* From AFSCME Council 31…
The Illinois Supreme Court has denied the Rauner administration’s request to bypass the Fourth District Appellate Court and hear a direct appeal of the state labor board’s ruling on the question of whether AFSCME and the administration were at impasse when Rauner walked away from contract negotiations more than a year ago.
Rauner asked the Supreme Court to remove the case from the appellate level after Fourth District judges refused to allow Rauner to immediately impose his terms, including a 100% hike in employee costs for health care and an end to safeguards against irresponsible privatization schemes.
The appellate court’s refusal to allow Rauner to impose his demands was predicated on what it called a “reasonable likelihood” that AFSCME will prevail on appeal.
“AFSCME members are public service workers who do their jobs every day, protecting kids, keeping us safe, helping veterans and the disabled and much more,” Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. “Governor Rauner should stop wasting time and money on costly court fights and instead do his own job, working constructively to find common ground.”
The union’s appeal of the labor board ruling will now be heard in the Fourth District Appellate Court according to the schedule it has established.
The Supreme Court does this often, so it’s not much of a surprise. Click here for the documentation.
*** UPDATE *** From Rauner’s General Counsel Dennis Murashko…
“We have gone as far as we can go in negotiations - and our last, best and final offer is all that our taxpayers can afford. It is therefore regrettable that AFSCME is continuously resisting every attempt for a quick resolution and wants to continue dragging this out in the courts. Every day of delay costs taxpayers over $2 million.”
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:15 am:
Good! The dude ran to the ILSC because he said not imposing the contract is costing the taxpayers money, and it’s an emergency. His willful refusal to agree to a budget is costing the state much more money.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:17 am:
Poor Rauner! His crusade to kill the union will be delayed some more.
- Me Again - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:17 am:
This is great news! My faith in fundamental fairness is restored. The Governor needs to follow the advice of so many (including Republicans) and go back to the bargaining table.
- Deft Wing - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:18 am:
The legal superstars have been killin’ it lately in the courts. /s
- Name Withheld - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:18 am:
Given that they denied the AG’s motion for an direct appeal as well, this was not unexpected.
- Mama - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:18 am:
Watch Rauner try to remove all of the current judges that ruled against him in the next upcoming elections.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:22 am:
Now we get to hear the Rauner Administration complain that this will cost the state 2 million dollars a day since they can’t impose their final terms. Never mind that their self created budget crisis costs the state 11 million a day. Not being able to impose their last offer and make money the state would save available makes it yet harder for the Administration to manage this crisis. Of course they could make a sincere effort to reach a budget agreement but the Governor isn’t ready to do that yet.
- A guy - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:27 am:
Just a step in the process of our very convoluted system. All 3 branches suffer from it.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:38 am:
“Today we witnessed the undue influence of our corrupt Attorney General and her father Speaker Madigan on the Supreme Court. I strongly encourage The Speaker”s hand picked Comptroller to withhold the justices’ paychecks.” #fakegovernorrauner
- Steward As Well.... - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:39 am:
The guvs “end run” attempt fails. What a shame. /s
- Luv'n Big Govt. - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 10:59 am:
Hang in there Gov & persevere.
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:03 am:
Winnin’
- RNUG - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:05 am:
Translation: there is a process, follow it. Plus a subtext of: we’re in no hurry to fix a problem you could solve yourself.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:08 am:
It’s fitting that this news breaks on the 49th anniversary of Dr. King Jr.’s assassination. He died in service to AFSCME, going to Memphis to march with striking sanitation workers for collective bargaining rights.
Rauner, on the other hand, is fighting viciously to take away collective bargaining rights, as he himself basically admits with his trench warfare comment.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:10 am:
Have to say the Supremes are consistent. They denied the AG’s request for a direct appeal of the St. Clair County ruling that state employees ought to be paid during the impasse. They must be hoping against hope that the Governor and the General Assembly will work things out so they won’t have to also do the work of the Executive and Legislative Branches.
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:13 am:
Haha! The hits just keep comin’ for team Bruce. Can’t get a win in a fair court to save their lives.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:13 am:
Deft Wing - I suspect the plan has gone way off the rails and we are seeing legal superstars throwing a lot of Hail Mary’s.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:35 am:
“We have gone as far as we can go in negotiations” No, you’ve gone as far as you want to go…there’s a big difference.
- Yeah - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:36 am:
Is that $2 million a day for a 252 day work year, or a 365 day year? Is this for 25,000 employees or 38,000?
We are talking about a $19,000 pay-cut per employee? Please show your work.
- Sune - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:36 am:
The Gov needs to do his job and stop wasting money and time on these costly Court fights. It’s time to go back to the table to negotiate a deal with AFSCME.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:38 am:
== We have gone as far as we can go in negotiations - and our last, best and final offer is all that our taxpayers can afford. ==
Doubling down = No way in hell will we come back to the negotiating table!
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:42 am:
“Every day of delay costs taxpayers over $2 million”
Every day Rauner willfully refuses to work on and agree to a budget costs the state, and taxpayers, $11 million.
Only a raging zealot won’t return to negotiations now that the legal process will be dragged out longer. Who knows when or how this will end? What’s the point now of not negotiating, with a real possibility that Rauner will ultimately lose this case–I mean beside mindless, destructive zealotry and willful refusal to negotiate in good faith with state workers and the GA?
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:50 am:
“Every day of delay…”
Murashko must have forgotten that he was the one who filed the losing Supreme Court motion. I wonder how much that cost the taxpayers.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:51 am:
Ummmm it was the Illinois Supreme Court, not AFSCME, that said no to your “quick resolution”. But you knew that, after all you are General Counsel, not some flack.
- Fixer - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 11:55 am:
Every day Rauner spends fighting against doing his job is costing the people of Illinois more than just money.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 12:10 pm:
Why do these other two branches of government insist on ruining all the unfettered fun of Rauner’s retirement hobby?
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 12:32 pm:
wow I didn’t realize Murashko was so young. I was thinking he was another state lawyer I’ve seen. What is it with Rauner and young hires? This leads me to wonder who is making the legal calls for the Rauner administration?
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 12:39 pm:
In this case you only have one side (AFSCME) willing to negotiate. This is the same situation we had with the recently failed Grand Bargain. Senate Democrats and Republicans showing a willingness to bargain but not the Governor.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 12:51 pm:
Opps. BigBrain (aka DopeyDuct) continues his strong of courtroom achievements 0 for career
“Our administration has wasted more time pushing illogical, court cases that any other. Go to FixIllimnois.com,”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
== We have gone as far as we can go in negotiations - and our last, best and final offer is all that our taxpayers can afford. ==
In other words: I’m taking my ball and going home!
- Truthteller - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
Is Murashko an actual person or just a parrot?
- Living it daily - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 1:37 pm:
BVR and his young hires, comeon they are Superstars, lets see how many more he pays out of all the funds he can get his hooks into. Dems and Reps coming together and BVR cannot do his job.
he really doesn’t get it at all. #DO YOUR JOB
- Flynn's mom - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
and the beat goes on…
#doyourjobgovernor
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 2:55 pm:
Just go back to bargaining table and meet halfway……ridiculous.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 3:27 pm:
== Just go back to bargaining table and meet halfway ==
I’m sure that is what the court is hoping for … but I don’t see it happening.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 3:32 pm:
So what slice of the social service and higher ed pie will AFSCME get to take from? Because when a budget finally does pass, the resulting income tax hike isn’t going to be enough to satiate every group asking for more money. What AFSCME gets, another group will go without. So I say just meet them somewhere in the middle and be done with it. There’s not going to be enough anyway.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 3:54 pm:
“…all that our taxpayers can afford.”
How can he possibly know this without a budget?
- DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Apr 4, 17 @ 7:28 pm:
Rauner must really have loved being the CEO of a buy-out company. He said do it and it got done.
State government refuses to jump, however, no matter how loud he yells. The legislative and judicial branches owe him nothing, and his continual show of contempt for both is only hurting his chances of accomplishing anything.
He remains a complete and utter disappointment.