88 Comments - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:34 am: The release of surplus TIF funds? This is a good idea, Funny how Chicago Democrats always seem to find money when they have to. We’re broke, but we’re not. Same as it ever was. - CharlieKratos - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:34 am: “Choice” and “Consideration”, you keep using those words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:37 am: Why would any workers want to reduce their constitutionally protected benefits? No Sandack, the Governor will… “take it from here…” - Stones - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:38 am: Hard to imagine what “reform” could possibly be crafted that would entice Tier I retirees to reduce their benefits. Smoke and mirrors. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:38 am: Do you think maybe, just maybe, Madigan knows anything that saves significant money is unconstitutional? - Harry - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:39 am: Oh, God, let’s waste another 2 years on pension “reforms” that are never going to happen, while all the State’s other problems fester. - AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:40 am: Governor is appalled that legislature hasn’t done anything since the Supreme Court ruled on pension reform. Does anyone remember when Rauner did anything on pension reform since then? What about Durkin? Radogno? - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:42 am: The Cullerton “consideration” bill still lowers a person’s pension. It’s like asking someone which finger they want cut off. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:42 am: Rauner can’t decide what salary is pensionable. Unions can’ tvbargain individual pension rights. Two facts that are being ignored. - AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:43 am: HAHA! So Rauner wants to take away the right to collectively bargain over wages? - Joe M - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:44 am: I can’t wait to hear Senator Cullerton’s reaction. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:45 am: Nothing more than again scapegoating the State employee as a distraction. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:46 am: ==Rauner says he believes Madigan and Cullerton are talking about this plan right now== So why come out and throw more verbal bombs at Madigan? - Dee Lay - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:46 am: How much will it cost to litigate this and eventually lose? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:47 am: “We plan to ignore that pesky Constitution, and just hope you, the people followin’ along, ignore it too” - Fake Gov. Rauner - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:47 am: ==Rauner said he has not spoken to Speaker Madigan== Does the Governor not realize that he MUST have the support of the Speaker to get something done? - X-prof - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:48 am: What Harry said. More kick the can. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:49 am: Another proposal. Another demand for anti-union language to be inserted into the proposal. Another proposal discarded in File 13. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:49 am: One more bust-out attempt to avoiding paying back part of the previously diverted pension funding except this time it is only the employees who are the targets. - Earnest - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:51 am: *sigh* So much for my hopes of real numbers coming with this budget address. Imaginary pension savings must be on their way. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:51 am: Only impacts 4 funds? So who they leaving out, Legislature (GARS) or judges (JRS)? My guess is JRS gets left out. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:52 am: @rap30 - It’s about the unions: #ILGov Rauner says to be constitutional, wages cannot be part of collective bargaining with public employees. Union bashin’ Help a fella out; Is Rauner friends with… Cullerton only? Cullerton and Madigan? Cullerton, for about another 30 minutes or so? Secretly Golfin’ buddies with Madigan? (Rauner golfed w/Madigan!) None of the Above? - @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:52 am: Because Madigan: Bruce Rauner’s statewide job disapproval rating has reached 51.6%. And the governor’s overall job approval is 18.5 points underwater. http://www.illinoisobserver.net/2016/01/21/poll-rauner-job-disapproval-rate-rises/ – MrJM - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:53 am: == it is only the employees who are the targets.== Of course it is. Governor Rauner has targeted state employees from the beginning, portraying them as villains in every way possible. Overpaid. Lavish benefits. Pensions overly generous. The funny thing is the Governor will tell state employees to their face that he fully supports them. I’d hate to see what he would do if he didn’t support them. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:53 am: Imaginary pension savings in FY-17 budget were pretty much a given even before this speech. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:56 am: If they are such staunch supporters of it now - why didn’t Leader Radogno or Leader Durkin co-sponsor SB 2404 in 2013? - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:57 am: To sum up the proposal, yawn. Or maybe once more down the rabbit hole. Shame we’re going to waste another half-year to year on this fantasy. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:58 am: Governor Rauner, who is your dry cleaner? Please iron those pants! - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:59 am: ==admits he wish he could take away collective bargaining for govt workers entirely== And there you have it. He hates unions. Wants them gone. Period. Dear Labor Relations Board: The Governor just admitted that he wants collective bargaining eliminated. You might want to consider that when deciding whether good faith negotiations have been taking place before declaring whether an impasse exists. - Concerned - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:01 am: So Rauner wants to eliminate collective bargaining rights but expects unions to collectively bargain away employees’ individual Constitutional pension rights? - X-prof - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:01 am: Rauner: Like the water in Flint, our bill is pure, it’s clean. Fixed it. - DuPage - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:02 am: Has Rauner gone mad? Or is this part of an act? The ISC has already ruled on pension cuts. - CharlieKratos - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:03 am: ~Demoralized The ILRB has been bought and paid for. Justice won’t come from them. Maybe the courts will take this info consideration though. - Archiesmom - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:04 am: I love the idea of announcing that you’ll support workers who choose to leave their protected benefits system against the backdrop of the stock market plummeting over the last few days. Because right now my retirement plan isn’t looking so darn good. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:05 am: -Demoralized- The point I was making was that, instead of going after all workers and retirees, for now they have narrowed their aim to just workers. - wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:05 am: I think he’s looking to bank some “savings” from “reform” like he did last February. Like Emanuel, everything with Rauner is a p.r. game. Works for the “perception is reality” crowd. - Person 8 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:07 am: I’m interested to see the consideration. If I recall the original bill stated, three were 3 choices, and one of those was keep what you have but lose state health care. Keep the cola, but delay it and keep the health care. Change to simple interest and get healthcare. It wasn’t until recently the whole no salary going forward thing came up. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:07 am: - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:32 am: RNUG what about this: At this point, they should be put in prison. SERIOUSLY I am not joking. They have a duty to uphold the Constitution of the United States AND Illinois. They are more then corrupt and should be put in prison. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:08 am: Rauner: “… our bill is pure.” It’s pure something … - Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:08 am: ==peace through strength== Oh jeez. Now he’s invoking Ronald Reagan. Apparently this “war” is like the U.S. (Rauner) vs. the Soviet Union (Madigan). - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:11 am: -Anonymous- Unfortunately, there is a presumption that the GA knows the law and whatever they pass is constitutional until otherwise ruled. If Rauner hadn’t bought the GOP, it might be possible to (I word) on dereliction of duties. - AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:14 am: So, Rauner has finally admitted publicly what he has been saying behind closed doors for a long time. He wants to completely end collective bargaining. He doesn’t want to limit it. He doesn’t want to modify it. He wants to take away the right to collectively bargain. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:15 am: -Person 8- IL SC has said the following are protected: pension itself premium free health insurance / 20 year rule retiree 3% AAI There have been court rulings on what defines salary. So what is left to bargain or trade? - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:22 am: Rauner: You own an imported car? Ms. Sanders: Yes, it is a 2010 Civic. Rauner: With a SUNROOF? Ms. Sanders: How did you know? It stopped working. Is there anyone you know who can fix it? Rauner: Yes! She drives a luxury imported automobile and vacations in ORLANDO! Ms. Sanders: Brian and I have a time share near Disney World. We’re thinking of retiring there when we are ready. Rauner: THIEF! - CharlieKratos - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:23 am: Rauner’s main focus is twofold. 1) Change the discussion to something other than the budget 2) Destroy unions As far as pensions go, he wants to be able to drive down employee wages to the point where he doesn’t care what the pension benefits are. 40% of $10,000 a year isn’t beans even with the 3% AAI. - AC - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:26 am: ==Rauner said the proposal has been reviewed by lawyers. “Our bill is pure, it’s clean.”== How did you clean it? What, like with a cloth or something? - Harry - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:27 am: My guess is Cullerton says, “My pension proposal does NOT require that salary be removed from collective bargaining, and if that is in your pension bill you can count me out.” This State has totally jumped the shark. - Person 8 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:31 am: “So what is left to bargain or trade?” That’s why I’d be interested to see what they now consider “consideration”. I agree with everything your saying, and I believe the courts will rule against anything unless keep what you have is an option. This is probably closer to what they are going to “offer”, From the TRS site: -Keep the 3 percent compounded COLA and no future salary increases would be included in the initial pension formula. -Keep future raises in the initial pension calculation, but the member’s annual COLA in retirement would be half the inflation rate, with a 3 percent cap. - walker - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:31 am: Word +1 - JS Mill - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:37 am: Lots of good commentary here. Clearly the governor is not interested in reality. It is like we are living in a Salvidor Dali painting sometimes. Food for thought- Madair, for whom I have tremendous respect, believes Cullerton’s pension proposal was constitutional due to the fact that “raises” are not guaranteed. His proposal was basically- Give up current COLA for future raises to be included in the pension calculation or keep COLA and no raises calculated. He points to a New York decision (not binding in Illinois) as support for his position. RNUG, thoughts? - Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:40 am: So, I can keep the compounded Cola if I agree not to count future raises toward my pension. What raises would that be for anyone 4 - 7 years away from retirement? Especially since the Governor wants to remove wages from collective bargaining. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:43 am: Rauner: Fellow hard working taxpayers of Illinois - it is parasites like Ms. Sanders and her offspring that has pushed our beloved state towards the fiscal cliff of bankruptcy! She is just one of thousands of parasites feasting upon the life blood of our dying state! She gets paid astronomical wages! She receives scandalous health and retirement benefits! She robs us blind just to drive around in imported cars and live in luxury Floridian houses! I can find a young super-intelligent Hindi living in a garage in a suburb of Mumbai who can do her job for pennies! We can outsource Ms. Sanders job to this hungry young gentleman - HERE! Curtain is pulled back to reveal Mr. Ran Patel, a 25 year old recent graduate of South Mumbai School of Design Technologies. Rauner: Mr. Patel, you have seen what Ms. Sanders does. Can you do it as well? Mr. Patel: Yes. Rauner: And how much are you willing to make for doing her job? Mr. Patel: I work 10 hour shifts between 1AM-10AM in Mumbai and earn $131 a week. Rauner: COST SAVINGS! Ladies and gentlemen - young Mr. Patel would welcome but a smidgen of Ms. Sander’s massive wages, and DO THE SAME JOB! Why are we allowing ourselves to be ripped off like this? We don’t need to pay AFSCME for our enslavement! We can just pay Mr. Patel! Ms. Sanders: Mr. Patel, do you know our data system at DHS? Mr. Patel: No. But I’m certain I can learn. Ms. Sanders: Can you figure out how to contact Larry over at the DHS office and make his figures match from the South Barrington office before Mike and Laura imports the data into the mainframe after lunch? Mr. Patel: Mainframe? I don’t do anything with mainframes. Ms. Sanders: We have about 8 million records in a series of mainframes here in Chicago, Quincy, Champaign, Kankakee and the Quad Cities. I’ve been working within this system since the 2004 upgrades. You have to know exactly what to do or the entire system melts down. Mr. Patel: I wouldn’t know how to do that. Ms. Sanders: Would you want to learn how to do that for $131 dollars a week? Mr. Patel: If I had to. Ms. Sanders: I do it. I also have to work with political appointees of Mr. Rauner who just graduated from a university in Wisconsin and New York who still call each other “Bro” and “Horn-Dog”. I think their parents know someone who knew someone around Winnetka. Our entire department has to work around them because they’ve never had jobs before, but still - they are our bosses. Mr. Patel: Sucks being you Ms. Sanders. Ms. Sanders: But Mr. Billionaire Governor over there, thinks I’m a thief. Mr. Patel: We have a Hindi word for him. Ms. Sanders: You should hear what we call him! - east central - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:44 am: This forces Madigan and Cullerton to pass a pension bill. The only sensible and constitutional approach is to pass a bill that includes a no-change option. They can include an option for individuals to cash-out. Another possible option would be to offer a tradeoff between base payments and AAI’s. These options could be formulated to be somewhat favorable to the pension systems. Their impact on individuals would depend upon how each person handles their money and of course how markets move. This approach would not save much but it could be sold as reform. Passing nothing is not an option politically. - ZC - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:44 am: I’d like also to get a better sense what is on the table here. Obviously (and this should be the baseline assumption, with Rauner) if this is just another poison pill to get at abolishing collective bargaining rights, Cullerton’s not going anywhere near this. As the Sun-Times (linked) puts it however, “Cullerton’s plan, floated last year, would offer workers slightly lower annual cost-of-living raises if they want those pay increases to count toward their retirement benefits. That idea is based on legal precedents that say employers have reasonable leeway in setting pay raises.” That … hasn’t been tested in the courts, to my knowledge. Earned health care benefits, wisely or unwisely, the Supremes have made it clear, count under the Pension Clause’s protection. But is anywhere here making the strong argument, that the IL Constitution and the Pension Clause absolutely protect public workers’ right to a reasonable raise? I can see why a lot of public sector workers would -want- to believe that - they’ve run the tables pretty much, so far with the IL Court - but that seems to me a very contestable claim. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:49 am: Cullerton’s bill is equally unconstitutional. - illinifan - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:50 am: So by the time all this is proposed, talked about, voted on (if ever) and maybe passed, then taken to court and a decision made we are now another 2 years down the road and the debt has run up some more without ever addressing the core problem, the state needs more income to deliver everything they promised. How many more attempts are needed before they face reality and deal with the tax structure in Illinois. - Wow - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:51 am: speaker calling every union leader right now: “as you can see, I am your only boackstop, even Cullerton is in cahoots with Rauner” … Wanna bet the Senate Prez is fielding about 20 calls from union leaders this morning. ???? - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:52 am: ===Mr. Patel: I work 10 hour shifts between 1AM-10AM in Mumbai and earn $131 a week.=== I have a relative whose company outsourced some tech projects to India for a dollar an hour. A dollar. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:53 am: Getting Cullerton to admit that and back away from his own idea, however, will be tricky for anyone to accomplish. If Democrats back away from Cullerton’s plan, that gives Rauner more ammunition to essentially say ==See? Even when we agree with the Democrats and support them, they find a way to obstruct things.== Could be a problem. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:55 am: -JS Mills- First, see above. Second, the NY and IL Pension Clauses are very similar but the two court systems have sometimes come to different conclusions. As you say, non-binding but a precedent. However, here in IL the AAI is clearly protected and the courts have been pretty inclusive in defining what constitutes salary. Would have to see the bill language but if it is like the original Cullerton SB-1 from a couple of years ago, with no “keep what you have” (in its’ entirety), my guess is the court shoots it down. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:55 am: ==A dollar.== Sheesh. That’s impossible to compete with. - ZC - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:56 am: Everyone here making the argument “oh why go down this rabbit hole again, we’ve tried and failed this through the courts” is finessing that we’ve consistently failed to listen to or really try the legal solutions backed by John Cullerton. That might be relevant too. - Archiesmom - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 11:57 am: Illinifan +1 - AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:02 pm: **This forces Madigan and Cullerton to pass a pension bill.** I don’t think that “forces” means what you think it means. - GraduatedCollegeStudent - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:03 pm: ===Ms. Sanders: I do it. I also have to work with political appointees of Mr. Rauner who just graduated from a university in Wisconsin and New York who still call each other “Bro” and “Horn-Dog”. I think their parents know someone who knew someone around Winnetka. Our entire department has to work around them because they’ve never had jobs before, but still - they are our bosses.=== Hey! The second and third sons (and daughters) of the wealthy need employment too. And the military and clergy are no longer acceptable career paths for the elites, so you’re even more limited in what can be done. - Sue - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:05 pm: The governor’s saying that workers “must” choose. “Must” implies coercion. So, how is a coerced choice a choice? - Person 8 - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:06 pm: Rauner potential end game: SB1 (madigans plan) = failed Cullertons plan = by 2017 he hopes it fails(despite support) Then Rauner’s plan = well those plans didn’t work, lets try my plan: just get rid of the unions, and I can outsource as many jobs as needed! - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:07 pm: -ZC-f No one is saying there is a constitutional right to a raise. But there are fairly consistent court rulings a raise must be pensionable. And the way they are structuring it, mixing a (currently) union bargained raise against the surrender of the 3% compounded AAI which is a protected individual right, is unlikely to survive a court challenge when you look at the various previous rulings. Without seeing the language, I’d give it a less than 10% chance (and I’m being generous). - DuPage - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:10 pm: @ZC 11:44 =…protect public workers’ right to a reasonable raise.= A lot of public sector workers have had very small or no raises at all for years. Some have had increased insurance cost far exceed any pay increases. - Junior - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:16 pm: Charlie @11:23 - I agree that Rauner is attempting to change the conversation away from the budget, and toward topics that he believes play better for him in the court of public opinion. Dems need a plan to counter this effort, because much of this current stuff is about November. I have a slightly different take on the busting of the union, perhaps it is semantic. I think he wants a certain deal and will battle the unions to get it. But, he has agreed to deals with several other unions, so I think he’ll deal with them if he can get what he wants. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:19 pm: ===…so I think he’ll deal with them if he can get what he wants.=== You mean the comple surrender of collective bargaining abd prevailing wage? Yeah, Rauber will deal if he gets that, lol - Sue - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:20 pm: So, according to our governor, workers in other states earn more than Illinois workers when the COST OF LIVING is taken into consideration. So, he’s saying is that IF our cost of living was the SAME as Indiana’s, our workers would be making less? But our cost of living ISN’T the same….so what’s the point? Or, maybe that’s his plan - destroy the state’s economy which will then lower our cost of living which will then increase the purchasing power of lower wages. Walah! Problem solved. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:25 pm: I know several school districts that have already been taking soft freezes or no raises at all. Cullertons bill is both unconstitutional and laughable. - Norseman - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:27 pm: Pension groundhog day. Ugh! - CharlieKratos - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:29 pm: Junior, the “several other unions” that he made deals with were not comparable with AFSCME and were done mostly for show and because they covered few enough people that he didn’t care. The “show” part obviously worked. - Foster brooks - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:31 pm: Everyone grab a SERS booklet and read it.Any changes that aren’t for the better is going down the tubes.Only way you can make pay not pensionable is agree to it like the Teamsters did with the bonus plan. - ZC - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 12:41 pm: Well anyways, it’s not Cullerton’s proposal (shocker). It’s more of Rauner’s poison-pillery. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:07 pm: “$1 billion savings based on FY17–pension payment of $7 .8B would be $6 .8B if plan was implemented.” Whether it is ruled unconstitutional or not, the one big result is the pension fund will be SHORTED $1 Billion dollars in FY2017 under the Governor’s plan. Either way, it’s $1B short. Not keeping up with mandated pension payments does not help the situation! - Flynn's mom - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:10 pm: Is there anyone in Rauner’s administration that can talk some sense and get him to see that he’s going nowhere fast? - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:16 pm: ==Apparently this “war” is like the U.S. (Rauner) vs. the Soviet Union (Madigan).== As the Speaker declared last August, this is an ==epic struggle== This ==epic struggle== is being fought as a ==war of attrition==, due to the strategy being used by both sides. Neither cares about the casualties, just ==winning== - Norseman - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 1:35 pm: === Rick Pearson@rap30 Madigan says Rauner trying to drive a wedge between him and Senate prez. Says it won’t work. === He’s right! You can’t drive a wedge into the space that already divides Madigan and Cullerton. While both are doing the right thing in opposing Rauner, they haven’t been able to unite behind a coherent opposition approach. - JS Mill - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 2:21 pm: =Pension groundhog day.= @Norseman- you are rocking my funny bone big time! - Facts are Stubborn Things - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 2:45 pm: AS RNUG pointed out, at least those already retired are not in the cross hairs. Looks like they are set on trying one more run at reducing pensions for those still working. Ug, more time and money wasted. - RNUG - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 6:18 pm: Wasting the money is not that big a deal compared to the time being wasted before starting on a proper funding solution. - Me too - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 6:44 pm: I’ve had enough. I’m just going to sell or and take a job a major defense contractor has been offering me for a omg time. Let Rauner try to get someone to do my job without the experience knowledge or mental capacity to understand that the past and benefits don’t begin to make up for this kind of treatment. - Me too - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 6:48 pm: Darn phone:I’ve had enough. I’m just going to sell out and take a job a major defense contractor has been offering me for a long time. Let Rauner try to get someone to do my job without the experience, knowledge, or mental capacity to understand that the pay and benefits don’t begin to make up for this kind of chaos. He’s ruining our state for 1.4%. Come on people. - Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 9:27 pm: Hey, be nice. In 2008 there were many weeks were I had to work for $1/ hr. There were actually a couple of weeks were it cost me $’s/hr to keep the doors open. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 21, 16 @ 10:16 pm: Great comments in this thread. I too thought of the labor board when I first read the tweet about Rauner wishing to end all collective bargaining for government employees. I thought, wow, what an incriminating statement. Not that his comment will do any good as far as the labor board impasse decision, but perhaps it could help if it goes to court? What is very important for unionized government employees and others to seriously consider is that a half-billionaire wants to take away in an instant what so many people worked so hard for over many years. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.