*** UPDATE *** As noted by a commenter, House Speaker Michael Madigan revived a bill of his today that directly impacts this topic…
Declares that the State shall appropriate for no more than an X% increase for wage increases associated with any and all collectively bargained contracts throughout State government.
States the policy of the State of Illinois that the size of, or a reduction in, the State employee workforce shall not be a topic of collective bargaining.
The bill has been languishing for a year, but was moved into the House Revenue Committee today. The proposal has bipartisan co-sponsorship.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* A friend of mine came home from work last night and found this Henry Bayer robocall on his answering machine…
* Script…
This is Henry Bayer, director of your union, AFSCME Council 31.
Negotiations for a new state contract have gone on for more than ten months, and the Quinn administration is still demanding big takeaways that will reduce your pay and drastically increase your health insurance cost.
That’s why state employees are coming together to take action at their worksite next week, between November 13th and the 15th.
We have to make clear to management that we are not going to accept these very steep cuts.
If you’re not willing to settle for a contract that drives down your standard of living, then join in the Unity Days of Action at your worksite next week.
These action days are being coordinated at the local and worksite levels. I asked AFSCME for some examples of what its members will be doing. The e-mailed response….
- “Green Days” in which all members wear AFSCME green shirts, wristbands, jackets or hats;
- Displaying signs with “Stand Together” and “Fair Contract” messages in cars and throughout worksites;
- Solidarity actions such as all members marching into a worksite together in the morning, standing up as one and silently displaying signs in their worksite at an appointed time, or picketing worksites over the lunch hour.
So, no sick-outs or walk-outs… yet.
* Meanwhile, this isn’t exactly new…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he’s looking forward to accomplishing pension reform by Jan. 9 with bipartisan cooperation and before a new Legislature is sworn in. […]
Quinn says an overhaul of the state’s employee retirement system is needed so there will be adequate resources for schools, public safety and veterans’ programs.
He says Tuesday’s election results show that voters across the country want to see Democrats and Republicans work together.
