66 Comments - ihpsdm - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:10 am: Is the AFSCME contract the only one left that needs to be settled? How far apart are they? - Anon - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:12 am: To some great extent I wonder how his public positions regarding collective bargaining in general would impact union membership’s vote on whether or not to approve a contract that requires them to take a significant haircut. - so... - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:13 am: But I thought Rauner was a crazed zealot who couldn’t work with unions. - Gruntled University Employee - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:15 am: You have to divide before you can conquer - Downstate - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:15 am: Rauner has already shown that he can cut a deal with unions, since he’s become governor. In all sincerity, has Madigan shown that he can cut a deal with business? Because, from my perspective, being involved in business, it seems like all the phrases being hurled at Rauner can be reversed and are easily attributable to Madigan. Couldn’t Madigan be characterized as “Business-bashing” and “business-hating” if we apply the same standards? - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:16 am: Maybe he knows a thing or two about successful negotiations after all. - out of touch - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:16 am: –But I thought Rauner was a crazed zealot who couldn’t work with unions.– He has no choice but to work with them, or he’ll be charged with an unfair labor practice. It’s the law. His goal is to dismantle the unions from the ground up by removing their funding mechanisms and diminishing their ranks. It’s not a new concept, just new to IL. And it’s a fool’s errand here. - Macbeth - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:16 am: This means nothing. Rauner will say whatever anyone wants to hear. Sure, Rauner wants a budget. He’s sad there’s no budget. He’s frustrated. Sure, Rauner wants to improve relations will collective bargaining. Sure he does. Rauner needs to improve relations with telling the truth. - out of touch - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:18 am: –In all sincerity, has Madigan shown that he can cut a deal with business?– According to GOP starlet McQueary, Madigan is all about big business while hoodwinking the middle class. See the Trib. - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:19 am: ===In all sincerity, has Madigan shown that he can cut a deal with business?=== lol lolol You must’ve just got to town or something. The guy has cut tons of deals with business interests. Have you seen a minimum wage increase bill this year, for instance? - Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:20 am: Madigan is just as influenced by big business as anyone else in Springfield, as he’s of the DLC/Third Way continuum. - Norseman - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:20 am: === In all sincerity, has Madigan shown that he can cut a deal with business? === Yes. But then again, you don’t want the truth. You want to continue the “because Madigan” mantra. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:21 am: Downstate, what Madigan “business-bashing” are you talking about? Read Katrina tne Tribbie today. She discovered he’s “hoodwinked” everyone but her the last 40+ years and has been in the tank for the 1% all along. And she says it like it’s a bad thing. From simple minds come simple answers. - Downstate - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:22 am: Rich, Okay - point made. But that’s nothing pro-active for business. - Ihpsdm - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:25 am: @Downstate You asked if he can cur deals with businesses. The answer is a resounding Yes. Move on. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:31 am: Downstate, you’re a laugh riot. Ask Duffy at CME about “pro-active” and he’ll show you a big pile of money. Or any corporation that gets an EDGE credit. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:32 am: I wonder if they got step increases and/or COLA. - Secret Square - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:33 am: “Is the AFSCME contract the only one left to be settled?” Far from it. Other unions representing State employees include ISEA, SEIU, Illinois Nurses Assn., FOP, IFPE, IFT (teachers at the DHS schools for the blind/deaf), the Conservation Police Lodge, Boilermakers, and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police. Some of these unions represent only a couple of dozen employees or so, but every one of them has to work out a contract at some point. - DuPage - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:37 am: Winter is coming. Rauner needed the teamsters to plow the roads. He needs the engineers and pipefitters to keep the buildings heated and the plumbing in order. Even Rauner knows that. - Secret Square - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:37 am: Another big question: what kind of a deal did the OE’s, et al., get on health insurance? If they rely completely on the State plan and don’t have their own insurance funds like the Teamsters do, then whatever arrangement they worked out is likely to set a pattern for others. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:41 am: Why are collective bargaining rights for State Employess sacrosanct when they eliminated for Federal Employees by Jimmy Carter? Federal jobs are still pretty well paid with benefits that exceed most in the private sector. - cb - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:43 am: So Gov can work with unions in the state. I thought he was out to destroy the unions? And aren’t the people claiming he is out to end unions in the State the same people who said he was going to lock-out AFSME employees if we did not pass the arbitration bill? - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:47 am: Trade union members are Reagan Democrats that have much more in common with Republicans than the SEIU folks constantly crying for more and more of the same stuff. If Rauner can make this distinction clear to the Trade Unions, the rank and file will go with him on reform. Not the leadership they will remain quiet. - VanillaMan - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:54 am: Rauner decided that instead of governing and building working relationships with legislators and policy makers - he’d declare war on unions. Rauner decided that instead of finding a better way of working out a state budget - he’d declare war on unions. Rauner decided that instead of doing what he was elected to do, and what he promised to do - he’s declared war on unions. What part of this man’s priorities would lead you to believe that he isn’t a man completely committed to the destruction of Illinois unions? He has been governor for only ten months, and he has allowed Illinois to fall apart - because he wanted to declare a war against unions. Anyone thinking Bruce Rauner made some kind of mistake, that he is really a fair man regarding unions, that he really wants what is best for Illinoisans regarding their paychecks - you are being willfully blind, deaf and downright foolish. He lied his way into office, then he declared war upon the very people who helped elect him. He declared war on Illinoisans. He is not to be trusted. - burbanite - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:05 am: Any one know how many union members this would represent? AFSCME is what 30,000? - GraduatedCollegeStudent - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:08 am: ===Any one know how many union members this would represent? AFSCME is what 30,000? === Per the media coverage, only several hundred workers total are collectively covered by these deals. A minor detail I’m sure…. - Johnnie F. - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:09 am: Agreed with the divide and conquer concept. It’s worth the positive PR bump to try and make the larger unionized workforce seem unreasonable. His supporter’s can say…look he’s settling with all kinds of unions…what’s wrong with AFSCME?. The AFSCME contract is huge and it impacts merit comp and retiree healthcare costs. That’s were the 700 million in savings in his “sham budget” is supposed to be generated…from AFSCME represented employees…and any other groups impacted by these negotiations. - Small Town Girl - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:14 am: Secret Square - those covered by the State of Illinois insurance plans all have the same plans to choose from and pay the same rates. AFSCME negotiates this for all of these employees so insurance wouldn’t be a part of the negotiations with these unions. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:16 am: So Rich, do you agree with Johnnie F. Is this a divide and conquer strategy? Or is it as someone said above - he had to or be accused of unfair labor practices or he needed these handful to maintain roads. All seem plausible to me. - Red Dog - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:17 am: Where are the new contracts posted on the web? Ives and the Tribune demanded the Quinn administration post the agreements for public consumption. The Teamsters’ deal was announced months ago and is still not posted. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:22 am: Love the over the top language that is routinely applied to Governor Rauner. Union basher who wants to gut unions and eviscerate them. He has declared war on unions and wants to take away all bargaining rights. Yadda, yadda, yadda! Then he settles with some more unions that exercised their bargaining rights! I am assuming more four year contracts. Now substitute the word “union” with “middle class” and the spin is basically the same. Time to acknowledge what is spin and what is factual about our new Governor. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:23 am: Teamsters contract is available on CMS - Clodhopper - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:27 am: After several months of good faith negotiations. Emphasis on several months. - Honeybear - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:27 am: –Why are collective bargaining rights for State Employess sacrosanct when they eliminated for Federal Employees by Jimmy Carter?– Lucky- it’s a fair question and honestly I’m not sure of the answer. I’ve been reading a lot of labor history lately and I think you just gave me my next answer quest. But it’s a fair question. I’m very thankful that I have collective bargaining, so thankful. I suspect my answer lies in the Wagner Act but I’ve got to find something that explains the rationale. Thanks for inspiring me to search. Look, as a Southern Illinoisan I take pride in my “reasonableness”. But regardless of the answer I find, I am truly blessed by collective bargaining. I wish collective bargaining and solidarity on everyone. No one should have to face abusive supervision, corporate profit greed, and low wages alone. - Secret Square - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:28 am: “insurance wouldn’t be a part of the negotiations with these unions.” It was apparently part of the Teamsters negotiations because they got to keep their premiums and co-pays the same. - Honeybear - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:32 am: Secret Square, Teamsters have their own insurance. It’s not the state plan. - Loop Lady - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:37 am: He would have been completely out of his league messing with the Teamsters…stay tuned campers… - Secret Square - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:39 am: That’s exactly my point. Because Teamsters have their own insurance, the deal THEY got isn’t representative of what the Administration is willing to settle for with regard to AFSCME or other unions. My question is whether or not the OEs, Plumbers, and Machinists have a similar arrangement for health insurance. If they don’t, then the deal they got on health insurance is much more likely to set a pattern for AFSCME and others. - CharlieKratos - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:40 am: It’s hard to negotiate with a governor who refers to your organization as “Af-scammy”. - Honeybear - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:46 am: LGA- if your means of supporting your family was directly and overtly threatened you’d be screaming too. Yada, yada, yada is patronizing and dismissive of valid comments. Real people are being hurt and threatened by Rauner and those he owns. I am being threatened by Rauner and those he owns. The good people of Illinois whom I serve who struggle with poverty, disability and old age are being threatened by Rauner and those he owns. I think you would hope somebody yells if the situation was reversed. The willful act of ignoring intentional suffering, to me, is almost as immoral and as pertetrating it. - Liberty - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:52 am: Those conservative republicans posting how Rauner wants to work with unions obviously have read Illinois Issues this month. “I think we can drive a wedge issue in the Democratic Party on that topic and bring the folks who say, ‘You know what? For our tax dollars, I’d rather help the disadvantaged, the handicapped, the elderly, the children in poverty. I’d rather have my tax dollars going to that than the SEIU or Af-scammy (AFSCME), who are out there for their own interests.’” http://wuis.org/post/illinois-issues-social-cost-rauner-v-labor#stream/0 - Loop Lady - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:56 am: You may be on to something Secret Square… - Politix - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:56 am: “Time to acknowledge what is spin and what is factual about our new Governor.” Oh hey, those facts you speak of? What are they? This should be fun. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:04 am: Louis, I’m sure you read Candidate Rauner’s words about “wedges” to be used against “Af-scammy.” You don’t have to take anyone else’s word as to the govenor’s objectives. He speaks very clearly for himself. - TurnOutTheLightsIllinois - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:05 am: So..Downstate..Formerly Known As..cb..Louis G. Atsaves … When the contracts are “public” you will see that all the trade union employees are receiving the prevailing wage rates (with no wage cuts) and their benefits will not have been diminished … this is nothing more than a “press pop” … that covers less than 1% of all unionized state employees … - Politix - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:06 am: Let’s be clear. These little agreements are building blocks to this administration’s long game. The ONLY reason these negotiations are succeeding is to build a case before the public that he has a history of “negotiating in good faith” with unions. That AFSCME is greedy and unreasonable. I hope these smaller unions enjoy being exploited. Like all hard-working people, they deserve good contracts. But Rauner makes absolutely sure to take his pound of flesh in the process. - Pelonski - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:22 am: –Why are collective bargaining rights for State Employess sacrosanct when they eliminated for Federal Employees by Jimmy Carter?– In my view, Illinois state employee collective bargaining rights are important because of Illinois’ history of corruption in hiring practices. Rutan, the City of Chicago, Blagojevich, and the recent DOT scandal show that Illinois politicians are constantly trying to use the hiring system for their political advantage and not what is best for the State. Union covered jobs are a major impediment to this practice. Union covered jobs have their own issues, but I think the impact of those issues is much less than we get from political hiring. - Demoralized - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:23 am: Louis: Are you denying, with a straight face, that the Governor doesn’t have it out for unions? You can try to twist it around any way you want but you are obfuscating the truth. C’mon Louis. You are smarter than that. - Buzzie - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:53 am: There has been no ratification vote. - the old man - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:01 pm: Makes AFCAMMY look bad, all others can agree, they cannot get thru their talks, who/where is the problem? - Union Man - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:14 pm: @ the old man I guess we don’t know yet do we ? Is there something factual that causes you to believe Rauner isn’t asking for ridiculous things or do you think “ridiculous things” are good things? (like layoffs, limiting annual vacations to two weeks for everybody) - Union Man - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:21 pm: @ Honeybear and Lucky 10:27 If IL were to have a Civil Service like the Feds we would not need unions. With the Feds, politicians do not decide staffing let alone hiring needs and poitics is COMPLETELY removed from hiring/raises. TRUTH? Governors and ILGA love having that influence. Until then, we need the Public Sector Unions. (Unions don’t do the hiring either by the way). - walker - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:33 pm: Rauner has been frighteningly over the top with anti-union language in public. Slamming them with a passion. He also has continued to try to put damaging language into bills, out of the sight of the public. OTOH Have been impressed with the professionalism of his contract negotiators, and the less-than-extreme outcomes of their work. This move will help him a little politically, for perhaps a week or so. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:44 pm: @wordslinger and @demoralized, Actions of a businessman speak louder than words. Very early in my career I worked for a firm that did some labor law and was involved in negotiations for a new contract. The owner of the plant came in, sat down, and screamed at the union side of the table for 20 minutes. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. If i repeated some of his language, I would be barred here for life. It was clear to the dumbest person on the planet how much he hated unions. But he was a businessman. And everyone was there to reach a business arrangement, not a marriage filled with love and adoration. Hatred is not good business. Six weeks later, we had a contract that everyone could live with. Lots of over the top screaming by “Afscamme” too by the way. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:49 pm: Louis, you make no sense. The governor wasnt in contract negotiations when he made those “wedge” remarks. He was outlining his governing strategy in front of supporters. He wants to get rid of collective bargaining; it’s proposed in writing. Are you ashamed of that of something? Is that why you’re in such denial? - Kurt in Springfield - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:52 pm: Secret Square, Most unions representing state employees do not negotiate Health Insurance benefits (hib). Teamsters were unique in that regard. AFSCME negotiates hib for most state employees, AFSCME members, other union members, and nonunion members, state retirees, State University employees, university retirees, and all their dependents. Plus while retirees may not have to pay some or all of their premiums, they still have to pay co-pays and deductibles based on the AFSCME contract. - Daniel Plainview - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:58 pm: - Time to acknowledge what is spin and what is factual about our new Governor. - It’s very easy, Louis. Everything that you say about him is spin, as you are a well compensated shill for the administration. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:05 pm: @wordslinger, “Louis, you make no sense.” And arguing that Rauner is interested only in blowing up the State of Illinois because as a plutocrat he hates everyone and everything makes sense to you? - Glenn O. Peabody - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:07 pm: Bengazhi was MMJ’s fault. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:08 pm: Gee, Louis, did I say all that? I thought I just referenced the governor’s own statements and legislative proposals he’s put in writing. - Demoralized - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:27 pm: Louis: I simply disagree with you. If he is all kumbaya with the unions then why is he still pushing for the ability of local governments to get rid of collective bargaining and the prevailing wage? And why in a bill HE PROPOSED did he include language that basically stripped public employee unions from collectively bargaining on anything? You take these small agreements with trade unions as evidence that he’s not “extreme” on unions. If that’s the case then he should have no problem backing off of his what anybody who is rational would call extreme proposals with regard to unions. - Demoralized - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:28 pm: ==Lots of over the top screaming by “Afscamme” too by the way.== And for the love of God can we please stop with all of the victimhood around here. Enough of this crap already. - Secret Square - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:31 pm: Kurt, thanks for the info. I guess there won’t be any tea leaves to read with regard to discerning the future of State employee health insurance in these contracts, then. - Beaner - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:03 pm: The $700 million in health insurance savings proposed by the Governor is one of the sticking points. The other is the privatization language the Governor is demanding. - Blue dog dem - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:08 pm: Divide and conquer. Oldest negotiating strategy in the books. Keep withholding highway funds, and watch the Labors, Operators, teamsters start to become members of the Rauner caucus. Somebody refers to them as hostages, others pawns. Rauner, he stacks em up like poker chips. - storify.com - Wednesday, Nov 4, 15 @ 9:54 am: I have to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website. I really hope to check out the same high-grade content from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own site now Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.