AFL-CIO executive committee backs Quinn
Friday, Mar 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illinois AFL-CIO’s executive committee met at noon today and voted to endorse Gov. Pat Quinn.
There was “no opposition” to the motion, I’m told. Some folks (I’m betting AFSCME and others) didn’t say a word either way. So, not unanimous, but no stated opposition.
No other endorsement votes on other candidates were taken.
…Adding… Sun-Times…
There were no votes of opposition, though the union representing about 35,000 state employees, AFSCME Council 31, abstained from the vote.
AFSCME is suing Quinn in a bid to undo changes to state pension laws that the governor backed that would cut back on post-retirement benefits for its members. The case is being heard in Sangamon County and is expected to eventually go before the Illinois Supreme Court.
Another public-sector union trying to get that law tossed, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, was absent from the meeting.
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
That’s just class warfare.
I wanted to be the first to say it.
- Norseman - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
Not a real surprise. Maybe little early, but I guess they don’t want to make the same mistake they did in the Republican primary.
- A guy... - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:06 pm:
Oh, I get it. They met on the record to hold this vote. Kinda formal now.
- Irish - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:07 pm:
I remember getting my letter to follow the IFT, and AFL CIO endorsement of Blago on his second election and I sent their letter back with a few “explanations”. Just because the leaders endorse doesn’t mean the rank and file are ready. They might get there, due to the opposition, but I don’t believe the leaders are still owed back pay from PQ’s fiasco, in spite of the court’s order to pay, and aren’t exactly ready to hug him.
- Irish - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:11 pm:
Sorry I must have caught OW’s phinner syndrome.
They might get there, due to the opposition, but I don’t believe the leaders are still owed back pay from PQ’s fiasco, in spite of the court’s order to pay, as the rank and file are. They aren’t exactly ready to hug him.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:21 pm:
- Irish -
Penicillin does wonders; feel 10 years younger!
To the Post,
While the AFL-CIO nay not all agree to like Pat Quinn; the Union group would never Endorse Bruce Rauner.
They Endorsed Pat Quinn. That us what happened.
- Statesman - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
***NEWSFLASH****
Now that Dillard is out..
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
- still owed back pay -
I really don’t care what you think about PQ, but he has repeatedly requested this in the budget and supplementals. Talk to the GA, because the court also said that the money wasn’t appropriated.
- OneMan - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:29 pm:
Bruce Rauner is part of the 0.01% and out of touch.
#Carthart
#18Watch
Wanted to get that out of the way for everyone too…
If they were not going to sit on their hands this was their only option.
- Pensioner - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:32 pm:
Posters claiming class warfare: Politics IS class warfare, always has been, always will be. Allocation of limited resources thru “peaceful” means. So anyone claiming of politics, “that’s class warfare”, of course it is.
- MrJM - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 2:49 pm:
“The enemy of my enemy of my enemy of my… hold on, I gotta start over… The enemy of my enemy of my enemy of my enemy of my enemy…”
– MrJM
- AFSCME Steward - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 3:00 pm:
STL
“I really don’t care what you think about PQ, but he has repeatedly requested this in the budget and supplementals. Talk to the GA, because the court also said that the money wasn’t appropriated.”
Correcto, it is Madigan, not Quinn, that is holding up the back pay.
- Upon Further Review - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 3:50 pm:
It would have been more fun to see the union endorsement session if it were a choice between Dillard and Quinn.
- George Washington - Friday, Mar 21, 14 @ 3:50 pm:
Just throwing their power away. They could have waited to endorse, which would have given them some leverage with PQ. Rauner stopped the full on assault after seeing their muscle in the primary, but no reason to hold back now. Dumb.