To: Members of the General Assembly
From: Bruce Rauner, Governor
Re: SB 1229
Date: August 18, 2015
Beginning tomorrow, you may be asked to consider overriding my veto of Senate Bill 1229. I strongly urge you not to vote to override. This bill is one of the worst pieces of legislation in Illinois history. It is a direct affront to Illinois taxpayers and to my ability to negotiate on their behalf. To put it simply, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike.
Our Administration has demonstrated a willingness to negotiate a fair contract with any reasonable partner. I have stated publicly and I also pledge in writing to you that we will not lock-out state employees. There is no reason our authority to negotiate on behalf of taxpayers regarding the state’s largest employment contract should be suddenly stripped away.
This is the first time AFSCME has ever demanded interest arbitration for all of its members rather than good faith collective bargaining, and the bill expires in four years. Hopefully this legislation is not related to the fact that I am the first Governor in Illinois history to be totally independent of AFSCME since it was first recognized under Governor Walker in the 1970’s.
Unfortunately, our political system in Illinois has inherent biases stacked against taxpayers. This legislation specifies that only a small group of predominantly pro-labor arbitrators may be selected to serve as the tie-breaking panel chair absent agreement. Last year, of the four interest arbitrations held using this roster of arbitrators where local units of government sought to freeze salaries for even a portion of the contract term, taxpayers lost every time.
Our system has also been set up so arbitrators use salary comps from very high-cost states (NY, NJ, PA) rather than emphasizing the five states that border us. This has resulted in Illinois government employees receiving compensation, when benefits are included, that is 22% higher than for the same jobs done by private citizens, and in many cases 30% or more higher than for the same work done by government employees in our surrounding states.
Illinois government employees are terrific. They deserve good salaries and attractive benefits. But their compensation should reflect merit more than seniority, similar to the system most taxpayers have in the private sector. We can and will pay higher salaries in the future, but pay should be based on productivity, not just the passage of time.
The system has to be fair for everyone, including our taxpayers. SB 1229 is especially harmful now because AFSCME’s current proposal would cost our taxpayers an additional $1.6 billion in salary, overtime, and pension costs and would eliminate $500 million per year in healthcare savings that is part of the health savings in both Democratic and Republican budgets.
AFSCME has proposed an expensive structure that would increase many salaries by 29% over 4 years, force the state to pay for premium health insurance benefits, extend those benefits to part-time and intermittent workers, increase overtime pay and dramatically increase pension benefits. We have told AFSCME at the bargaining table, and I cannot emphasize to you strongly enough, we cannot afford AFSCME’s extreme financial demands at this precarious time for our state.
That is why this legislation is so dangerous. Under SB 1229, labor arbitrators, unlike arbitrators in other disputes, are only given the option of picking between the state’s proposals and the union’s proposals, which is why the union has refused to make any concessions. The amount of spending the arbitrator would decide in this case is over $7 billion, or 20% of the state budget. Financial decisions of that magnitude should be decided at the bargaining table or by elected officials, not unelected labor arbitrators.
Again, to be clear, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike.
Finally, I have stated publicly and I also pledge in writing to you that we will not lock-out state employees. That pledge is also reflected in a binding legal agreement with AFSCME, known as a tolling agreement, which ensures that there can be no strike or lock-out as long as the parties are both bargaining in good faith at the bargaining table. Like the Teamsters, if AFSCME would commit to around the clock, non-stop, good-faith negotiations, I am confident we could reach a fair deal for taxpayers and their members.
The structure of our AFSCME contract is critical to the future of Illinois. We can and will negotiate a balance between the interests of government employees and those of taxpayers.
Every dollar we save inside state government is a dollar we can invest in our schools and social services. I ask you to join me in representing taxpayers, school children and our most vulnerable residents by upholding the veto of SB 1229.
Sincerely,
Bruce
Discuss.
- AC - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:19 pm:
Nonsense considering that a tax increase is inevitable due to spending already in place, regardless of what type of contact state employees operate under, even if state employees have the worst possible health insurance allowed under federal law
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:19 pm:
===. To put it simply, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike.===
Governors can veto a tax increase. Rauner has that power. Why all the “fear” governor, your office has great power.
===Hopefully this legislation is not related to the fact that I am the first Governor in Illinois history to be totally independent of AFSCME since it was first recognized under Governor Walker in the 1970’s.===
It IS in response to the idea you want to eliminate collective bargaining, but let’s not quibble if it interferes with your narrative, governor.
===Again, to be clear, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike.===
Governors can veto. Repeating your feign helplessness isn’t helping your argument.
- Old Lobbyist - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:20 pm:
The key to this is finding unbiased and nonpartisan arbitrators. Without them, this will not work.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:21 pm:
The Governor can make himself sound reasonable. But requiring state and state university employees to double what they pay for their health insurance premiums from 19% to 40% in not reasonable. Especially when the Kaiser Foundation says that the national average employees pay toward their employer provided health insurance premiums is 16-18%.
Furthermore, demanding that state and state university employees be put in 60/40 health insurance plans where the employees have to pay 40% of their medical bills is not reasonable either.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:22 pm:
What a load of BS. He had a chance to amend the the budget that was sent to him, but chose not to. Never does he mention that the head of your state unions are also state employees. Numerous layoffs are slated to go out here shortly again, which he is not telling the legislature. Quit deaminizing people who work underneath you. You talk about special interests? You refuse to release your weekly schedule to people and want the legislature to basically strip collective bargaining rights away from employees? This is like the twilight zone.
- out of touch - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
There’s no denying that AFSCME goes “over the top” sometimes with legislation or bargaining demands, but this situation (the bill) would not be reality but for the Governor’s insistence on policy changes that eviscerate the union completely. Does it weaken the Governor’s bargaining position? Maybe. But democrats and many republicans agree that his anti-union bargaining positions are not in the best interest of the state. Democratic leaders would not push this issue further if Rauner bargained in good faith on the issues of wages and working conditions, instead of trying to destroy the unions.
- Linus - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:25 pm:
= there can be no strike or lock-out as long as the parties are both bargaining in good faith =
Escape hatch? “They’re not bargaining in good faith!”
- Phenomynous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:28 pm:
He makes a fair point. Do we want an arbitrator to decide on billions in potential new spending?
I don’t. Get back to the table.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:29 pm:
“We may have to go through rough times. We may have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers. Sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while. That’s what we’re gonna do.” - Bruce Rauner
“”I may have to take a strike and shut down the government for a few weeks and kinda redo everybody’s contract. That’s a possibility…I will do it proudly.” - Bruce Rauner
Does that sound like someone who wants to bargain in good faith?
- Enviro - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:30 pm:
Our public workers need SB 1229 to protect them from our anti-union governor. I am happy and proud to see that my state senator is a sponsor of SB 1229.
- Roger - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:31 pm:
You reap what you sow. By making his fight against unions and collective bargaining the centerpiece of every thing he does, Rauner invited this bill. He even managed to put Madigan and AFSCME back together again. That seemed pretty unlikely a year ago.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:32 pm:
“Our Administration has demonstrated a willingness to negotiate a fair contract with any reasonable partner.”
All evidence to the contrary.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:33 pm:
It may just come down to the “Cowardly 7″ HGOP members.
The Speaker rarely, if ever says he has the votes…
That’s powerful all alone.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:36 pm:
In the middle of these contract negotiations, Rauner came out with a new pension bill for state employees with all kind of poison pills that relate to the AFSCME contract.
https://capitolfax.com/2015/07/09/the-mother-of-all-poison-pills/
Again, does that sound like someone who is negotiating in good faith?
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
=I am the first Governor in Illinois history to be totally independent of AFSCME=
Right, because you were bought and paid for by the billionaire’s club.
= ask you to join me in representing taxpayers, school children and our most vulnerable residents=
This guy is a real laugh riot. Since when did he do any of that?
=reach a fair deal for taxpayers and their members.=
, who are also taxpayers. There ya go, fixed it.
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
“Illinois government employees are terrific. They deserve good salaries and attractive benefits.” His jeans must now be bursting into flames.
- Maurice - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
King RAUNER IS A ONE TERMER IF HE ISNT RECALLED FIRST!
- D.P.Gumby - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:39 pm:
The gall to continue such patent dishonesty is exceeded only by the pathos that he actually seems to believe he is being reasonable.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:40 pm:
- Maurice -,
When you even understand what you’re talking about, get back to us…
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:41 pm:
In a recent press conference by Madigan, he was asked if he had the votes to override the Governor’s veto of SB1229. He said that he did. Then he was asked if he was going to bring the override bill to a vote on the House floor. Madigan’s answer was, “Why wouldn’t I?” Assuming that the Senate votes to override the veto, it will be interesting to see if the Speaker does what he said he would do - and where the Speaker finds the additional 4 votes needed, since the House only passed SB 1229 with 67 votes the first time.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
“Hopefully this legislation is not related to the fact that I am the first Governor in Illinois history to be totally independent of AFSCME since it was first recognized under Governor Walker in the 1970’s.”
Nice shot at Edgar, Thompson and Ryan. Glad it’s not just the Dems who were lily-livered, spineless negotiators.
- Facts are Stubborn Things - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
You reap what you sow, and Gov. Rauner has sowed many seeds of doubt about his true intentions.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:44 pm:
Complete nonsense. Rauner is spreading fear. What this does is takes away his primary goal — the goal that he’s had since the primary: to destroy collective bargaining.
Rauner has been counting on a strike by AFSCME since the beginning.
This bill takes away Rauner’s single goal. His shining moment. The reason he ran for Governor.
Please override this bill.
- Ahoy! - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
I do not always agree with Rauner nor do I even know what the heck he is thinking most of the time. I do 100% agree with him on this issue. To give collective bargaining over to a non-elected/non-accountable arbitrator is a slap in the face to the voters of Illinois.
If Madigan wants compromise and moderation this is not the way, this is just the other extreme of Rauner’s anti-union positions.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:49 pm:
“To put it simply, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike”
So it’s a capital project.
Someone should tell the gov that lawmakers love capital projects.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:50 pm:
==Last year, of the four interest arbitrations held using this roster of arbitrators where local units of government sought to freeze salaries for even a portion of the contract term, taxpayers lost every time.==
That is totally false. Here is a summary of all of the interest arbitration hearings that have taken place of local government verses police and firemen.
http://www.state.il.us/ilrb/subsections/arbitration/IntArbAwardSummary.htm
It looks fairly split between whether the arbitrators selected the local governments final offer or the police/firemen union’s final offer. And if one opens up each of those hearings they will see that it is a very thoughtful process. Local government and police/firemen, by State law, have been using interest arbitration since the early 1980s. I’ve never heard of any complaints from either side.
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:50 pm:
Frenchie dit: “This bill takes away Rauner’s single goal. His shining moment. The reason he ran for Governor.” C’est vrais! Formidable!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:52 pm:
@Ahoy!
Why should he compromise with him on this? Rauner has deaminized the whole legislature. He has also publically admitted that he wants to shut down the state. Rauner want’s to talk about conflict of interest? Quit trying to repeal reality. already.
- Elo Kiddies - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:55 pm:
Wouldn’t it be funny if this bill passes and the mediator institutes a draconian labor agreement?
- Moby - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
Considering this bill passed the House and Senate already, I don’t see any political downside to overriding Rauner’s veto. Actually, I don’t see the logic in voting for it, but then not overriding…unless the original vote was just posturing.
- blue collar - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
What happens if he tries to impose a “final offer” that is completely unacceptable to the union? They have no choice but to stike? Am not completely fluent in the process in that case.
- UIC Guy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
@O: ==The Speaker rarely, if ever says he has the votes… ==
I seem to remember his saying he had the votes on the ILSC, and that only required counting to four. (I know, it’s a whole different thing. But not forgotten.)
- Stones - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
The Governor brought this on himself. The Union is simply fighting fire with fire. Arbitration would not be necessary unless a CBA cannot be reached. Optimally, that would be the preferred resolution.
- A realistic citizen - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 3:58 pm:
Whaaaatttt?
You mean the handcuffs come off the governor in a mere 4 years? What, pray tell, happens in 4 years? Could that be the installation of governor Madigan?
Naaaaahhhhh…. couldn’t be that. Could it?
- Homer J. Quinn - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:00 pm:
“Every dollar we save inside state government is a dollar we can invest in our schools and social services.”
I have a cake, and I would like to still have it after I eat it. tell me how, bruce!
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:02 pm:
The Governor saying there are only a few arbitrators to choose from - and characterizing the arbitrators as only pro-labor is also false.
http://www.state.il.us/ilrb/subsections/arbitration/roster.htm has the roster of arbitrators and their biographies.
- Anon. - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:02 pm:
==Again, to be clear, a vote to override my veto of SB 1229 is a vote to pave the way for a massive tax hike.==
What is the entire payroll for employees working under the Governor? $5 billion or $6 billion? So a 10% increase in pay and benefits would be a $500 million increase? That’s less than the deficit in your budget, Governor, and I somehow doubt that they are asking for that much.
- Phenomynous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:03 pm:
Elections have consequences. If you don’t like the consequences then temporarily change the rules to fit your needs.
No one sees a problem with that?
The people elected Rauner, not an arbitrator.
- Red Dog - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:04 pm:
State payroll is roughly 2.5 billion. The math in this letter doesn’t make sense.
- A realistic citizen - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:04 pm:
Why do some people dismiss 5 billion dollar savings as irrelevent? 5 billion here, 5 billion there, and soon, we are talking about Madigan money!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:06 pm:
Anyone who wants to call up armed national guard troops against his own employees scares me. They stopped doing that years ago, read the history books.
- A realistic citizen - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:10 pm:
Anonymous:
Be honest. Nobody thought that was the governor’s purpoyse, except angry, narrow minded kooks. The guard was intended, in the event of a strike, to take over essential duties to benifit the citizens.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:12 pm:
@Phenomynous
What Rauner is doing is what you call surface bargaining. That is NOT bargaining in good faith. The world does not revolve all around money. He has to represent everyone, not just the ones who agree with him.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:13 pm:
- A realistic citizen -,
The governor himself, when asked, never denied that troops would be used.
Only a narrow-minded commenter would think anything less that the governor means it.
You may need a nap, or more Raunerbot Kool-Aid.
If I were you, try the nap.
- nixit71 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:16 pm:
==Why do some people dismiss 5 billion dollar savings as irrelevant? 5 billion here, 5 billion there, and soon, we are talking about Madigan money!==
On the flip side, when a tax hike is suggested, and you explain that often comes at the expense of parents’ ability to put enough money into their child’s college savings fund, people dismiss it as no big deal. Sure the school debt will follow the child most of their adult life and impact every financial decision they make for decades to come…but what about now?!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:18 pm:
Be honest? You want to call up armed national guard troops and can’t even agree to a simple barebones one month budget? It’s ok to put more people on the public aid roles and roll back child care assistance to people who need it to find a better paying job to get out of the system already? Hello, your elected for four years, your agenda does not get done in eight months.
- Not quite a majority - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:20 pm:
When 89.whatever% of the state budget is being ‘allocated’ by court order, I feel it’s just a bit disingenuous to bash Federal arbitrators. I’ve worked with these guys and they don’t take sides unless it’s absolutely called for. I saw go to the arbitrators for an impartial assessment of BOTH sides of the table at this point.
- Not quite a majority - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:20 pm:
Sorry, my ’saw’ should be ’say’.
- alas - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:23 pm:
Good faith my @$$.
- Just Me - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:25 pm:
I hadn’t realized the bill is only for 4 years. Yeah, this bill is a direct slap against Rauner. That is unfortunate.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:26 pm:
Even if Rauner’s entire wish list is passed, there is going to be a massive tax hike … and it’s going to be Rauner’s fault for deferring his budgeting to court orders and consent decrees. Locking the state and union(s) into arbitration isn’t going to make a significant difference in how much revenue needs to be raised.
This letter is just an attempt to deflect the blame.
- AC - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:29 pm:
Legislators need to reflect on their own collective dealings with Rauner, and their lack of progress with the impasse. If they do so honestly, they’ll know that overriding the veto is the right thing to do.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:29 pm:
You mean, an ever bigger tax hike than the one you’ll sign as soon as the Democrats,those fervent supporters of a tax hike, make a few modest concessions so you can save a little face. I’m not sure that’s doable, whatever the outcome of this proposed bill. You may be looking at three years of lame duck-hood in either case.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:30 pm:
Does he send his letters to the GA simultaneously to the media?
- MikeyA - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:31 pm:
I think Rauners doctor should reexamine his medications. Something has to be causing his delusions….
- Curious - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:32 pm:
It would be nice to hear AFSCME talk about what it is asking for in the contract negotiations. I doubt if Rauner’s account the whole story.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:33 pm:
Keep that spin coming. They need the wind to keep the fairgrounds cooler.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:36 pm:
==I have stated publicly and I also pledge in writing to you that we will not lock-out state employees.==
OK, good. Now let’s prevent a strike and we’re all set.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:36 pm:
“we cannot afford AFSCME’s extreme financial demands at this precarious time for our state.”
Huh, how could we have made ANY FINANCIAL DEMANDS IN NEGOTIATIONS WHEN WE HAVEN’T EVEN BEGUN DISCUSSING FINANCIAL ISSUES!!!!!!!! To use Goldbergs favorite word the Rauner side of negotiations is a sham. No the governor is running really scared. His dreams of bringing about his heroic Ragnorok are being dashed. An outside arbitor must be chosen by both parties, a fact that he didn’t mention. Public Service workers will get a mediocre contract. We’ll win some we’ll lose some. HOWEVER what we won’t have is the nuclear winter of a strike in which so much will be destroyed. His numbers don’t add up. He’s now just trying to pin a tax increase on us. Fine, it’s our fault. Give us a mediocre contract and we’ll take the blame. Raunerites already blame us for everything. What’s the difference.
- Any Mouse - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:38 pm:
Staffing level X Compensation IS the budget. To cede half of that equation to some arbitration process is nuts.
OL ==The key to this is finding unbiased and nonpartisan arbitrators. Without them, this will not work.==
I suspect that if we could agree on what unbiased and non-partisan looked like we wouldn’t be at an impasse in the first place.
One way of thinking about the contract negotiations is whether public sector employment should be insulated from decades of wrenching changes in the private sector.
(Pensions become 401ks; full coverage medical becomes high deductible plans or no coverage at all; long term employment replaced with on-demand employment driven by waves of change upending firms and entire industries.
This is the unwelcome reality of private sector work today.
I think there are valid arguments on both sides:
Public employees should live in the same world as the rest of us.
Or on the other hand: we don’t all live in the same world, and when we the people are the employer, we can set the rules of employment to be more benevolent/humane than the unvarnished market.
As an aside, I understand the nostalgia for private sector unions as an antidote, but I haven’t seen any evidence that unionized firms can consistently grow employment in the face of more flexible non-unionized competition.
- Robert the 1st - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:38 pm:
“health insurance premiums from 19% to 40% in not reasonable. Especially when the Kaiser Foundation says that the national average employees pay toward their employer provided health insurance premiums is 16-18%.”
So now we’re using other state employers as what is reasonable? If IL state employees would rather take a 30% pay cut I’m sure Rauner will agree to that instead.
- Mason born - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:39 pm:
I suspect Rauner is truly afraid that the veto won’t stand. My folks told me Sunday their phones have been blowing up with robocalls urging them to call their reps and tell them to vote no on the override. Now the tax increase if you override crud pretty obvious MJM wasn’t bluffing.
- illinoised - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:40 pm:
A massive tax hike is needed and is inevitable. Rauner next is going to tell us that an override of his veto will result in September following August.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:41 pm:
==and our most vulnerable residents==
The people Rauner already threw under the bus?
- Liberty - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:43 pm:
Robert the 1st- Illinois is not out of line with private employers. Current state co-pays are higher then average private.
I’ve got a dozen calls from the Turnaround Raunerbots to call my senator.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:44 pm:
==how could we have made ANY FINANCIAL DEMANDS IN NEGOTIATIONS WHEN WE HAVEN’T EVEN BEGUN DISCUSSING FINANCIAL ISSUES==
Both sides have made economic proposals. One side has made multiple proposals in fact.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:45 pm:
==Now the tax increase if you override crud pretty obvious MJM wasn’t bluffing.==
Even if Madigan has the votes to override this one, tax hikes would be a completely different story.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:46 pm:
==The people elected Rauner, not an arbitrator.==
This bill doesn’t make an arbitrator Governor.
- Chicago 20 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:52 pm:
I’m thinking the Republicans are about to receive another payoff, er rather a campaign contribution, from BVR.
- Mason born - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:52 pm:
Arsenal
My point was more to the desperation team Rauner is showing ahead of this vote. If MJM was unlikely to succeed I’d expect more bravado. They are throwing everything at stopping this. I’m surprised id didn’t say I’ll sign your budget just don’t override.
- Mason born - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
Besides it’s a two fer vote so Bruce can have his strike and then vote for the huge tax increase Bruce says you won’t need.
- Decaf Coffee Party - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
So, other than the fact that judges and arbitrators (and apparently everyone except his folks) are corrupt and can’t be trusted to do their jobs, why would the governor fear an arbitrator if he has been negotiating in such good faith?
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
Madigan might get what he wants, but he certainly won’t get what he needs.
- AC - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
Am I to understand that, if the bill isn’t overridden, there won’t be any tax hikes? If that’s the case and they override his veto, the tax hikes will be small, because the only need additional funding needed would be to continue the current level of health insurance and provide for 2.75% raises for state employees. I guess the state’s financial situation is much better than everyone thought!
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:57 pm:
Demoralized that is not true. Are you in those negotiations? I just talked with a man who is. Negotiation on financial issues has not begun. Now I notice you said economic proposals. I guess you could call some things economic, but tell the truth-negotiation has not even begun on financial issues. You know it. The man I talked to from my local is our notetaker. That’s all he does is exactly transcribe everything discussed.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 4:59 pm:
Honeybear:
I’ve seen them. Costed some of them out even. Believe me or not I don’t care. If calling people a liar helps you sleep at night so be it.
- walker - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:04 pm:
Rauner is looking for the right thing to blame for the inevitable tax hike. He’ll be trying out a lot of messaging.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:07 pm:
In all fairness to you Honeybear, I’d argue that there aren’t any negotiations that have been going on. It’s really quite disturbing.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:08 pm:
Rauner: But, I’ll be happy to increase taxes if you support my right to work/union busting agenda.”
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:10 pm:
Mason, I’m thinking the same thing.
Gov. Rauner hasn’t been this engaged (such as it is) on any other issue to date. Why this?
If that’s the case, I don’t see how pounding the p.r. drum with the press does him any good.
There are only a few possible GOP flips in either chamber on this issue, and I don’t see how a press strategy moves them. They’re hearing it at home.
Any Republican worth his salt could sell to his peeps a no-strike law for public employees.
Aint that right, Arizona Bob?
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:11 pm:
Who decides who isn’t bargaining in good faith? Does an arbiter step in then? How is the arbiter picked? Can he she impose a settlement?
- Mouthy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:12 pm:
The Governor isn’t negotiating in good faith. This is AFSCME’s last, best, chance to bring home a fair contract otherwise it’s gonna be curtains for them..
- Liberty - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:13 pm:
==The people elected Rauner, not an arbitrator.==
and the governor negotiates the contract by the law passed by the general assembly. It is not in his constitutional job description.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:18 pm:
==I have stated publicly and I also pledge in writing to you that we will not lock-out state employees.==
But Rauner hasn’t said he won’t fire them!
- Joe M - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:23 pm:
==Who decides who isn’t bargaining in good faith? Does an arbiter step in then? How is the arbiter picked? Can he she impose a settlement? ==
http://www.state.il.us/ilrb/subsections/arbitration/IntArbAwardSummary.htm
describes the arbitration cases and their results. Opening up each case gives many details about why the arbitrator ruled the way they did. The arbitrators are picked from a rooster. Here is the roster and their biographies.
http://www.state.il.us/ilrb/subsections/arbitration/roster.htm
- Politix - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:35 pm:
Bruce’s negotiation strategy:
Step 1: Demand.
Step 2: Threaten.
Step 3: Repeat step 1.
This is ridiculous.
- 3rd Party Needed - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:40 pm:
“Aint that right, Arizona Bob?” This made me smile!!
- Buzzie - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 5:47 pm:
The people really sweating this override vote are the Republican legislators.
- ABC123 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:06 pm:
Certain people are correct about this override. Failure to override the veto will have disastrous results. Rauner can say he won’t lock employees out because he won’t have to lock them out. There is no way AFSCME or any of the other unions can accept the absurd demands the administration is offering. The inevitable result of this is a strike when Rauner delivers his final offer.
In addition, people are also right on why Rauner is so engaged on this topic. A large part of his plan requires huge reductions in the compensation and rights of union workers. His future plans require obtaining huge concessions from state employees. Failure to obtain these concessions (either with “negotiations” or a strike) will be a devastating blow to him.
Finally, other people have pointed out the dishonest information contained in this and other documents produced by the administration. One piece of information that is not dishonest is the $500 million dollars Rauner wants to collect from reducing state employee insurance to unacceptable levels. This information alone is enough to demonstrate the administration is not bargaining in good faith.
- Jeep - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:10 pm:
Is it possible Rauner does want the override so he can blame the inevitable tax increase on Madigan, dems, and state workers. That he makes a grandiose statement against it could be a red herring.
OW points out he has the power to veto a tax increase, but if he really wants/needs the increase this gives him a scapegoat.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:12 pm:
Demoralized, I didn’t call you a liar. Admittedly I started too but chose different words. Anyway, sorry. I’ve posted enough for people to know that I get jacked up. But back to the issue. What was it that you saw? Stuff in the paper? Have you been at negotiations? My point is that unless you were actually there or know someone you trust that was I don’t think you can counter the claim. Fair? I mean I explicitly trust the guy I’m talking about. I’ll admit, I wasn’t there. But I needled the living crap out of my guy. I was also trying to sense deception on his part. This guy is an open book. He couldn’t lie or deceive his way out of a wet paper bag. So I don’t know what you’re talking about. So again I ask. What did you see?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:15 pm:
Does he think the legislators don’t know that state employees pay taxes too?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:16 pm:
===Is it possible Rauner does want the override so he can blame the inevitable tax increase on Madigan, dems, and state workers. That he makes a grandiose statement against it could be a red herring.
OW points out he has the power to veto a tax increase, but if he really wants/needs the increase this gives him a scapegoat.===
Three critical points to keep in mind;
1) Madigan and Cullerton with absolutely require 67 GOP GA votes on any/all tax increases. “Why”?…
2) Rauner himself needs the revenue. Rauner’s 89.4% budget spending by one Approp and judicial decree requires revenue. It’s not option, it’s required.
3) Governors sign tax increases. Always been, always will be. Governors own their signatures and all the language above them. That’s nog my rule, thems the breaks of the office.
- illini - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:18 pm:
Politix may very well have hit it here.
- Frank Ambrose - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:18 pm:
Anyone who is saying that public sector employee have to live in the same world as the private sector employees (401Ks rather than defined benefits, high deductible healthcare) has obviously forgotten recent history. When the economy was booming and the dotcoms were all the rage, the private sector employees were receive salaries, benefits and perks that the public sector employees could only dream of. No one was demanding that public sector employees be on the same level as the private employees when times were good. Most of us stayed in public sector for job security and retirement security. The VAST MAJORITY of public sector workers are hardworking and only want what they have been paying for (pensions and good health care) and were promised/contracted for. THIS NEEDS TO BE REMEMBERED!!!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:20 pm:
He can cut the entire payroll to 0, and the budget still would not be balanced.
- cdog - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:43 pm:
Mr. Rauner,
You say this bill, “…is a direct affront to Illinois taxpayers…”
What is hurting taxpayers is the fact that you have NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON! It appears that your mind is corrupted by something–narcissism, greed, power, a hairbrush….?
How can you not know that a tax hike is inevitable? Maybe a smaller tax hike could be your legacy if you would manage something besides weird PR. To say a veto of this bill is going to cause a tax hike is a lie.
How can you not know that your lack of leadership and lack of focus on real problems is causing all the problems? An arsonist will never be considered a leader.
I really think that this letter should be FACT CHECKED BY MAIN STREAM MEDIA SOURCES.
I pray for the day that the Raunerbot GA members, who have lost their FreeWill due to the $20million arsonist, wake up and realize that there is a way out of this. Please talk quietly amongst yourselves.
I believe that it is Rauner’s intention to completely destroy Illinois. I haven’t quite figured out why yet. (Maybe he has a battleground in HedgeFund World. Maybe there is a to-the-death adversary that holds a lot of Illinois debt and Rauner wants to completely ruin him/her….)
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 7:02 pm:
Economic proposals have been made. Financial issues have not yet been negotiated. Both statements can be true.
Madigan and Cullerton have not used all the power they have. An override would be an escalation. But they have many more levers.
- Mama - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 7:12 pm:
If they over-ride his veto, he will fire a bunch of state workers. Then he will blame it on Madigan. If they don’t over-ride his veto, he will fire a bunch of state workers & still blame Madigan. Why? Because Madigan won’t give him what he wants (close down the unions).
- Bystander - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 7:31 pm:
- cdog - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 6:43 pm:
Much appreciate the impassioned rage, expressed directly to the Governor. You speak for many others
who’ve reached the boiling point. Is there a group of political action leaders among the CF contributors? Many thanks.
- BeenThereB4 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 7:50 pm:
The Governor is doing what management always does before a union vote, he is lying. I’ve heard them make wild claims like, “you’ll miss the next two pay checks if you vote for the union because we’ll have to convert the payroll.” Wild, made up stories of gloom and doom to scare you away from standing up for yourself. Any legislator dumb enough to fall for this doesn’t deserve to serve.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 7:58 pm:
Well, I guess the good news is that Gov. Rauner is learning a little bit of Illinois and United States history.
Last week, he claimed he was the first governor in Illinois history not beholden to public employee unions.
Like Shadrach Bond. Beholden to the public Buggy Whip Makers of America.
- Fed up with Rauner - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 8:02 pm:
I work for the state. I like my job, work hard, and I’m quite good at it. I just want to go to work, do my job, and make a fair wage. Now my future is being held hostage by a governor who seems to be a little loonie-toons when it comes to reality. This guy has no idea what the middle class is about. He is soulless and could care less about state workers. Please don’t let him take my job away from me, or make me so miserable that I leave on my own. I just want to go to work, get paid and have some sort of a future to look forward to.
- Lt Guv - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 8:07 pm:
Rainer = Trump/Walker. Except Bruce is only turned up to “9″. The Donald’s at “11″ and Walker’s at “10″.
- Robin - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 8:14 pm:
Fed up with Rauner - Beautifully said. Thank you for expressing the sentiments of so many state workers. State workers contribute more to this state than most non-state workers realize.
- Anon - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 8:20 pm:
Is there a single editorial board that supports an override?
Several have weighed in on the opposite side.
- Fed up with Rauner - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 9:12 pm:
@Robin. Thanks. This whole thing makes me sick to my stomach. I finally got a job I really like, and then this guy comes along who is no different than the soulless-CEOs I worked under in private industry who gave themselves big bonuses while denying raises for the rank and file. It is just shameful that it has come to this.
- CrazyHorse - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 9:22 pm:
==When the economy was booming and the dotcoms were all the rage, the private sector employees were receive salaries, benefits and perks that the public sector employees could only dream of.==
I could not agree more Frank. I can’t remember how many of my friends bragged endlessly about their 401Ks and their big “bonus” checks and how they’d never want a pension. Now the pensions are viewed as a winning lottery ticket.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 9:30 pm:
CH, I used my dot-com stock option paper to wallpaper my bathroom after the bubble burst.
Just kidding. Thousands of options, only one piece of paper.
But if WorldCom could have kept tneir shell game going for another 60 says or so, our IPO would have been out and it would have been the score of a lifetime.
Thanks for bringing it up, lol.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 9:59 pm:
=== Rauner told reporters he’s asking lawmakers to “let me do my job” and continue negotiating. === WICS 20 story
We would love for Rauner to start doing his job.
- CrazyHorse - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 10:19 pm:
Word,
Even a few of us state workers dabbled in the market. I do recall holding PALM stock at one point. Just in case you need some new wall paper.
LOL
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 10:25 pm:
In politics relationships and trust is important. A GOP Governor and a Democratic lead legislature may have philosophical disagreements but it is easier to work through them if at least there is mutual respect and you trust each other when one gives the other their word on something. Early on in his administration the Governor demonstrated to the Democratic leadership that he was a man who couldn’t be trusted. It doesn’t help in the current situation that the Democrats can’t take the Governor at his word when he says he will continue to bargain in good faith.
- Jorge - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 10:39 pm:
Norse, I couldn’t have said it any better. If only your posts had a vikings horn sound at the end.
- gg - Tuesday, Aug 18, 15 @ 10:43 pm:
I just looked at the original house roll call.
Me thinks the Gov is going down.
FYI I may be whistling in the wind,
Go Sox!!!
- Shanks - Wednesday, Aug 19, 15 @ 12:57 am:
Sure, Rauner will provide anyone in writing that he won’t lock out public servants…he isn’t that stupid. He is going to force public servants to strike, or of course take a contract that sets every worker with lower salary, higher insurance premiums, unconstitutionally require employees to enter the Tier II, etc. etc.
Take away his ‘negotiating’ power? Really? SB 1229 will give Rauner all the power in the state….
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 19, 15 @ 8:05 am:
@Honeybear:
Don’t know if you will see this but I’ve seen many of the actual proposals. Costing things like that out is part of my job. I’m involved in negotiations to that extent. I don’t think the person you talked to was lying. As I said, I don’t believe that there are real negotiations going on on anything. But there have been proposals made by both sides. You should ask the union to share them with you.
- taxpayer - Wednesday, Aug 19, 15 @ 9:20 am:
Override the veto. Because the status quo of corrupt union influence and mismanagement is what we need to preserve. We have the worst credit rating in the country and the worst job record in the midwest. Go Status Quo! Go Madigan!
- Taxpayer Too! - Wednesday, Aug 19, 15 @ 11:02 am:
@ Taypayer
Let’s take the all public *AND* the private sector’s money from them instead. Go shared unfairness and sacrifice! /snark