The City of Chicago has proceeded with a plan to lease Midway Airport to a private operator in a plan that could pump as much as $3billion into the city budget.

As much as 50 percent of the revenue could be used to shore up city pension funds and the rest would be used for infrastructure improvements, such as transportation improvements and construction of parks, libraries, police and fire stations.

The legislature passed a bill allowing the city to proceed with the lease after organized labor made sure important worker protection language was included, guaranteeing the 190 employees substantially similar jobs and wages.