(5 ILCS 315/17) (from Ch. 48, par. 1617)

Sec. 17. Right to strike.

(a) Nothing in this Act shall make it unlawful or make it an unfair labor practice for public employees, other than security employees, as defined in Section 3(p), peace officers, fire fighters, and paramedics employed by fire departments and fire protection districts, to strike except as otherwise provided in this Act. Public employees who are permitted to strike may strike only if:

(1) the employees are represented by an exclusive bargaining representative;

(2) the collective bargaining agreement between the public employer and the public employees, if any, has expired, or such collective bargaining agreement does not prohibit the strike;

(3) the public employer and the labor organization have not mutually agreed to submit the disputed issues to final and binding arbitration;

(4) the exclusive representative has requested a mediator pursuant to Section 12 for the purpose of mediation or conciliation of a dispute between the public employer and the exclusive representative and mediation has been used; and

(5) at least 5 days have elapsed after a notice of intent to strike has been given by the exclusive bargaining representative to the public employer.

In mediation under this Section, if either party requests the use of mediation services from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the other party shall either join in such request or bear the additional cost of mediation services from another source.

(b) An employee who participates in a strike, work stoppage or slowdown, in violation of this Act shall be subject to discipline by the employer. No employer may pay or cause such employee to be paid any wages or other compensation for such periods of participation, except for wages or compensation earned before participation in such strike.

(Source: P.A. 86-412.)