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Two union rallies planned for next week

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Illinois

* Back when Rod Blagojevich was in charge, AFSCME showed up to Governor’s Day at the 2008 Illinois State Fair to protest his effort to cut their healthcare during contract negotiations. For a while, the union protesters drowned out the governor, who replied “They’re lucky to have a job.”

* Well, the union is planning yet another rally at this year’s Governor’s Day festivities. From the union’s website…

* More from the website…

Wednesday, Aug. 15, is Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. AFSCME will be there to ensure that fairgoers know about Gov. Quinn’s repeated attacks on working families in Illinois. Gather at the Main Gate at 11:30 a.m.

Quinn is trying to slash public employee pensions, withhold negotiated pay raises, cut retiree health care and push for huge contract concessions.

It’ll be a lot of fun with a very serious purpose-making sure that the voices of working families are heard.

* Two days later, on Friday the 17th, union members plan to rally at the Statehouse to protest pension reforms. The General Assembly will meet for a special session that day to take up the issue.

From the We Are One Illinois Facebook page…

Despite what the flyer says, there’s no additional info at the website.

Also, most teachers will be back in school by then, so don’t expect a gigantic turnout by either the IEA or the IFT.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 10:12 am

Comments

Can anyone tell me why they are not protesting on Republican day as well?

Comment by GOP gets off? Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 10:16 am
The Governor is not attacking all Illinois working families, he’s attacking bureaucrats who need to take one for the team. Big difference.

Comment by Shore Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 10:19 am
Is this all part of the grand conspiracy by the Dems to protect the unions that we hear so much about?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 10:47 am
‘ grand conspiracy’

Good aren’t they?

Comment by Plutocrat03 Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 10:59 am
Will there be hot dogs?

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 11:00 am
Pluto, they are good. This elaboroate, well-acted conspiracy by the Dems to protect the unions is almost as diabolical as the $1.6 billion in Medicaid cuts to buy off poor voters.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 11:14 am
Word. Word.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 11:33 am
The State is not here to serve the unions. The union members are here to serve the people.

Comment by Southern Peggy R Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 11:42 am
Shore - My family and I have already “taken one for the team” when I was laid off by Blago. I am tired of being treated like the enemy. The state workers arent the problem - greedy, crooked law-makers are.

Comment by lincolnlover Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 11:52 am
Waiting for the press release stating Quinn has had to change his plans and can not attend now. I assume some of the parents and community members he managed to dodge last month just might find out where he’s planning to be too.

Comment by cindy lou Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 12:14 pm
GOP get off - This isn’t spearheaded by the Reps.
Shore - Do you consider a common state employee a bureaucrat and not just a working stiff like everyone else. What team is he “taking one” for? Yours?
wordslinger - no conspiracy, just a common “throw them under the bus” routine to save their own hides.
Plutocrat03 - nope, I wouldn’t call them good.
Cincinnatus - Looking to make some money?
Southern Peggy R - I did serve the people and I was compensated for it, which includes my pension. Now the “State” wants to take thousands of it back . Who’s serving who?
lincolnlover - good post.

Comment by Mouthy Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 12:21 pm
‘Shore - My family and I have already “taken one for the team” when I was laid off by Blago. I am tired of being treated like the enemy. The state workers arent the problem - greedy, crooked law-makers are.’

I agree people love to bash state workers till they need them. I hear they are talking about a strike vote. Good for them

Comment by kayaker Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 12:35 pm
- greedy, crooked law-makers are. -

That can be the case, but I think substituting “ratings agencies” or “investment bankers” would be more appropriate for the current economic situation.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 1:33 pm
lincolnlover,

How’d those greedy-crooked lawmakers get their jobs? If they are so crooked and greedy how do we fire them?

As a state employee I, too, worry about what is happening. Blaming the pols for our woes is missing the point. We elected & re-elected them. We demanded programs and services from them but also told them we didn’t want our taxes raised. They obliged us.

While a simplistic view I firmly believe we get the government we deserve.

As far as ratings agencies go, word tells us even when they drop our ratings the bonds sell like hotcakes so no worries there.

If by investment bankers you mean venture capitalists, STL, they are the engines of a smarter planet. “2 Big 2 Fail” banks as the problem works OK for me, tho. They appear to function as tho they are not answerable to anyone, including the DOJ (see today’s article on the DOJ’s decision not to go after Goldman Sachs).

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 2:26 pm
@kayaker
There is strike discussion, but that is just being proactive and thinking ahead in case the negotiations get hopeless. Right now there is practically no movement.

There is NO strike vote planned at this time according to my discussion with a president of one of the locals. I have not heard what the state Council is doing other than organizing the rallies.

Comment by Ready To Get Out Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 2:28 pm
Quinn marches with Caterpillar strikers even as he seeks the same concessions from state employees. What a hypocrite! The man has no shame!

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 2:35 pm
Dan, my response was more to shore’s comment of “take one for the team”. The team being who?

And I don’t buy your argument that we get what we vote for. My republican representative has about as much weight in the budget decision process as a flea on a great dane.

Comment by lincolnlover Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 3:35 pm
lincolnlover,

Well, we all know about the do nothing GOP. Per some who post here, they can step up right now and bring about resolution. As you can see I reside in a GOP county. The powerhouse DuPage Cty seems to be sitting on their hands waiting for the GA/gov mansion to be delivered into their clutches by popular proclamation. SHeesh.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 10, 12 @ 5:36 pm