Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
*AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan writes in the News-Gazette about parallels he sees between Gov. Rauner’s handling of the budget impasse and the AFSCME contract…
If that sounds familiar, it’s because Rauner’s similar hostage-taking tactics are the cause of the state’s long-running budget standoff. Throughout his term in office, he has refused to work with lawmakers to develop a state budget, instead demanding unrelated — and regularly shifting — changes to state law.
Legislators have rightly refused to knuckle under, but as far as Rauner is concerned, it’s his way or the highway. As a result, everyone from students to seniors is suffering.
Likewise, we all have a big stake in a fair resolution to the contract dispute involving state employees. The 360,000 men, women and children covered by the state health plan — including state and university employees, their dependents, and retirees — need and deserve insurance they can afford. The steep cuts to workers’ income that the governor seeks to impose — averaging $10,000 per employee over three years — would hurt families and communities.
But instead of working to find common ground, Rauner has vowed to force workers out on strike — and to “do it proudly”.
You might remember that the “do it proudly” references is from a video IFT circulated during the 2014 campaign of then-candidate Rauner addressing the Tazewell County Republicans.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The Governor’s Office sent this in response to the editorial, which was penned by Dennis Murashko and appeared over the weekend in some Gatehouse papers…
What the union now describes as a “scorched-earth approach” is a contract that is nearly identical to contracts that have been agreed-to by 18 other unions, such as Teamsters, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and Operating Engineers Local 150.
The “outrageous” demands that the union refuses to allow the state to implement include requiring employees to work 40 hours a week, instead of 37.5 hours, before being paid overtime. Moving to a 40-hour overtime requirement is consistent with the private sector, federal law and contracts entered into by other state employees outside of AFSCME.
Related…
* Jim Dey: Madigan still king, but his crown is tarnished…In other words, Drury is thinking it over. In Illinois even that halting explanation counts as a rare display of political courage. Because Der Speaker takes no prisoners, even the fact that a challenge is being discussed marks a major change from the past.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 9:02 am:
The greatest service that Social Services and Labor can do is…
Understand they both are being held hostage be Bruce Rauner and both being hurt by Rauner in the hostage-taking is just fine with Rauner until Rauner’s agenda is finally capitulated to, thus eliminating collective bargaining and ending prevailing wage… and reducing as many Social Service organizations as possible too.
If both Labor and Social Services recognize Rauner is the ONLY one doing this and they both stop the “both sides” silliness that helps Rauner, then this piece by Carrigan makes sense.
Otherwise, it’s not worth the typing it took to write it.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 9:07 am:
“Der Speaker”?
Madigan is not German!
The speaker’s office resides in Illinois, not Germany. This is a democracy, not 1930s Germany!
Dey needs to get a grip!
- Rabid - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 9:32 am:
Change is hard, loud and proud, i will bury you…
- City Zen - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 10:19 am:
What exactly is the “Illinois AFL-CIO”? The Dept of Labor has a record of the national AFL-CIO and all the local unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO. But there is no record of an “Illinois AFL-CIO” with the federal government. Hmmm….
- Flatlander - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 10:24 am:
VM - It’s Jim Dey, he doesn’t believe in democracy.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 11:19 am:
Carrigan, like many, is quick to point out a problem. What he doesn’t do, is offer solutions. Does he want budget cuts? Or does he want an income tax increase?
- walker - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 11:37 am:
The impasse is not about the annual budget. It is and has been about the TA items.
Anyone with any knowledge of our state government and simple arithmetic knows that any balanced budget will require both more tax revenue and less spending. The two sides have never been that far apart on the numbers.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 12:07 pm:
To the Update …
===…is nearly identical…===
then they cite the Teamsters.
Is the medical the same? Where do the Teamsters get their medical?
I’ll wait for my response, thanks.
- Skeptic - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
The *only* “outrageous” demand is overtime? Holy Hand-waving Batman!
- Nick Name - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 12:31 pm:
AFSCME needs to issue a response to the GO’s boilerplate word salad.
- LZ - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 12:36 pm:
Teamsters were offered the option to stay on the states insurance plan or opt out of that and go on the Teamsters plan.I think that the Teamsters plan saves the state money in the long run. I really don’t believe that AFSCMEs contract is anywhere near what the Teamsters agreed to. More lies from Mr. Burns.
- Fixer - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 1:04 pm:
https://www.illinois.gov/sites/TeamIllinois/LaborRelations/Pages/Labor-Relations.aspx
Last best and final offer is on this page. Compare it to the Teamsters contract and let me know how it’s the same.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 1:04 pm:
Many unions are firmly behind AFSCME. It’s great to see the unions take a shot at Rauner and Rauner go on the defensive. That’s where to hit Rauner–where he’s trying to hit state workers, with the harsh health insurance cuts.
- PlayK8 - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 1:25 pm:
The biggest take from AFSCME is Ruaners removal of the “economic justification” clause in the contact. This means he can outsource at will and not have to show the economic benefits of doing so. We can live with no raises, we can live with a modest increase in Health costs we can even live with outsourcing some jobs. But the outsourcing should save the State money not cost it.
- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
PlayK8 is right. The Illinois Compiled Statutes should be amended to prohibit outsourcing of State services unless it can be demonstrated that there will be an appropriate level of savings and a mechanism to permit General Assembly oversight.
- kitty - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 2:37 pm:
Annonymous @ 2:27pm was me, sorry.
- Union proud - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 2:42 pm:
“What the union now describes as a “scorched-earth approach” is a contract that is nearly identical to contracts that have been agreed-to by 18 other unions, such as Teamsters, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and Operating Engineers Local 150.”
The trades all get prevailing wages…
Teamsters get guarenteed increases in state contributions to teamster care.
Only one other union was offered what Afscme was offered. And their membership strongly shot it down…
- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 19, 16 @ 10:40 pm:
The governor isn’t telling the whole truth, but what else is new?