees. That plan is managed through the Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund, which covers employees across multiple employers. For decades, our role, like other contributing employers, has been to negotiate and provide contributions to that fund on behalf of our employees.
Throughout this process, the Zoo has continued to propose meaningful contributions to support employees’ healthcare coverage, consistent with longstanding practice. We do not believe that the contribution levels in question we have offered are insufficient, and based on available information, they appear to be in line with, or in some cases higher than, what other employers contribute to the same fund.
We have repeatedly asked for detailed information from the Union to better understand their claims regarding healthcare costs and fund sufficiency. To date, those requests have not been met with the level of transparency needed to fully evaluate or validate those assertions.
What remains unchanged is our commitment to our employees. We are working in good faith to reach a fair and responsible agreement – one that continues to support competitive wages and affordable, sustainable healthcare coverage.
Statement | 8 a.m. on May 4, 2026
Brookfield Zoo Chicago learned this morning that a portion of union-represented employees in our grounds, custodial, and facilities teams, represented by Teamsters Local 727, initiated a strike. While this is a disappointing announcement, the Zoo anticipated this possibility and has comprehensive plans in place to ensure uninterrupted and continued operations.
The care and wellbeing of our animals remain our highest priority. Importantly, our animal care professionals are not currently part of this strike, and animal care continues without interruption under the supervision of our experienced team, including veterinarians, curators, and trained specialists who uphold the highest standards of welfare every day.
The Zoo remains open with normal daily operations. Guests—including families, members, and school groups—can continue to visit and expect a safe, welcoming, and high-quality experience. We are committed to delivering on the trust our community places in us and to ensuring that a visit to the Zoo remains meaningful and enjoyable.
While the Zoo continued bargaining in good faith as recently as Friday, we are disappointed that an agreement was not reached. A strike is neither necessary nor inevitable, and our focus remains on reaching a fair and responsible contract—one that supports our employees while protecting the Zoo’s long-term sustainability and mission. That commitment includes providing competitive wages and benefits, as well as maintaining a safe, respectful work environment for all members of our team.
We remain committed to good-faith negotiations and to finding a constructive path forward. In the meantime, we will continue to serve our guests, care for our animals, and uphold our responsibility to the communities we serve.
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About Brookfield Zoo Chicago: Connect. Care. Conserve.
Since 1934, Brookfield Zoo Chicago has been a global leader in animal well-being and conservation, inspiring conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Zoo is a private nonprofit organization that operates on 235 acres of land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 species—including many of Earth’s most endangered. Brookfield Zoo Chicago was the first zoo in the world to be Humane Certified™ by the American Humane Society for the care and welfare of its animals, and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and ArbNet. For more information, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org or follow @BrookfieldZoo on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Threads.
