64 Comments - thunderspirit - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:35 am: == He’s only talking here about teachers unions, but one can’t help wonder if he feels the same about AFSCME. == And SEIU. And AFT. And pretty much every union in existence, considering the context of his remarks. The Governor’s contempt clearly extends to all unions. Labor would be wise to take note. - HangingOn - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:36 am: Methinks someone learned a new word this week… - illinois manufacturer - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:39 am: He learned 2 words dictator and collectivist. If Madigan were a collectivist dictator Rauner and trunc would not be around ranting about them being collectivist dictators - Concerned - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:47 am: And in the absence of collective bargaining, the employer can dictate. That’s what Rauner wants. He doesn’t want to negotiate (even if he can “win” any negotiation), he just wants to dictate terms. - @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:48 am: “It takes someone with a unique background to stand up to the threat of a strike, and win.” Someone cut from the same heroic cloth as George Pullman and John D. Rockefeller. – MrJM - steward - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:48 am: “but one can’t help wonder if he feels the same about AFSCME.” I’m not wondering. His sheer contempt for the very idea of public servants organizing for better pay and working conditions is palpable. - AC - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:49 am: Rauner is often that which he claims others to be. He want’s to dictate terms to unions and he demands absolute obedience from the politicians he controls. - Juice - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:55 am: Dear Donna, Thank you so much for the Ayn Rand word-a-day calendar for my birthday, it was a really thoughtful gift. Sincerely, Bruce - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:01 am: Hard to argue that the unions are dictating the terms unlike negotiations in the private sector where the leverage is on the employer side. These negotiations with CPS and AFSCME have been going on for over a year and it does not look like we are close to resolving either one. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:04 am: Why do people pushing paper in a cubicle for the state of Illinois need to be in a union? Serious question. - Rational Dem - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:08 am: It might take someone with unique background to stand up to a strike and win but it does not take a unique background to run in to Court and ask to be able to pay employees and increase funding for K-12 while not figuring out the funding. - It's all about the teachers. - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:08 am: To bad parents don’t have a choice as to where their kids go to school. - Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:09 am: “Why do people pushing paper in a cubicle for the state of Illinois need to be in a union?” Because they got fed up with the abusive treatment from previous administrations and/or supervisors. - AC - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:09 am: ==These negotiations with CPS and AFSCME have been going on for over a year and it does not look like we are close to resolving either one.== Negotiations with AFSCME ceased in January when Rauner’s team walked away from bargaining. - Carhartt Representative - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:15 am: =Hard to argue that the unions are dictating the terms unlike negotiations in the private sector where the leverage is on the employer side. These negotiations with CPS and AFSCME have been going on for over a year and it does not look like we are close to resolving either one.= Yes, CTU gave dictated themselves a 2% pay cut this year and almost managed to negotiate a 0% pay raise. Not that’s what I call autocratic. - JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:16 am: =unlike negotiations in the private sector where the leverage is on the employer side. = Yes, because that has been so good for everyone given the real wages have been stagnant for 35 years. Thank goodness the millionaires and billionaires are not being victimized anymore. - HangingOn - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:18 am: ==negotiations in the private sector where leverage is on the employer side== I was raised in a Caterpillar household. My Dad was management; he was in charge of doing the budgets. There were many threats of and actual strikes when I was growing up. Never once did my Dad say he had the leverage. No product=no money. He always found a way to make the Union less unhappy so they would accept the terms. It’s called give and take. I never heard him say Cat was putting their foot down and refusing to negotiate, and he never walked away from the table. He also never badmouthed the Union for wanting the most for their members. His goal was to find what they would be willing to accept and to find a way to make that happen. - Carhartt Representative - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:18 am: =To bad parents don’t have a choice as to where their kids go to school.= If only there were charter schools in Chicago. I mean outside of the $700,000,000 that CPS pays for them annually. - Ron - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:19 am: Yes, CTU gave dictated themselves a 2% pay cut this year and almost managed to negotiate a 0% pay raise. Not that’s what I call autocratic. No they didn’t. - Anon221 - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:23 am: “…but I’m going to run again, so, you know,” said Rauner…” What he must say as he looks in the mirror each morning… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exxw1Ccgukg - Thoughts Matter - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:37 am: The union and several legislators have repeatedly asked the Governor to come back to the bargaining table. The only side that’s delaying or dictating seems to be the Governors. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:50 am: Correct me if I am wrong, but the union played hardball with Rauner the last time they met and showed absolutely no signs of flexibility. - Dale Cooper - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:51 am: I’m starting to think the Failure Governor Bruce Rauner thinks that CPS and CTU are synonymous. - Ron - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:51 am: The shrinking middle class meme is getting tiresome. People are moving from the middle to upper class. It’s a good thing. https://www.aei.org/publication/yes-americas-middle-class-has-been-disappearing-into-higher-income-groups/ - Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:54 am: Is it possible Illinois goes four years without an operational budget and AFSCME goes four years with out a contract? - unionman 2 - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:59 am: At last negotiation, AFSCME submitted counter proposals that Administration refused to look at. Administration came to hearing stating that there was an impasse and wanted Afscme to agree. Administration came with prepared statement. I have a few friends on bargaining committee and versions of events in fairly consistent. - RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:03 pm: == Why do people pushing paper in a cubicle for the state of Illinois need to be in a union? == One reason would be to prevent the political patronage / favoritism abuses that occurred regularly without a union. And if you doubt it would occur today, just look at how different people in MC positions get treated. Your political connections DO make a difference in your career advancement. - Nick Name - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:07 pm: “They want to delay (contract talks) for another two-and-a-half years and hope that I’m gone, but I’m going to run again, so, you know…” Do not expect the union indifference that helped you squeak to a narrow victory the first time around, Gov. 1.4%. - HangingOn - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:16 pm: ==pushing paper in a cubicle for the state of Illinois== You really don’t know what many state employees do, do you? I myself am a clerical, so I would clarify as a paper pusher. But the rest of the people in my office are Engineers and out in the field, doing inspections daily and finding sources of issues (which can involve 5 mile hikes through places you wouldn’t want to hike through). When I temped at DCFS I got to hear lovely stories about caseworkers having to go to houses where their lives were threatened by people who thought it was their right to beat the tar out of their children to “teach them a lesson”. Even as a paper pusher I received threats from people. Gotta love a job where you have to have a panic button linked to the cops. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:18 pm: This is why government can’t be run entirely like a business. Rauner can’t just dictate terms to the body politic or labor organizations. He is not the CEO of the state. This is why he’s trying to cripple or eliminate unions, so he can dictate terms. This isn’t a democracy and is more like a dictatorship. - A Jack - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:32 pm: Last year everyone was corrupt, this year anyone who disagrees with the Governor is a dictator. Next year to the Governor we will be…… Commies, Anarchists, Radicals? Maybe all three? “Those AFSCME people are just overpaid commie sympathizing anarchist radicals. But they are hardworking, so we will keep paying them.” - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:36 pm: –The shrinking middle class meme is getting tiresome. People are moving from the middle to upper class. It’s a good thing.– Wow, I guess that’s why 51% of Illinois school children need free or reduced price lunches. - Ron - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:36 pm: “Why do people pushing paper in a cubicle for the state of Illinois need to be in a union?” There is no need, other than to provide political support in order to bleed the taxpayers. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:52 pm: –The union wants nothing. They just want to delay. They want to delay (contract talks) for another two-and-a-half years and hope that I’m gone, but I’m going to run again, so, you know,”– Nope, we just want to negotiate a fair contract. It’s that simple. We didn’t walk away from the table. Rauner did. But there again, Raunerites like Trump supporters are “reason/fact” free. They don’t care. They just want thousands of people to lose their jobs, the destruction of higher ed, 55,000 children to not get the care they need, and for the state workforce to collapse, so that they can blame it all on public unions. All so they can justify their selfishness. Rauner supporters are selfish and privileged. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:07 pm: Honeybear, what is a fair contract? Please elaborate. People always say the wealthy should pay their fair share of taxes. I’m not sure I know what is a fair share. - blue dog dem - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:11 pm: Honey, your last srntence was out of line. Example: one day I was driving by a road construction project being handled by IDOT. Two workers were leaning/resting on their shovels for the 22 minutes it took me to get by the work area. Not all IDOT workers are lazy. - Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:11 pm: “There is no need, other than to provide political support in order to bleed the taxpayers.” Ron, you are such a card. Last I checked, I am an Illinois tax payer. So according to your twisted logic, I am bleeding myself. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:59 pm: –Honeybear, what is a fair contract? Please elaborate.– As I have said here before. If I were the “All powerful Honeybear” and could write the contract 1) No raises. 2) Step increases up to 5 years of service. (You gotta keep the new ones) 3) Slight increase in Healthcare premiums but keep the same current level of service. 4) No changes from the existing contract. Meaning no outsourcing or privatization changes. I as a state employee feel that this is plenty of give. I totally get that we’re in a tight financial spot, but we have got to keep the workforce from collapsing. - Ron - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:08 pm: “Ron, you are such a card. Last I checked, I am an Illinois tax payer. So according to your twisted logic, I am bleeding myself.” Don’t be a fool. You are supporting yourself. We private sector taxpayers are being bled dry. And the results are scary. People leaving the state faster than all states not named W. Virginia, 4th highest tax burden in the nation, almost the worst in job growth and unemployment. The death spiral will continue until we fix the outrageous system designed to protect the coddled class at the expense of private citizens. - Ron - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:09 pm: “but we have got to keep the workforce from collapsing.” Laughable, a public workforce “collapse” would save some money finally. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:12 pm: So many dictators. I’m getting confused as to which dictator controls the world. This would be funny if it weren’t so sad. The Governor of the State of Illinois continues to tell anyone who will listen what an ineffective Governor he is. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:20 pm: Huh, are there many people still around in the state workforce who suffered abuses because the state didn’t have unions? Your talk is puffery and hyperbole, like waving the bloody flag 30 years after the civil war. Public unions have been allowed since the Walker administration, which ended 40 years ago. I suppose you would argue that there would still be 12 year olds toiling 60 hours a week in the textile plant (if there still were a textile plant) if not for the current existence of unions. I believe there is still need for public unions, but your’s isn’t one of them. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:23 pm: Hey, Ron, you speak in a really authoritative manner, so I’m interested. What’s your cite for the 4th highest tax burden - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:23 pm: Honeybear, what is a slight increase in health cost? What do you currently pay now? What would you be willing to pay? No raises for how long? - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:33 pm: Pick a nickname anonymous 2:23. I don’t know, maybe 5-10% more for healthcare. As far as how much I pay it’s almost exactly what I paid when I was in the private sector. No raises for the life of the contract which I would peg to Rauners one term in office. Now, I’m sure my sisters and brothers in labor are going to give me an earful having said all this but I do feel that everyone must make sacrifices. I just don’t see the wealthy and large corporations pulling any for our state when they get hundreds of millions in tax rebates from EDGE, or the flat tax which benefits the privileged. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:33 pm: Ron - you do realize that if the Union strikes, or our pay checks stop, there won’t be anyone to process your unemployment benefits. Just sayin… - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:45 pm: @Honeybear #3 seems legit. But singling out who receives increases is absurd. That’s some Bologna Rauner himself would think of trying to save a buck. What are you step 7 or 8 as a caseworker by now? What about those of us who finally obtained a decent/recent promotion after many years of service just to be told you’re not seeing any new money for a minimum of four years?! I understand no COLA, but I do not accept no service increases. Keep fighting Afscme, earn that $59/month you’re receiving from me, or the $10k taken over the course of my career. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:56 pm: What are you step 7 or 8 as a caseworker by now? –What about those of us who finally obtained a decent/recent promotion after many years of service just to be told you’re not seeing any new money for a minimum of four years?! I understand no COLA, but I do not accept no service increases.– Sister/Brother I get it. My suggestions have nothing to do with whether or not you deserve to get service increases. If if were up to me then of course you would get a fair raise. I know how hard we work and what we have to put up with, believe me. But I made these recommendations on what I thought the other side would find acceptable and go for, what THEY would find reasonable. Also what the average public citizen would find reasonable. When we strike a hard pose then how can the public come to our side? What I proposed would suck but only for the one term of Rauner. It incentivises our base to work harder for his ouster. Getting the 2/5 union households down to 1/10. Don’t think that I want to give that perfidious #@$@%^ anything. This is about strategy and public perception. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:57 pm: –Ron - you do realize that if the Union strikes, or our pay checks stop, there won’t be anyone to process your unemployment benefits. Just sayin…— nice hit - Sue - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:58 pm: Impasse- implementation then strike or acceptance. Either way will work for the vast majority of the Illinois citizenry who are fed up with the status quo - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:00 pm: Thanks for your answers Honeybear. However, if you think the grass is greener in the private sector, you should return to it. It really isn’t necessary to take shots at successful people or businesses. - Union Man - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:23 pm: I’ve said it before and it’s still true. Rauner has made himself a Lame Duck Governor already. Even Republicans don’t all trust him or his leadership. - Sue - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:47 pm: Union Man- dream on. Let’s see what you say after the Zlabor Board declares the impasse and ACFSME is faced with whether to strike. Then we will see who is lame - Hieronymus - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:47 pm: @2:20pm. Bloody Shirt? - unionman 2 - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:50 pm: Sue, I sure hope you don’t need any services from public employees since accordingly to you the public doesn’t care if we strike or not. If it walks like a troll… - Sue - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:59 pm: Unionwoman- don’t see a strike since your colleagues know when to fold - Mama - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:30 pm: - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:04 am: == State workers do a lot more than ‘push papers’. You are 100% clue-less (banded word)! - Whatever - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:38 pm: ==Huh, are there many people still around in the state workforce who suffered abuses because the state didn’t have unions?== Mr. Schnorf, with all respect, RNUG already answered that — the merit comp employees have and continue to experience poor treatment. You may have noticed that, despite his talk about including merit comp in union contracts, the Governor has still not amended the regulation prohibiting raises for merit comp employees. Political clout means more than competence. - Steve Schnorf - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:54 pm: Whatever, you ought to pick a side. The merit comp folks are there because of clout but they don’t get raises? What, not enough clout? - Whatever - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 5:12 pm: The ones with clout get raises, the others don’t. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 5:52 pm: Hieronymous, “Bloody shirt, in U.S. history, the post-Civil War political strategy of appealing to voters by recalling the passions and hardships of the recent war. This technique of “waving the bloody shirt” was most often employed by Radical Republicans in their efforts to focus public attention on Reconstruction issues still facing the country.” - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 5:54 pm: Whatever, that isn’t because the state doesn’t have unions. The state does. - Whatever - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 7:12 pm: Mr. Schnorf — merit comp employees are the ones who are not in the union. Get rid of the union, and the Governor can treat all of the employees as he pleases. The civil service rules basically keep him from hiring and firing at will, not from deciding cloutless employees don’t need raises while clouted ones do. - Hieronymus - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:34 pm: @5:52pm. Sorry, I was being pedantic - you said “Bloody Flag” … Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.