140 Comments - Stuff Happens - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 12:54 pm: Lindall better watch out. Rauner might do something more drastic, like mail him a fish. - Reality Check - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 12:56 pm: A tiny, pricey tuna steak. - Anon - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:02 pm: Our state dept unionized some 30 plus years ago because the merit pay system did not work for the exact reasons stated by Lindall. If you weren’t kissing the right rear ends and/or part of the political party dujour, you got nothing. Either Rauner doesn’t know this or doesn’t care. My bet is on he doesn’t care. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:02 pm: =discriminatory toward working parents and anyone who gets sick or injured= Nope. They still get paid sick days. It just rewards those that call off less than 7 times. Sounds like a great deal to everyone not in a government union. A bonus for showing up to the job you get paid to do. - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:03 pm: It’s amusing to watch the Rauner administration argue that health insurance in it’s current form is unaffordable, while crony raises are money that’s burning a hole in the states pocket. Pick a lane. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:04 pm: I get AFSCME’s retort, but one thing I learned a long time ago is that sometimes the better course of action is to get out IN FRONT of an issue instead having to play catch up. AFSCME is losing the PR battle if they are replying to yesterday’s proposals. If any news sources outside of Cap Fax picked up on Rich’s earlier post, then the general public has had hours to view it. They need to start getting out in front of some of these issues instead of issuing tersely worded statements that end the exact same way (or at least fairly close in proximity). After all, some of these proposals have surely been bandied about in previous chats, so AFSCME had to have known something like this was coming down the pike. This is the same kind of concept as what Madigan may face if he continues fighting a remap kicking and screaming. Rauner and the remap people are out in front. The ideas may not be perfect, but they are presenting ideas and info with plenty of lead time and then forcing everyone else to come at the angle well after (at least in today’s media terms) the initial proposals are released. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:07 pm: “Merit” pay is about as honest a description of this line of practice as “Right To Work” or “Affordable Care Act”. This is the kind of corruption we evolved away from over a century ago. Come on! Is this the best Rauner can do? Shove our governments back into the Gilded Age? Hey, we’ve seen that this guy doesn’t understand government, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that his take on history is about as bad. What is the purpose of this? To save a buck? We’re going to allow political stooges to fill our governments with what it took us a century to clean out? There are real constitutional reasons why we run governments differently from a burger stand. We are citizens. We are entitled to government services. We are not entitled to a burger at a corner restaurant. But, as citizens we are entitled to being served as though our personal net-worths are EQUAL, just like our votes. What is it about this administration that doesn’t understand basic constitutional law? Why did they run for office if they don’t know beans about running a government? Even if they wanted to do reform - couldn’t they at least find someone who knew how to enact reforms within our constitutional framework? I know more than one Illinois judge that just shakes his head when this administration puts out an idea. It is pathetic and inexcusable. Can anyone in the Mansion govern? C’mon people! Take a class or two from Jim Edgar - I bet he would throw in a few courses from his program at UI free! - Anon - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:07 pm: This is actually one of the better statements I’ve seen coming out of the office recently. - Norseman - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:08 pm: === A tiny, pricey tuna steak. === C’mon man, you know Rauner wouldn’t spend that much money on a union guy. - Flynn's mom - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:08 pm: @Reality Check, probably lake perch. - Macbeth - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:15 pm: I suspect I speak for many — if not all — state employees when I say: I don’t need some rich white guy in a sweater vest and Haggar slacks trying to talk me out of my sick and vacation days. - Relocated - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:16 pm: As a former legislative employee With no union protection its easy to see how this can fail. Many jobs have subjective qualitative measurements. Did a receptionist answer calls and greet visitors In an exemplary manner meriting a raise? Supervisors can manipulate the evaluation process at will and there is no appeal or counterbalance to the process. - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:17 pm: I’m waiting for a proposed bonus plan for the “superstars” with Rauner administration accomplishments being used by good government groups to independently determine the bonus amounts. /s - Try-4-Truth - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:23 pm: ====- Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:02 pm: =discriminatory toward working parents and anyone who gets sick or injured= Nope. They still get paid sick days. It just rewards those that call off less than 7 times. Sounds like a great deal to everyone not in a government union. A bonus for showing up to the job you get paid to do.====== Robert, I have a special needs child, and he has Dr. appointments all the time. That sick time is part of the employment package. What am I supposed to do when my son needs to go to the Dr? I am no longer a state employee, but if I were, I’d be offended by this “offer”. It is basically calling state employees lazy, which I can tell you from personal experience, they are not. Try again. - Reality Check - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:24 pm: @Norseman and Flynn, good point. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:24 pm: = I don’t need some rich white guy in a sweater vest and Haggar slacks trying to talk me out of my sick and vacation days.= You can still use them. You just won’t get a bonus. Good grief. Is there anything Rauner could suggest without everyone here throwing a tantrum? Seriously people? “The Gilded Age?” This is like a parody. Rauner wants to give you bonuses for showing p to work (which you already are paid for) and you’re mad because “everyone needs the exact same compensation no matter what!” Is this kindergarten? You know how everyone else working gets raises and bonuses right? - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:25 pm: = What am I supposed to do when my son needs to go to the Dr?= Take your sick day like you would before? - Original Rambler - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:26 pm: It’s fine for AFSCME to reply like this but they better have a Plan B. No way this administration agrees to the double bump format of COLA and step increases without some tie in to productivity. That’s a battle public employees will lose in the court of public opinion. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:30 pm: ==you’re mad because “everyone needs the exact same compensation no matter what!”== I tend to agree with you. Why people think there can be absolutely no differentiation in pay raises is beyond me. There’s nothing inherently wrong with setting aside bonuses for good attendance. Besides, it’s only part of the bonus pool money. As for the whining about vacation days or sick days due to serious illness, we haven’t even seen the proposal so we have no idea what it will look like. We seem to be in the mood to shoot first and ask questions later. It’s hard to criticize something you don’t know anything about. Maybe you should ask your union why they aren’t telling you any of the details. My wife is in the union. They’ve not been told squat throughout this entire episode other than those one page inflamatory “newsletters” that the union puts out. Have a meeting with your members. Give them the details of the proposal. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:31 pm: Also, AFSCME isn’t going to win a public opinion battle on this topic. Once again they have no PR sense. - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:32 pm: @ Robert the 1st “Rauner wants to give you bonuses for showing (u)p to work (which you already are paid for)” Nooooooooooooooo. Rauner wants to punish those that use their benefits as outlined by their contract. If I’m allowed 10 sick days, and use those appropriately to shuttle my autistic child to a Dr. Visit, why SHOULDN’T I be allowed to collect a bonus? Because Bruce has decided that 7 days is now appropriate? Maybe we should go to Bruces’ office to kiss his ring and beg for an extra day? Give me a break. If I have earned the sick time, and I need to take it…I should not be punished. Period. - There is power in a union... - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:33 pm: Bonuses for attendance? Are we in grammar school? - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:36 pm: =If I have earned the sick time, and I need to take it…I should not be punished.= You’re not punished? You still get your sick days. If you use less than 7 you get rewarded with a bonus. Where is the part about pay cuts for people using sick days I must be missing? - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:36 pm: Maybe Bruce can team up with Dan Salamone and come up with a “Pretty girls can only wear hats less than 7 days a year” bonus plan as well. Makes about as much sense. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:36 pm: AFSCME, Elections have consequences. It’s January, 2016… You fanned on Dillard, you wiffed on Quinn… Cut your “best” deal, and make an Impact against Raunerites, in any shape or “party” form. It’s all you guys have left. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:37 pm: == What am I supposed to do when my son has to go to the Doctor == In your case, I would make sure each day instance is documented as FMLA and you are using the sick day to prevent the loss of wages. They can’t legally penalize you for FMLA. - Jack Kemp - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:39 pm: “Under the governor’s proposal, any employee missing seven or more work days in a year would get no pay increase.” Wait … huh? The Governor’s proposal is about a bonus*. What have regular pay increases got to do with it? - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:40 pm: @Robert the 1st Surely you’re not that dense. Paying people, while not exempting those with legitimate medical conditions (with no hope of achieving the goal) is at the very least heartless. I’d also venture a guess, illegal under the ADA. But then again, Bruce sure does like to invite lawsuits. I’m sure it’ll be comforting for working familes if mom has to take a couple of extra days off to deal with a sick child, that literally the child is costing the family a few thousand $$. - Skirmisher - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:40 pm: Predictable whining from AFSCME. I spent years in the Merit Comp system, and I sure wasn’t political. I am sure it got abused somewhere, sometime. But in our office it worked fine and was good incentive. And lots of employers give bonus pay to employees who have good attendance. What’s the problem?? - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:42 pm: @ RNUG, Under many plans, in order to qualify for FMLA one must exhaust their sick time (or use it concurrent). In that case, it would again literally be impossible to obtain the bonus while adhering to the letter of the law, and the proposed bonus structure. Another great program by the superstars. - There is power in a union... - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:43 pm: It’s a pay cut because they have proposed a 4 year freeze on cola’s and steps. With no cola’s and no steps then my only raises can be “bonuses” non-pension non-base that I either need to not get sick for, or kiss the right butt for. Or find ways to cut the program’s more down to the bone. So yes, effectively, if you get sick it is a pay cut. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:44 pm: How Ironic- It’s a bonus. Just one pool by the way. If you miss more than 7 days you can still get another bonus. Calm down. - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:44 pm: @ Skirmisher - “What’s the problem??” Said the guy with the sick child, the hardworking single mom taking care of an elderly parent, or the disabled worker that needs frequent visits to a physician….never. - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:46 pm: @Robert “Calm down?” Is that another lame Rauner slogan, similar to ‘hang in there’. Ever live paycheck to paycheck? Right on the financial edge due to a family sickness? Yeah, you sound all heart. It’s ‘just a bonus’. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Whoever remarked about people wearing Haggar slacks just ticked me off. I am a big guy and Haggar happens to make clothing that fits. So there. All kidding aside, the time thing is a bit obtuse for me. Salaried employees get a perk that many hourly employees do NOT receive: paid time off and paid vacations. So while the “incentive” may be out of reach for a parent who has to take 7+ sick days to be with their kids, they are still compensated for that time. I worked in a couple of factories during college, and those workers WERE punished for taking sick time because those 7-9 hours off meant no pay that day. My wife is a state (and unionized) employee. She gets relatively equal sick time compared to everyone else. Some have no time left after the end of 2015 and others are getting into almost triple digits. So the thought that not reaching plateaus constitutes a punishment belies that fact that you still get to take the time (and receive pay that day) as long as you use it appropriately (or not, depending on the office). - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Some of you are arguing the equivalent that every kid should get a perfect attendance pen even if they don’t show up. C’mon already. It’s an INCENTIVE program. People get sick. Yes. It stinks and yes they might not be able to access this part of the bonus. Life isn’t fair sometimes. Why is it that some of you think everyone absolutely always has to be treated exactly the same when it comes to raises and bonuses? That’s utter garbage. - howie - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:47 pm: What are the odds that any employee, no matter how stellar their performance may be, would ever get the Rauner bonus if they were an active union member? - Jack Kemp - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:48 pm: It’s not a pay cut and it doesn’t “cost” a family anything. It’s a bonus. A *BONUS*. If you meet the criteria, you get it. If you don’t meet the criteria, you don’t. As I understand it, this applies to dock days/unexcused absences. You could use all of your sick days, all of your personal days, all of your vacation time, any approved maternity/paternity leave or FMLA, and still get the bonus. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:49 pm: ==Said the guy with the sick child . . . never== This guy had a sick child that almost died and this guy just said it. So I wouldn’t have been able to access this bonus. So what? Again, why do you think everyone absolutely has to be treated equally? - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:50 pm: =It’s an INCENTIVE program.= Exactly. A pretty nice one too. I know people here like the extremes but honestly, how many sick days do you usually take in a year anyway? 1 or 2? - Team Sleep - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:50 pm: How - with respect, you are taking this all personally. Rauner is attempting to negotiate with a union that reps about 36,000 employees, and the state employs, what, 60,000 people on a regular basis?! The last SJ-R database showed 82,000+ when you included ancillary staff. If every decision were made based on 60,000 (or more) pieces of input then nothing would ever be finalized and the code of conduct would be so complex that nothing would ever be concrete or make any sense. - There is power in a union... - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:51 pm: Demoralized, it’s combined with a step and cola freeze. It’s not on top of the current structure. That plus kissing butt and slicing programs to the bone are now the only game in town. - How Ironic - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:51 pm: @Demoralized, Here’s an alternative. Take away sick comp. All of it. For everyone. That way, the state saves lots of money, and those that are not sick ever suffer no harm. Those with sick kids, parents, personal disabilities….well, tough %#%$#$%. In essence that’s what this ‘bonus’ program is in reverse. Those that use the current sick time for legitimate needs are going to be punished. Period. If it’s truly about sick time, and keeping people at their desk regardless of the circumstance, just eliminate sick time altogether. - anon-again - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:52 pm: Didn’t work before, why will it work now? And the same people who used this system of bonus(in the past for raises) are now back running the state agencies. Friends and palsies got max everyone else got minimum. In past this type system was used for raises only difference now is it is bonus which probably wont increase pension liability. - Macbeth - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:54 pm: The other issue — and I’m surprised no one has mentioned this — is what is it with these tiny incentives? $1000? Is he serious? If you want to incentivize me, then incentivize me. Give me $5k, $10K and we’ll talk. Make it like a real bonus — the kind that Rauner’s own executives would get. What, I get $1k — for a whole year? Be still my heart. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:54 pm: ==Demoralized, it’s combined with a step and cola freeze. It’s not on top of the current structure.== I know that. I’m not sure what your point is. - Try-4-Truth - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:54 pm: I suggest everyone read Woodrow Wilson’s “The Study of Administration”. Maybe we should understand why polices for public employees must be different than those of private employees. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:57 pm: Well, we can agree to disagree I suppose. But to the politics; when even folks here are pretty evenly split, I’d say this is a big old loser for AFSCME in the area of the public opinion. I bet most of you would agree with that. - There is power in a union... - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:57 pm: My point is that means getting sick is a pay cut. leaves us with 4 very dubious and sporadic choices to get increase. Promote, not get sick/don’t violate work rule, kiss butt, help screw poor people more. - Jack Kemp - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:59 pm: Macbeth, I’m sure some of those merit comp employees who haven’t seen so much as a red cent in 12 years would greatly appreciate an extra $1000. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:03 pm: Without having seen the plan, it appears that say an employee has, by rights of employment, 10 sick days. He/she has to use, over the entire course of the FY, all 10. Oops, no bonus. Now, if this is incorrect, then shouldn’t ck be sending out a clarification to show how benevolent the proposal is? - Homer J. Quinn - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:04 pm: skirmisher @ 1:40, “I am sure it got abused somewhere, sometime.” - Homer J. Quinn - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:04 pm: ^– that is the problem. - Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:06 pm: Team Sleep@1:04. Excellent comment. This is the divide and conquer strategy that the RAUN Man has working on his side. The average “joe” who is in a trade union doesn’t get paid sick days or vacation. Some trades have even gotten a reduction in “promised” pension benefits, and lastly, my unions employees have been getting attendance bonuses for years and they love it. Not much sympathy out there amongst the rank and file trade union with with the public sector unions. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:07 pm: =Give me $5k, $10K and we’ll talk. Make it like a real bonus= For missing under 7 sick days? Employees anywhere else would be doing back flips for $1k bonuses for missing less than 7 days. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:07 pm: It’s an incentive for sick people to go to work and make everyone else sick too. Yippee! Hope the germs spread to Bruce’s office. I bet he’d stay in bed if really sick and wouldn’t feel a bit guilty missing “work”, if that’s what you’d call what he’s doing. There is no room in the world, apparently for anyone who is not in top notch, stellar, 100% perfect functioning capability (sick) An illness means you are useless, in his mind. If only men could do the pregnancy thing…………do you think some women would be happy to never miss work for maternity reasons and let men rack up those weeks of absence? I do. But I guess since women are the only ones who do the pregnancy thing, men can never understand……. - Steve Rogers - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:08 pm: Has anyone asked the question if it is even appropriate for the state (a not-for-profit entity) to give out bonuses? Perhaps I’m naive, but I think of bonuses as private sector perks for when the company does well–sharing the excess wealth with its employees. The state doesn’t operate that way. In this proposal, I see two things. 1) Don’t get sick or take an extended vacation and 2) If I save the state some money by not purchasing paper or pencils, then I guess I get that “savings” given to me as a bonus. This all sounds weird to me. - Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:09 pm: The notion that attendance = productivity is flawed anyway. I know union employees who never miss a day but are some of the most unproductive workers in their offices. It’s about work ethic which is nearly impossible to quantify objectively. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:10 pm: Robert the 1st- “I know people here like the extremes but honestly, how many sick days do you usually take in a year anyway? 1 or 2?” **** In an ideal world, perhaps. But life isn’t all unicorns and rainbows. Life happens. And it happens more to people at different times in their lives, and to their loved ones. If (for instance) you truly believe that a person should report to work with a severe respiratory infection, when a few days off with medication and rest will ameliorate most of the symptoms, then I hope you aren’t put out when you are sneezed or coughed on. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:12 pm: =If (for instance) you truly believe that a person should report to work with a severe respiratory infection= I don’t. I think they should call in sick and get paid sick time? If they have to do it for 7 days, oh well, no extra bonus for attendance. - Politix - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:12 pm: Who would take this deal in place of steps and colas in the face of increasing health premiums? Please. And AFSCME fails once again, chasing the admin with a response. Then, of course, neglecting to mention increasing health costs being passed on to members and that the bonus structure takes the place of steps/cola. Would it kill these people to add a little context so that the issue might make sense to folks of average intelligence? Lindahl hasn’t done his job, not in months. I want my $ back. Also grating is that union members have learned more about the bonus proposal from this memo than from anyone at AFSCME. The newsletters are full of barely comprehensible victim-y garbage that sounds as bad or worse than the Gov’s. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:13 pm: You people do know that children that miss school because they’re sick usually don’t get perfect attendance awards right? It’s a bonus. Not getting it doesn’t hurt your base pay. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:15 pm: I don’t understand what’s so confusing to the proponents of this idea. An employee’s compensation package is salary + benefits (including paid time off). If you tell the employee that they can’t access a bonus unless they don’t use part of their compensation package, then you’re asking them to trade one for the other. What is so difficult to understand about this? Every paid day off that I control = money - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:23 pm: I also don’t understand how you don’t see the incentive to come to work sick. I can tell you for certain that if I wake up sick as a dog one day and I’m confronted with the choice of taking my 7th sick day or getting $1,000, I’m dragging myself into work if there’s any physical possibility of it. Who wouldn’t? - Anon - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:26 pm: Did Gov. Never-Sick ever considered this will push sick employees on the brink of using 7 days in to going to work while still sick in order to not lose their bonus, getting other employees sick, who get other employees sick, and so on, and so on… - Original Rambler - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:27 pm: A lot of posters going off the deep end about a letter that outlines a proposal which doesn’t have any details included. A little patience is in order, but it’s good to see something a little different being put out there. Heck, it could just be a trial balloon anyway. And to those of you who think you’re being deprived of a benefit for using legitimately earned sick time, doesn’t that occur already because employees who don’t use any sick time in a year get an extra personal day? (At least they used to.) - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:27 pm: ===I wanted to pass along this response from Mike Schrimpf in response to AFSCME’s statement:=== LOL. Seriously. Now Mike Schrimpf has his OWN Spokesperson, “ck”? Dear “ck”, You can attribute quotes to Schrimpf better. You are diminishing your own role by presenting as such. Up to you. Thanks! ow To that “Schrimpf” response, These “bonuses”, ate they designed to offset the increase in the cost of insurance AFSCME members will pay under Rauner’s proposals? Asking… - Anon221 - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:27 pm: ck- If you miss an assigned work day without approval, you get (or should get) dinged with a Leave Without Pay day. Am I interpreting this correctly??? - DonaldTrump - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:28 pm: What a bunch of AFSCME cry babies. Your union administration gives themselves better incentives than this. Ask your rep if you can find him. Tell him you want to see the compensation of every AFSCME officer and rep. After all you pay them. Bet you a years bonus they won’t show it to you. - Jocko - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:29 pm: Rather than taking the bait, AFSCME should reply, “Rather than focusing on our job performance, how about doing yours and propose a balanced budget!” - Anon221 - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:30 pm: To the Post- generally, if you go past 3 days in a row, you will need a doctor’s slip to be able to tap into any more consecutive sick days without a penalty. - illinoised - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:32 pm: I’ve worked at two large entities which implemented a merit pay program. Both attempts failed miserably. I could see this concept work with widget manufacturing (concrete specifications for a good versus flawed widget) but it is too hard to equitably and objectively implement elsewhere. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:37 pm: Nobody is arguing that everybody should get equal pay. Nobody. Not one person. But when you start divvying out bonuses for reasons that have nothing to do with job performance, and which are based on things out of the employees’ control, it’s appropriate to call foul. It’s arbitrary - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:38 pm: ==You fanned on Dillard, you wiffed on Quinn…== OW, I’m the first to point out that 40% of union households voted against their own self interest and for Rauner, but it’s more complicated than that. Many of us spent quite a bit of our free time at phone banks and door to door, and that had enough of an impact the Dillard came closer to winning the primary than anyone thought he would. Even in the general, Rauner didn’t even win by a landslide, against the least popular Governor in the country. Sometimes, it sounds as though you think AFSCME members sat on their hands, and there are a lot of us who didn’t. I certainly wasn’t alone in my efforts either, many of us were involved. Communications like this are an important part of getting the best deal we can at this point. Roberta Lynch had an editorial making our case in the Huffington Post as well. That’s at least one step toward a resolution that makes the best of a bad situation. - howie - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:39 pm: @Politix….this proposal was presented to the AFSCME committee YESTERDAY. It wasn’t even 24 hours old before it found it’s way here. - Bibe - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:39 pm: Proposals are only accepted, rejected or modified at the bargaining table. Of course AFSCME spokespeople have to respond when contacted by the press on these bad faith bargaining tactics. But when you take a proposal to the press minutes after it is presented at the bargaining table it is dishonest for the administration sources to say the union has ‘rejected them outright’ - @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:39 pm: “*** UPDATED x1 - Rauner responds ***” Perhaps one day it will say *** UPDATED x1 - Rauner governs ***, but I ain’t gonna hold my breath. – MrJM - Honeybear - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:42 pm: But OW I don’t think they want a deal. I think they are advocating the loss of all our positions. Really, as I understand it from our negotiator they want and are calling for our total destruction. I don’t think they want a deal. They want our death. - princess buttercup - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:46 pm: I see the govs clarification mentions vacation time, LOAs, FMLA (which is approved only after sick time is exhausted) bt does not address the treatment of scheduled sick time use for dr. Appts, medical tests or treatments, etc. So that part needs more plannng work. Here is my number one planning tool. A question. “What problem are we trying to solve?” The review if your proposed solution has any unintended effects, keeping in mind the psychology of incentives or disincentives from every angle. Also anything with a competitive angle will inherently include an incentive for cheaters, people who will game the system or attempt to. So when we design systems, we refine to work as exactly as intended and nothing more. Thats the art of government. so the question tool helps you do that refinement. Im not opposed to offering incentives to employees in general. But recommendation is to be very refined that they only have the intended affect. - Truthteller - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:47 pm: If the governor hands out pay raises the way he selected his running mate and gave jobs to Republican legislators will we be able to say he used objective criteria based upon performance? - Name Withheld - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:48 pm: ===You people do know that children that miss school because they’re sick usually don’t get perfect attendance awards right? It’s a bonus. Not getting it doesn’t hurt your base pay.=== Perfect attendance awards for school are typically a certificate and maybe an ice cream cone or iTunes gift card, not a $1,000 discount on tuition or waiver of school fees. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:48 pm: Politix, a lot of people not in public unions, but that really doesn’t mean much. If AFSCME thought pay plan life was just going to go on as before they were mistaken. This proposal says, apparently, no steps or COLAs until the state budget is in better shape. That’s really painful for employees, but it’s hard to understand anyone thinking it’s outrageous. Budget reality is budget reality. The second part apparently calls for 2% of payroll to be set aside for bonuses, or call them incentives or whatever. The unions objections are about the fairness of how they will be allocated. I suspect they are right that there will be some abuses but I have no reason to think that abuse will be rampant. Just because it might have been a very sticky problem 30 or 40 years ago doesn’t mean much today. A lot has changed. There is far less political patronage today than there was 40 years ago. More really troubling to the union, I suspect, is that it doesn’t go into the base and isn’t paid out sem-monthly. That makes it far more difficult to sell members on paying more for health insurance, which is almost certainly going to happen, because it means that paychecks would actually go down for many employees, probably most. It looks to me that the proposal may need some tweaking thru the negotiation process, but I’m sure the administration expects that. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:49 pm: ===Really, as I understand it from our negotiator they want and are calling for our total destruction. I don’t think they want a deal. They want our death.=== - Honeybear -, Congrats on your “Rookie of the Year” GH. To your comment, In less than 70 days, a dry run begins with the Labor Movement can make its biggest signal so far. Rauner wants Illinois Labor turned into rubble, all you can do is keep plugging in negotiations now and in March, Labor can begin to show strength. Until then, I wish you well as I always have, and hopefully something was learned after 2014. I hear ya. I really do. - Gman - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:52 pm: More information is needed about leave days. Question one, what is the average number of leave days used each year by employees? Is it higher or lower than 7? Management should have this information. Any further proposals can at least be built in accurate information. - Norseman - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:53 pm: === I can tell you for certain that if I wake up sick as a dog one day and I’m confronted with the choice of taking my 7th sick day or getting $1,000, I’m dragging myself into work if there’s any physical possibility of it. Who wouldn’t? === I remember those days. Coworkers were not happy when they got what I had. Now infecting the office has a monetary benefit. - Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:55 pm: If it only counts sick days or docked days, I’m good with that part. It’s not really any different than giving extra personal days for superior attendance.. I’d rather have the extra personal days, though. I am also not opposed to performance based pay as long as it be fairly applied. People are not all the same and good performers deserve better pay. Just figure out how to keep politics out of it. But don’t whine that the union should have approved the contract with major health cost increases so that the union members could get a bonus. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:55 pm: = Jack Kemp: “It’s not a pay cut and it doesn’t “cost” a family anything. It’s a bonus. A *BONUS*.” IMHO, the key phrase is ADVANCE approval. In other words, if you find it necessary to call in that you need to take today off because your child woke up sick this morning, or because you find your basement is flooding, or you commute 50 miles to Spring-patch and the road’s closed by snow drifts, then you’re going to get dinged for using your earned sick leave or vacation time. As I understand it, this applies to dock days/unexcused absences. You could use all of your sick days, all of your personal days, all of your vacation time, any approved maternity/paternity leave or FMLA, and still get the bonus. - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:58 pm: Lost an earlier comment so I’ll make this one more brief. Too large a percentage of union members voted for Rauner, but quite expended a great deal of effort toward a different result. Dillard did much better than he would have were it not for AFSCME. They moved the needle for sure. Also, this response from AFSCME wasn’t a complaint, it’s part of getting the best deal possible in the current situation. - Curmudgeon - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:59 pm: Oops. Not sure how that extra text got in my post and my “handle” disappeared …. == Jack Kemp: “It’s not a pay cut and it doesn’t “cost” a family anything. It’s a bonus. A *BONUS*.” == IMHO, the key phrase is ADVANCE approval. In other words, if you find it necessary to call in that you need to take today off because your child woke up sick this morning, or because you find your basement is flooding, or you commute 50 miles to Spring-patch and the road’s closed by snow drifts, then you’re going to get dinged for using your earned sick leave or vacation time. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:06 pm: ===Dillard did much better than he would have were it not for AFSCME. They moved the needle for sure.=== Got to Dillard weeks too late. Weeks. That’s why I have little sympathy. Better is winning. Not being harsh, I’m being honest. I hope a lesson was learned. These are the consequences of losing, and coming to the party late for Dillard. March will show me a lot. - Ghost - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:08 pm: i dont mind tying pay to performance, my concern is that the govenors proposal has not connection to perfromance. The gov proposal does not pay everyone who meets performance metrics, it offers a limited pile of money to be given based on favoritism. paraphrased example, 1000 employees perfrom at the same level and all meet their performance metric. the gov proposal agrees to give money sufficient for 200 to get raises. all 1000 perfromed well, all hit the same productivity. but 800 will get nothing, and 200 will get raises based mostly on who is most liked. if the gov plan was inlimited, all get taises if they meet their metrics, then this would be fair. you could even have different amounts or percentages based on those who meet, and those who exceed. who wants to work hard and do the same quality and quantity of work, but get nothing because they were not as well liked as the other person, and their were limited funds to go around. this is like the gov political fund… tou can just see raises going mostly to gop supporters….. ie prerutan il gov. - Anon2U - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:14 pm: AFSCME is like that spoiled little brat that throws a tantrum if anyone try’s to disipline them or not go along with their exact way of doing things. Kicking and screaming, screaming and kicking. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:16 pm: ===Sometimes, it sounds as though you think AFSCME members sat on their hands, and there are a lot of us who didn’t. I certainly wasn’t alone in my efforts either, many of us were involved.=== Nope, I don’t blame membership, but I do blame the dragging of feet and stalling and wringing of hands as Dillard waited, and waited, and waited. Leadership decisions as to when to be involved hurt all of AFSCME, and not comprehending that waiting hurt, welp, that’s on leadership. Again, hopefully something was learned. March and November of the Labor Movement will be huge. The sides are quite clear. Old allies aren’t allies anymore. Rauner took over voting switches. We’ll see how March goes first, and hopefully this contract won’t damage membership too much. - walker - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:20 pm: The more I learn about this, and after reading comments, the more modest this proposal appears. If anything Rauner should have gone bigger. Incentive pay based on a mix of objective and subjective criteria? Potential for unfairness? Welcome to the real world. The extent to which this will be used justify other cuts, is the real issue. The incentive structure on its face looks OK. - Facts are Stubborn Things - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:25 pm: come to work sick and get your bonus. I spent 30 years working for the state and it was hard enough over those years to do the job properly with political hacks trying to push you around….imagine if they controlled pay. I was in AFSCME. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:27 pm: ===The extent to which this will be used justify other cuts, is the real issue. The incentive structure on its face looks OK.=== 100% agree, it’s my “question” as well. Well said. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:29 pm: I still see that there are still those complaining that this proposal dings somebody that calls in sick. I’m assuming that is the entire point of the proposal. Again, it’s an incentive program. The point isn’t to reward everyone. Some of you say “yeah but, what if we get sick?” “what if our kids get sick?” Of course that will happen. And if it happens more than 7 times you don’t get a bonus. Those are the breaks. Again, you can’t always make everything equal. If everyone gets it then it really isn’t an incentive bonus is it? My mom worked for a company, as does my ex, that penalizes you for missing more than a certain number of days. You call in sick more than a certain number of days (I think for my mom it was maybe 5), you start get basically a bad check mark. Too many bad check marks and you get disciplined. Here, they are rewarding you for coming to work. I don’t see what’s wrong with that concept. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:31 pm: AFSCME is right to oppose merit pay in a system that could be fraught with favoritism and discrimination. How many who are screaming that Madigan and his special interests are corrupt and agree with Rauner’s “100 years of corruption” don’t see the potential for abuse? If the bonuses are limited, many workers will be left out, which can be terrible for workplace morale and job performance. If I or anyone feels unfairly uncompensated, why should I go the extra mile or offer extra help, as workers often do? Paid time off of work is real important to me. The state offers reasonable time off. America is struggling because productivity is up but wages are struggling. Time off is a form of compensation. Multimillionaire Rauner and some conservative billionaires and corporate interests are working hard to drive down workers’ wages and benefits, and to cripple or kill unions. In this environment, I think losing pay via limiting benefit time use–coupled with eliminating COLA/step increases and steep healthcare cost increases–is a terrible idea. - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:37 pm: ==I do blame the dragging of feet and stalling and wringing of hands as Dillard waited, and waited, and waited.== I suspect the Rutherford scandal was a part of the delay. Sure, AFSCME was too late, but too early and they would’ve wasted their resources supporting Rutherford. ==March and November of the Labor Movement will be huge.== You arent kidding. Huge may even be an understatement. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:38 pm: =AFSCME is right to oppose merit pay in a system that could be fraught with favoritism and discrimination. = Well I’m sure Rauner will agree after some convincing to do away with the bonuses. I’d sure love a $1k bonus for missing less that 7 days of work. Got sick for two weeks this year? Well there’s always next year. Oh well. Pay freezes all around. Much more fair that way. - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:39 pm: i always chuckle at the “real world” comments as if working in a cubicle in a private office is much different from working in a cubicle in a public office. They’re apparently so different to some people that they exist on different planes of reality. Having occupied both universes, I’ve never heard of getting stiffed on pay because you used your PTO - PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:53 pm: These bonuses will be accompanied by a 0% pay increase. Thus, no increase in pensionable salary. New employees will be stuck for years doing the same job as peers earning twice as much. - Robert the 1st - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:53 pm: = I’ve never heard of getting stiffed on pay because you used your PTO = Funny you mention PTO. PTO is used for vacation, personal, and vacation. Meaning being sick could cause you to use all your vacation. Different planes of reality indeed. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:53 pm: “Well I’m sure Rauner will agree after some convincing to do away with the bonuses.” It would be great if Rauner accepted modest health insurance concessions along with perhaps some pay freezes for part of the new contract and more modest step increases. Rauner is definitely not supporting progressive taxation so that he and other multimillionaires and billionaires pay higher state taxes. He’s demonizing unions and forcing their members to take the hits. This sours me to certain concessions. - Triple fat - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:54 pm: Everyone, You’re letting Mikie distract you from the larger issue! He only addressed the excused attendance argument. Cronyism will still go on. I was merit comp under Blago and only the well connected got the exemplary bonuses if anything at all. Rauner will be no different. They want to do away with Rutan and Personnel rules… AFSME is spot on about cronyism and they make valid points regarding ADA and FMLA… raunerites claiming otherwise doesn’t make it so. - The unknown poster - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:57 pm: About the only people who will qualify for this bonus are the younger, more healthy employees without dependents (or elderly parents) and who also live close to their place of employment. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:57 pm: ==It would be great if Rauner accepted modest health insurance concessions along with perhaps some pay freezes for part of the new contract and more modest step increases.== Has AFSCME proposed that? That’s been my issue throughout this whole ordeal. What has AFSCME proposed? You can’t just argue against something. You have to have an alternative. - Original Rambler - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:02 pm: Posters are justifiably upset with the Governor for not “proposing” a balanced budget so the give and take with the Dems could commence that would lead to a budget agreement. (Yes it’s a little more complex than that.) Here the Governor has put forth a proposal, and AFSCME responded with a denunciation. But now the ball is in AFSCME hands. They need to put forth some sort of counter. And I agree with Schnorf that it will be a public relations loser if it is to continue the current system. (If AFSCME claims that this was dropped on them just yesterday is true, well that does not speak well as to the Governor’s tactics but it does put them in a bit of a bind.) - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:03 pm: ==Those that use the current sick time for legitimate needs are going to be punished. Period.== It’s hard to argue with irrational arguments. Are you just being irrational for the sake of irrational argument or are you just not understanding the entire concept here. You do know that only 25% of the pot is set aside for this. There is still 75% available for bonuses by other means. Life isn’t fair buddy. Get over it. I’ve got kids. I understand how things work. Difference between you and I though is that I don’t feel entitled to get something just because somebody else gets it. Heck, I know managers with AA’s that make more than them. Is that fair? No. Actually it’s absurd. But that’s life. Essentially what you are arguing is that it’s not fair that everyone doesn’t get a trophy. That everyone isn’t a winner. Life is full of wins and losses. Get over it. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:03 pm: -Ghost-, To flip things around, I could make the same argument about the union overachiever who gets the same exact pay as the union slackard. Why should the overachiever work his rearend off to get the same pay as the politically connected hack who only shows up and goes on coffee break the entire day? The problem which, as far as I know has never really been solved in government employment, is how to reward the worker and punish the slacker without introducing opportunities for political favoritism. Solve that one and a lot of the other problems will also go away. - walker - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:09 pm: RNUG 4:03 Great summation. - Anon. - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:09 pm: If the govern thinks merit pay is such a good thing, why hasn’t he implemented it for his merit comp employees? - Dawn - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:13 pm: @AC- you booed PQ during democrat day at the state fair!!!! How do expect to pull the stunts you pulled and then expect your members to turn around and vote for the guy?? Elections have consequences - Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:14 pm: Let’s just keep doing the same thing we have done in the past to keep workers happy…..raise taxes. - Mama - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:14 pm: “as I understand it from our negotiator they want and are calling for our total destruction.” Honeybear, you correctly understand what is on the negotiation table. - Trolling Troll - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:21 pm: The bonus thing is nothing more than a red herring. The goal is to demonize state employees and divert attention from the underlying issues. If you know that you are not going to get a raise, or may not even have a job, in four years, your not going to buy a new car. You’re not going to fix the roof or build a deck. You are going to have zero confidence in consuming. These people work here, raise their families here, pay taxes here, and retire here. Three restaurants closed their doors just this week on Springfield. I’m sure more small businesses are close to doing the same. When are the small business owners going to scream at their representatives and demand action? - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:37 pm: “Let’s just keep doing the same thing we have done in the past to keep workers happy…..raise taxes.” Our state income tax has been pretty low for a long time–at least the individual income tax–except for the 2011 income tax hike. I can accept certain concessions and and a property tax freeze (in principle). I’m not sure if the freeze would be beneficial, after reading some articles, but I get why people want it, and again, support it in principle. Taxpayers can be squeezed by total tax burdens. That’s why I hope Springfield passes the Chicago property tax exemption. - AC - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:37 pm: ==you booed PQ during democrat day at the state fair!!!! How do expect to pull the stunts you pulled and then expect your members to turn around and vote for the guy??== They aren’t “my” members, but I am one. I think union members are capable of understanding nuance. With Quinn, tough contract negotiations combined with advocating unconstitutional pension reform were vocally opposed by AFSCME, and it would’ve been poor representation to do otherwise. There was a difference between Quinn who we disagreed with, and Rauner who wanted to destroy the unions altogether. Unions and Democrats didn’t March in lockstep, at least until Rauner bought all the Republican voting buttons. It certainly removed any doubt regarding who union members need to support in the future. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:42 pm: -Trolling Troll-, Bingo. It’s a consumer driven economy. State employees are consumers just like employees of private companies. Same for local government employees. Cut their ability to purchase items and you tank the local and state economy. You also cut all your tax revenue sources. Pretty much economic suicide … which would make perfect sense if you were a venture capitalist raider looking to bust up and sell off a company. But it is total idiocy if you are trying to keep a government running. - Johnnie F. - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:44 pm: So this is what they did with their interpretation of that recent work climate survey of state employees. There were lots of slanted questions on that concerning merit pay. Hey Gov…please send a copy of those survey results (including the free text comments) to Capitol Fax. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:47 pm: Demoralized / Robert the 1st Just want to point out, unless I read incorrectly, that you are both mistaken about the two different pools. Requirement for the remaining 3/4 pool is performance based AND section 1a from the 1/4 pool. Section 1a deals with the # of absences. So if you miss more than 7 days you are eliminated from a bonus regardless. Not to mention the 3/4 pool is only guaranteed for “no fewer than 25% of employees” - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:54 pm: Should have said, if you miss more than 7 days outside of the approved?? time off. Still not quite sure what does/does not get counted toward the 7. - Norseman - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 5:01 pm: === I agree with Schnorf that it will be a public relations loser if it is to continue the current system. === Do you think it will be a public relations positive if they accept? The state employee haters are going to continue to be haters and Rauner is going to continue bashing the so-called overly generous compensation workers receive unless they completely cave in to all his demands. In general the bonus proposal doesn’t look bad. The problem is the precedent regarding making it ineligible for pension consideration and the take expectations that aren’t mentioned in Barclay’s memo. - Triple fat - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 5:06 pm: Well said anonymous - There is power in a union... - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 5:19 pm: “There is still 75% available for bonuses by other means.” And this is the “kiss butt” pay. Which only 1/4 might get if there is money in the budget. And management still can’t figure out the criteria by which they would dub thee “a superior performer.” So it will go to the connected and the friends of supervisors. And those who sleep with supervisors… - Johnny Pyle Driver - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 6:01 pm: A lot of folks are tying the bonus to AFSCME accepting higher health insurance costs, but aren’t there a fair number of people for whom AFSCME negotiates health insurance but not compensation? This would seem to be a really raw deal for those folks if so - Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 6:19 pm: Things will change, AFSCME must realize it. If they don’t, they need to wake up. - A Jack - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 6:31 pm: One other unscheduled type of time off might be an inclement weather day. Should parents leave their child at home alone because of a snow day or risk driving on icy roads? Or what if there is a flood or tornado, well too bad, not only is your house gone, but no bonus for you. - Frustrated - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 7:03 pm: There is a bigger agenda here folks..why does Rauner feel the need to put this out there…last time I looked a union contract was several hundred page and proposals often involve multiple issues…and negotiating is just that…exchanging proposals..not saying I offered and how dare they say no…if your not in the room you don’t know what else was tied to that….it’s propaganda and it’s just stirring the pot… - The unknown poster - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 7:21 pm: Stirring the pot indeed. - Omega Man - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 7:58 pm: Sorry about the similar posts on two different threads, but this is important… Every state employee is a unique person doing a unique job for the state. The best and hardest workers often work with little or no direct supervision. How are these employees to be evaluated? The Governor should stop torturing state employees with these “nickel & dime” ideas (that will never come to pass) and start governing. All AFSCME members should remember that THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS JOB SECURITY. After that, the combination of compensation & health insurance may have to take a small hit in the next contract. So be it. The governor needs to realize that AFSCME WILL NEVER AGREE TO A CONTRACT THAT ENDS JOB SECURITY and therefore ENDS THE UNION! - Responsa - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 8:53 pm: In life there is no such thing as job security. There are are variety of reasons for this. If workers are not productive, or are no longer needed, and/or cannot be afforded, they are toast. It happens every day in America. I’m gobsmacked by some of the clueless and entitled statements being made on this thread. Demoralized, thanks for at least trying to bring some reason to the topic. - Omega Man - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 9:17 pm: State Government is not some company that you can buy, cook, cut up and eat like a Thanksgiving Turkey before moving on to your next meal. Decide on your priorities and then fund them. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 9:23 pm: I’m just going to say again what I said in the other thread. The Governor and CMS may not determine any element of compensation “non-pensionable” without legislation. Period. Further, previous arguments have been made that the payment of salary characterized as a “bonus” violates the State Finance Act. - Iamthepita - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 10:21 pm: I’m not understanding how AFSCME can express enough concern about the ADA when no one from AFSCME regularly attend to the ICED meetings, addressing ADA issues within the work place. http://www.state.il.us/iced/ - Amused - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 10:41 pm: I find Gov Rauner’s proposal confusing since state employees are compensated for their unused sick days when they retire. I won’t go in to the value of the unused days because that will generate uneeded responses. My point is if you are looking at ways to save money why offer a proposal for employees to bankroll sick days…it is a shell game. The 1K bonus does not count toward pension and the process will just be a fiscal nightmare and take us back 20 years to the Favorite Game and more people trying to sneak out not using time for appointments…making up meetings and places out of the office they need to be. I have seen it all! Yep he is turning it around…way back! - WATCHINU2 - Friday, Jan 8, 16 @ 10:41 am: Jason Barclay, General Counsel to Rauner from another State, 39 years old,husband and Father of three. His salary is $186,300.00 per year. Which is a 53% higher than Quinn’s General Counsel salary. Mr. Barclay purchased a 11 room home worth $1.37 million dollar home for he and his family. There still are State employees that are still owed back wages. The State refuses to pay them.The Rauner administration makes 36% more money than Quinn’s adminstration. Since Rauner could pay his adminstration the big bucks. Then, be the right boss and give your employees the back pay you owe them. - Shoe Searer - Friday, Jan 8, 16 @ 1:00 pm: “AFSCME represents tens of thousands of public-service workers on the front lines of state government doing difficult and demanding jobs every day.” Vacuum. - Anonymous - Friday, Jan 8, 16 @ 2:11 pm: Someone may have already spoken to this. Sick days for yourself or family illness - when you or your family become ill, and you have to notify your supervisor you need to take some sick time, eg, you call in, this is usually the case with children. So, yes, it is more difficult for those w children or elderly for whom they provide care. It also would spur people to come to work sick and spread illnesses. - IL17 - Tuesday, Jan 12, 16 @ 5:18 pm: CK’s comment identifies the entire purpose of this Rauner PR : “Governor makes a reasonable proposal that should generate discussion :”. Salesmen, hucksters, con-artists, negotiators know the most important element is to get the ‘other side’ to discuss your ideas. Never discuss the ‘other sides’ ideas! AFSCME is correct to blow off this PR event as the cronyism that it is! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.