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* UPDATED x3 * Protests begin

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* We discussed this last week…

Gov. Pat Quinn will host a gathering of Democrats at the Illinois State Fair today, but the event may not be the picnic planners envisioned.

A coalition of labor unions plans to set up camp outside the annual Governor’s Day festivities to protest the Chicago Democrat’s plans to lay off thousands of state workers, overhaul employee pension programs not to pay raises to 30,000 rank-and-file workers.

The day could mark just the latest dustup in an ongoing battle between Quinn and the unions as lawmakers get set to return to the Capitol on Friday. They plan a one-day session focusing on the ouster of indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith of Chicago and a potential vote on changes to the state’s retirement systems designed to chip away at an $83 billion unfunded liability.

* This mobile billboard is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel this morning…

The Democratic Party of Illinois is holding its convention at the hotel. Quinn is expected to speak.

Thoughts?

*** UPDATE 1 *** An e-mail from Occupy Springfield…

Occupy Springfield (IL) will be on the capitol grounds in regards to the current pension debate. The members of the local Occupy organization will be on hand to answer any questions to the media.

*** UPDATE 2 *** AFSCME members were a bit impolite today, apparently…

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who are expected to protest the Democratic governor’s appearance today at the State Fair, shouted slogans, such as, “Honor our contract!” and coughed “bulls—“ as Quinn spoke to reporters.

*** UPDATE 3 *** Statement of AFL-CIO president Michael Carrigan…

*We are here today because this is Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair and we want to express labor’s deep concern with Governor Quinn’s policies that are not fair to working families—and particularly unfair to public employees.

*We have with us today all of the major unions in the state that represent public employees. We are united in calling on the governor treat employees fairly and to recognize the importance of the vital services they provide.

*We are extremely disturbed that at a time when collective bargaining rights for public employees are under attack by a number of Republican governors, here in Illinois we have a Democratic governor who is undermining fundamental collective bargaining rights for public employees.

*For more than a year now, Governor Quinn has been refusing to honor the state’s collective bargaining agreements with the unions representing state workers and withholding negotiated pay raises agreed to in those contracts.

*The Governor has even filed suit in state court seeking to overturn the decision of an independent arbitrator who ruled that he was in violation of the contracts and must pay the wages owed. In issuing his ruling, the arbitrator stated that if Governor Quinn’s actions are allowed to stand, “the collective bargaining process will be…severely undermined.”

*We are also very disappointed that In an era when retirement security is in jeopardy for so many, Governor Quinn has been leading the charge to drastically diminish the pension benefits of all public employees in Illinois—including current retirees living on fixed incomes.

*Public employees’ modest pensions average just $32,000 a year, 80% of them do not receive any Social Security benefits, and all have contributed faithfully out of every paycheck toward their pensions, Yet the Governor is trying to make these employees bear the entire burden of fixing an underfunding problem created by the politicians’ persistent failure to make the employers’ full share of the contributions.

*And we’re also deeply disturbed that In an era when jobs are the primary concern of so many citizens, Governor Quinn is seeking to lay off thousands of state workers—jeopardizing vital services on which so many citizens depend and destroying decent-paying union jobs.

*We’re here today to call on Governor Quinn to reverse course and begin to work constructively together with us for a better Illinois.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 8:50 am

Comments

Gov. Quinn: Chicago Republican in disguise???

Comment by Ready To Get Out Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 8:59 am
This is getting a bit old. The unions will protest this summer, and in November line up at the trough and vote for democrats. Your protest is nothing more than a nuisance when they know they have your vote in their pocket.

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:05 am
They found a picture of him not in a purple tie!

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:09 am
Governor Quinn stated “When people are united, they can’t be defeated’. This should energize the unions. Quinn should be a poster boy for the unions.

It must be some low level bureaucrat that has come up with these draconian proposals, surely Quinn, friend of the unions, isn’t even aware of the State’s proposals.

Comment by Rufus Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:11 am
Bald Headed Scott Walker

Comment by Strobby Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:14 am
So will all the Dem pols who rushed North of the border last year to support the unions against the evil Republican administration join the protests or stay in their hidey holes until after November?….O never mind

Comment by Hank Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:21 am
–A coalition of labor unions plans to set up camp outside the annual Governor’s Day festivities to protest the Chicago Democrat’s plans to lay off thousands of state workers, overhaul employee pension programs not to pay raises to 30,000 rank-and-file workers.–

All part of the elaborate, enormous, theatrical conspiracy by the Democratic Party to continue taxpayer-funded payoffs to their Big Union masters. With a special guest appearance by Occupy Wall Street.

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:28 am
I understand the unions’ frustration and anger, but the reality is that Pat Quinn is not on the ballot this fall. The General Assembly is.

And there’s a real likelihood that if the General Assembly doesn’t pass some pension reform on Friday, members of the General Assembly who agree with unions on 75 percent or more of their issues will be replaced by candidates who are hardliners against organized labor and working families.

That means that unions are much more likely to face pension changes they like even less after November.

Moreover, control of the United States Congress is at stake this fall. Illinois represents the DCCC’s best hopes for retaking control of Congress. But increasing union ire could convince union members across the state to stay home.

Further escalation is a very risky strategy and plays right into the hands of Republicans.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:30 am
(un)Related: I’m the alarming chap who complimented you and your shepherding of comments last night, Rich. (And in the harsh light of dawn, I stand behind what I said.)

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:32 am
BTW, the unions’ public strategy also polarizes Independent voters in battleground districts, in a way that works against the unions.

An “Us v. Them” argument, where “Us” is the public unions and “Them” is every taxpayer who isn’t a public union employee will only force candidates to side with the solid majority in battleground districts.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:34 am
“And here…we…go.”

Comment by unclesam Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:36 am
YDD That is whta you get when you screw your base and your biggest funders.
Do ya think the Koch brothers would put up witha fraction of the crap the public workers have?

Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:38 am
That is whta you get when you screw your base and your biggest funders. Do ya think the Koch brothers would put up witha fraction of the crap the public workers have?

I’m not sure that, “We think of ourselves as this party’s Koch Bros.” will be an effective appeal to Democrats in 2012.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:46 am
We live in a post CU world The SCOTUS has set it up as offcial corruption and one side knows how to play the game
If the dems come up short in the US house I would suggest Pelosi speak to MJM and Pat Quinn about it.
It is ridiculous to work for people who simply screw you a little less than the other guy

Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:51 am
The union protests will be about as effective as their ability to lobby the legislature. A lot of sound and fury, colorful printed signs, matching t-shirts, plentiful food and drink, and no results.

Comment by Cassiopeia Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:01 am
Quinn’s Civic Federation and his other right-wing pals pay much better than unions. Regardless of the nonsensical assertions that unions provide the “big money” to influence politicians, their money continues to be dwarfed by the high-dollar anti-worker forces many times over.

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:04 am
MrJM, I wish you’d identified yourself. You’re one of my favorites here. I’d have at least bought you a drink.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:04 am
Downstate:

Occupy has no police power (or any other official power for that matter), and therefore won’t be making any mass arrests.

And if your solution to people saying things you don’t like is to deliver baton facials, I sincerely hope you don’t have any position of authority over another individual. Or do you support Ann Coulter’s notion that if you shoot one or two of them the whole thing will just go away?

Comment by Colossus Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:06 am
The pension reform debate has been front and center for so long now but curious how much people are aware of the contract negotiations happening for current state employees. The proposal from the state is absolutely horrific and would devestating to most state employees.

The AFSCME protests today are about more than the pension reform issue yet it feels as though the contract negotiations (or complete lack of negotiations) has not been covered

Comment by Curious Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:09 am
I wish the unions would stop claiming to be the 99% and representing working families. As being a working class smuck I find them insulting. If they want to say he’s unfair to government a worker, that’s fair. To say he’s unfair to working class families because he’s proposing pension solutions is silly. After all, working class families are paying taxes to pay for gold plated pension and health benefits that government workers get.

This isn’t meant to knock government workers; they should get fair pay and fair benefits. I actually think Tier 2 went too far, but it’s fair to ask current workers to pay a little more or give up a little for something that they shouldn’t be earning in the first place.

Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:23 am
There was strong support for honoring union contracts and supporting IL workers at the the democratic gathering this morning. Quinn’s positions are vener making party loyalists squirm…

Comment by from the frontlines Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:25 am
I’m with Colossus on Downstate’s repugnant and hostile approach to the Occupy folks. Just because they aren’t willing corporate subjects doesn’t mean they deserve to be attacked and beaten. In fact, Occupiers should be admired as they appear to have much more moral character and courage than the shoot, pollute, and swindle constituencies who berate them.

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:31 am
Everyone, public or private who works for a wage should be watching carefully. This is about far more than union vs. non. This is about Civic Club types vs. working stiffs. Today the issue might be about contracts and rights bargained for by unions but after this is over it’ll be about slashing everyone’s wages and benefits for ever increasing upward sprialing profits for the Civic Club types. They’re doing a fabulous job of pitting middle class folks against each other while laughing all the way to the bank. Wake up!

Comment by geronimo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:33 am
Ahoy @ 10:23 a.m.

What do you consider “fair pay and fair benefits”?

Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:35 am
===it’s fair to ask current workers to pay a little more or give up a little for something that they shouldn’t be earning in the first place.===

Can you be more specific? Just what are they, the average state retiree, earning that they shouldn’t they be earning?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:37 am
Casseiopeia,

Thankfully there are many good results at “lower” levels for us at AFSCME. We recently won a bunch of favorable grievance resolutions. These victories made working conditions much better, and some workers got their pay restored when they were suspended inapproprately.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:37 am
geronimo — I totally agree. And those people will be the ones complaining and protesting once it starts to affect them directly, in their wallets.

Comment by Ready To Get Out Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:47 am
Ahoy is a perfect example of my comment at 10:33

Comment by geronimo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:49 am
Could Labor be a little more specific about the “thousands of layoffs.” State govt has been under Quinn’s no-layoff agreement, affecting nearly all state workers, for a couple of years, it just ended mid-summer.

And my understanding of the scheduled prison closings is that that all affected employees will be offered jobs elsewhere in the system.

DCFS employees are being offered vacancies in lieu of layoffs, I believe, as part of a restructuring to increase direct service head count, and it seems likely that Quinn and the legislators will restore some funding to this agency perhaps eliminating the need for any actual job loss there.

Say what you will about Quinn, and agree or not, the number of layoffs in state govt under his tenure appears to have been minuscule.

Comment by cassandra Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:49 am
Unions can’t negotiate pension cuts on behalf of retirees in RI
January 29th, 2012 at 12:45 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi’s Notes, On the Main Site
Mike Stanton and Tom Mooney have a solid story in today’s Projo about the challenge Mayor Taveras faces in trying to claw back those hugely expensive pension COLAs granted back in 1989. What many people don’t seem to understand – including some powerful folks at the State House – is that Taveras can’t hammer out a deal with the unions because the unions don’t represent the retirees.
That’s not my opinion – it’s the Rhode Island Supreme Court’s. Here’s how the city explains it (emphasis mine):
The Rhode Island Supreme Court stated in Arena v. City of Providence, 919 A.2d 379, 389-390 (2007) that (a) the plaintiff retirees were not members of or represented by unions; (b) the plaintiff retirees are retirees and, as such, cannot be treated as employees as the United States Supreme Court found in Allied Chemical v. Pittsburgh Plate Glass, 404 US 157 (1971); and (c) the plaintiff retirees do not share a “community of interest” with active union members as current union members and retired members could have adverse interests. Note that these assertions were within the context of the Firefighters union attempting to “arbitrate” the COLA fight with the City. If the Court found the retirees to be union employees, the COLA benefits would have been arbitrable. The Court did not find the retirees to be union employees nor represented by the union and, as such, the dispute was not arbitrable.
Judge Flanders ran into exactly the same problem in Central Falls, which is why he had to send letters to all the retirees asking them to agree to concessions. (They didn’t, and he filed for bankruptcy.) Paul Doughty, the firefighters union president, says Taveras should still try and ask the retirees for voluntary concessions.
But long story short, if you hear someone say “Providence needs to sit down with the union” to figure out a solution to the pension problem, they’re either being disingenuous or just don’t understand the issue.

Comment by Teamster Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:49 am
Hey, Rich….you know who I am and you never buy me a drink!! Oh, yeah…..I don’t have “favorite poster” status….do I at least get “angry poster” credit??

Comment by Raising Kane Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:50 am
@anonymous & Way Down Here,

Free healthcare after 20 years? Full retirement at age 55 (with required service)?

Those seem unfair as I don’t know anyone else but State workers who get those bennifits.

Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:51 am
Everyone needs to take a breath already, and thank the Gov for putting his political future at risk and tackling this issue when 40 years of his predessesors would not. A vote on the issue shows Wall Street that IL is at least finally addressing the issue.

But let’s face facts, people: Nothing is going to REALLY occur until any changes are addressed by, and ultimately, overturned by the courts. Then the real negotiations with the unions will occur.

Right now it’s all about not showing your hand, so any changes to the pension system (mine included as a 20+ year union member), if any, are a LONG way off. So please lay off the Gov, he’s the only one who has the best interests of the people of IL at heart.

Comment by Soxfan Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:54 am
Ahoy - The US Military does, and so do many of the high-dollar folks clamoring against working folks.

Also private companies used to provide decent benefits until the it was decided to strip those in order to transfer wealth to the very top and the other “smartest guys in the room”.

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:57 am
Ahoy — most state employees, who are under the regular formula, have to work just under 45 years to get “full” retirement.

Anyone who has paid any attention to what’s going on knows that. Stop trying to incite people with generalizations.

Comment by Ready To Get Out Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:57 am
Geronimo is right on. Pension benefits and labor contracts were agreed to by the elected representatives of this state. If we’re going to tear up those agreements, let’s also tear up all the tax break agreements afforded to the companies run by members of the Civic Committee. If pain needs to be shared, fats cats need to be in line with everyone else.

Comment by The Mad Hatter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:01 am
Do you honestly think Pat Quinn has a political future Soxfan? Pat will be lucky to make it the next two years without a recall vote.

Comment by nieva Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:03 am
Ahoy: That wasn’t my question. I asked what you considered “fair” pay and benefits.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:07 am
Downstate, if you don’t like what Occupy Wall Street has to say about the Masters of the Universe, maybe you can handle the Wall Street Journal.

From today:

–Standard Chartered STAN.LN +4.38% PLC agreed to pay $340 million to a New York regulator to settle allegations that the bank broke U.S. money-laundering laws in handling transactions for Iranian customers, after a weeklong, trans-Atlantic regulatory drama.–

A $340 million fine for laundering $250 billion of transactions (that they know of) for the Iranian regime. How many points do you think they charged? Good work if you can get it. Standard Chartered booked a profit of $4 billion last quarter.

They join other pillars of the Wall Street banking community:

– ING Bank NV of the Netherlands this year agreed to pay $619 million to settle charges in a case brought by U.S. Justice Department and the Manhattan district attorney’s office, with the resulting funds split by those two entities.

Other banks that have settled similar allegations that they broke U.S. sanctions laws in recent years include ABN Amro Bank, now part of Royal Bank of Scotland Group RBS.LN -0.67% PLC, Credit Suisse Group AG CSGN.VX -0.35% and Barclays PLC. BARC.LN -1.19% ING, Royal Bank of Scotland, Credit Suisse and Barclays acknowledged violating laws including the Trading With the Enemy Act.

HSBC Holdings HSBA.LN -0.93% PLC is being probed by U.S. authorities and has told investors that it has reserved $700 million to pay fines. –

They’re getting Mickey-Mouse, cost-of-doing-business fines for violating sanctions designed to pressure Iran from developing nuclear weapons and for laundering blood money for the Mexican cartels.

And just like the rest of the mortgage fraudsters and pump-and-dumpers that crashed the world economy, not one of them will ever see the inside of a prison for acknowledged illegal acts.

Shame on Occupy Wall Street for bringing up the subject. Let’s get back to the real villains: teachers, cops, firemen, janitors, etc. You know who you are.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:10 am
Protesters and media at the fairgounds had better spread out.

You know, in case the venue changes at the last minute.

Comment by Political agnostic Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:14 am
Ahoy!

PLEASE get your facts straight! It is NOT free healthcare after 20 years. It is premium free for the retiree (premiums for dependents).

Full retirement at 55? Except for the politically connected, no one can afford to retire at 55 (no SS or Medicare). Yes, Troopers can, but do YOU want your family’s safety in the hands of a 67 year old fireman / policeman?

Comment by Anyone Remember? Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:15 am
Way Way Down Here,

I’ll stick to the benefits since the wage issue would be very involved and completely dependent upon position, duties, time of service and other factors. While conservative interest groups have put together studies that demonstrate government workers earn more than private sector workers, studies conducted by unions will probably demonstrate that they earn equal to workers in the private sector. In the end studies usually say whatever the person paying for them wants them to say. Also, demonstrating what fair pay is an extremely long and difficult conversation since there are so many types of positions in State government. Are we talking about receptions, managers, janitors or doctors? Anyway, I’m done addressing that.

Fair benefits would probably be full retirement (75 % of the average of the previous 10 years of wages) at age 62, simple COLA tied to CPI that would not be lower than .5% and no higher than 3%, and to pay anywhere from 25% - 50% of healthcare dependent upon time of service.

I realize the fair benefits are in the eye of the beholder. That’s my opinion and we can disagree. When dealing with changes I wouldn’t touch retirees and I would not take away anything that someone has earned already when it comes to pension, but moving forward, I believe it is fair to change future benefits earned.

This is probably my last post on here.

Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:24 am
Anyone remember - No one is proposing pushing back the retirement ages for downstate police and fire to age 67. Your line is just scaremongering.

Comment by Bluefish Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:33 am
Thanks, that’s what I wanted to know. You’re right. It’s complicated.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:36 am
Democrats starting to squirm a little bit in here. Soxfan’s “So please lay off the Gov, he’s the only one who has the best interests of the people of IL at heart.” comment is second to Yellow Dog Democrat’s “Further escalation is a very risky strategy and plays right into the hands of Republicans.” takes the cake. It’s like go easy on the Democrats, they will beat you less…

Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:43 am
It would be interesting to see which strategist can find a way to sideline the can till after the election. It certainly looks like all sides are working diligently to do just that.

I think the odds are pretty good that whatever gets done, it will be minimal at best and will not include all pension parties. Perhaps I state the obvious?

Comment by Sunshine Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:00 pm
Wordslinger 11:10 am “Shame on Occupy Wall Street for bringing up the subject. Let’s get back to the real villains: teachers, cops, firemen, janitors, etc. You know who you are.”

We need to bring Jesse James back. I say this in jest but to also point out that Americans, back in the day, knew who the villians were. Today, it seems everyone is turning on their neighbor and government is no longer for the social good.

Comment by Emily Booth Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:07 pm
=== YDD That is whta you get when you screw your base and your biggest funders. Do ya think the Koch brothers would put up witha fraction of the crap the public workers have? ===

First: What MrJM said.

Secondly, if you think that The Democratic Party will be hurt, you misunderstand me. Its unions that are likely to be screwed.

Madigan and Cullerton have a huge money advantage and a Democratic map. They could pick up seats without labor, break even, or maybe even lose seats…although losing their majorities is highly unlikely.

What do you think the result is likely to be for unions under any of those scenarios? Much worse than the Cullerton bill, I assure you.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:27 pm
“Secondly, if you think that The Democratic Party will be hurt, you misunderstand me. Its unions that are likely to be screwed.”

You could be wrong. The Tea Party has been so successful because they channeled their anger and practiced some good ole’ in your face politics. Something the unions used to be real good at. I think it’s time for the unions to go back to their roots. Punish them.

Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:51 pm
==It would be interesting to see which strategist can find a way to sideline the can till after the election. It certainly looks like all sides are working diligently to do just that.==

I have an idea! How about we pass a blatantly unconstitutional law today, making retirees choose to keep only one of two benefits to which they are entitled by constitutionally-reinforced contract, and then campaign on the fact that we fixed the problem (or, if the courts throw it out before the election that we did our best but the courts screwed it up), and then we’re safe for two more years.

Comment by Anonymice Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:53 pm
99% and 1%. Occupy Springfield? AFSCME and the Unions are pushing a socialist/communist agenda, that has more at stake than the raises and pension benefits of Illinois. Some of you folks can’t see the big picture. Why would a movement that has created such division among the mindless drones spend such an effort to attack Gov. Scott Walker and have 20,000 people show up, protestors from Illinois in Wisconsin. Gov. Quinn publicly attacked Walker in the media. Look at Wisconsin’s numbers, their taxes are lower, they pay in less for their pensions, and Walker has turned it around. AFSMCE and OCCUPY SPRINGFIELD will have dismal results mainly because Quinn is being supported by them, and they can’t let Obama lose the Whitehouse. It is not about us versus them as in 99% and 1%, it is about the 50% that work and pay taxes for the 49% that sponge off of the workers.

Funny, how the media fails to mention Madigan has been in control of the House for the last 30 years of unfunded pension debt. It is not the State employees fault, it is Madigan’s and the Unions that are to blame for allowing the pension to be raided.

Comment by Panopticon Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 12:53 pm
Panopticon

Can’t blame the unions for the underfunding. Shortly after the pension clause was added to the IL Constitution, IFT sued the State over the underfunding. Look the case up. The ruling was the State didn’t have to pay in to the pension trust funds at any given level any year, but they did have to pay the pensions to the retirees when due. Been two cases since that reinforce the ruling.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 1:44 pm
Ahoy - Thanks for letting me know I can retire - I am 65 and working - no thanks for saying I will receive something at retirement that I should not have. I have worked for 45 years - I have consulted for a number of states - so I know what I am doing - I am NOT a union member - so many things you think we get we don’t. Because I have gone so long without a raise and because I cannot have a second income without government permission - my income is to low to save what I would like - and no I am not political so we don’t get that either - just working for the folks of Illinois

Comment by STP Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 1:49 pm
As for the members coughing “bull…”, I’m glad they are finally willing to talk on a subject they know well

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 2:03 pm
I’ve said this before, but the best solution to the pension issue would be similar to what Missouri is attempting to do. Since the legislators are only part-time employees, and no other part-time state employee get any pension benefits, the legislator’s pensions should be abolished. Or put everyone state employee, including the legislators and and judges, on the same pension program…1.67%/year! I’m sure that would fly through the GA like bull****!

Comment by Rusty618 Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 3:50 pm
@Panopticon - There’s simply no evidence that “AFSCME and the Unions are pushing a socialist/communist agenda,”
There IS evidence “that has more at stake than the raises and pension benefits of Illinois. Some of you folks can’t see the big picture.”
What’s at stake are regular working folks being attacked and ripped-off by corporate-backed fascists. Public service should not equal servitude, no matter how much right-wing nuttery screams.

Comment by Crime Fighter Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 4:07 pm
I don’t approve of the false equivalence argument that some conservatives use to attack publie employee unions, saying that they push a communist or socialist agenda. While there may be communists in public employee unions (they have rights to join unions, too), the unions fight for better jobs for their members and not to overthrow an economic system and replace it with a state-owned economy. This is only in some people’s imaginations.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 4:50 pm
ahoy as a IDOC worker we have worked with the Gov. we do pay into retirement we do put our lives on the line everyday to keep you and yours all safe. inmates are not in prison for singing to loud in chior practice. they are in for mutiple murders, rape, child mol., dom. viol., and other violent crimes. we earn our pay and benifits. I mtself was attacked by a resident(inmate) there have been many others attacked, held hostage, raped, killed made permanetly disable and etc… sound go to you step up put a badge on and join us. by the way you retaliate against residents you can loss your job, be sued, or possible serve time yourself. so you want to be a punching bag. i didn’t think so. as far as idoc goes we defered 5.25% total of our negotiated wages to help the Gov. with the promise of getting it back at the beginning of this year no prison closures were to happen either. we as a union have told the Gov. that we would pay more into retirement. go to afscme 31 web site you may also read the true facts on our pensions not the false ones the state is putting out there. jump on ship ahoy, see how long you will last knowing you won’t have much of a pension to look forward too. having to work till you are in your 60’s not to mention how much longer it will take you to heel when you get jumped. food for thought.

Comment by woohoo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 7:01 pm
Today’s rally turned out to be an unfortunate event. AFSCME, careful what you wish for. Bill Brady (much like Scott Walker) would have ended collective bargaining rights for public sector employees and most likely laid off a few thousand state employees. I understand that AFSCME members are upset that they didn’t receive their last three raises. With that being said, its hard for me to feel too sorry for them. First, Gov Quinn didn’t negotiate that contract. Remember, that was negotiated during the Blagojevich years. Quinn is simply trying to deal with a problem that he didn’t create. Under the leadership of Blagojevich, the state negotiated union contracts that were fiscally irresponsible. Have funds been wrongly spent over the years. Sure. However, can we also admit that many union titles are vastly overpaid? Administrative Assistants (AFSCME) making nearly $80k. Highway Maintainers (Teamsters) earning a base salary of $72k. Not to mention the craziness that occurred when Public Service Administrators went into the union. Hundreds of PSA’s easily got a $15k salary increase by simply being certified into the AFSCME union. One day they were making $60k, the next day their salary increased up to $80k simply because they became unionized. Their job duties didn’t increase. They weren’t all of a sudden performing functions of a higher job classification. However, they received a huge salary increas because they went from nonunion to union. AFSCME employees say that they perform the job of two or three people. Hey, we all have job responsiblities that go beyond our job description. The fact is that state employees are still treated pretty darn well. Good benefits. Good pay and still a decent pension system. After witnessing the show that the AFSCME employees put on today, it’s easy to understand why the general public views state employees as spoiled brats.

Comment by Fred Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 8:25 pm
FRED think again but yes quinn was in office when the contract was ratfied just had a differant title and all the lawmakers at the time including quinn was in office except the ones just voted in 2yrs ago which is very few of them 3/4 of them were in office.

Comment by woohoo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 8:53 pm
P.S. takes majority vote to pass the contractual raises and benifits and quinn voted for it FRED

Comment by woohoo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 8:57 pm
but in your defence Fred yes some do not deserve the same pension that work for IDOC such as office workers and secrataries they do not have inmate contact why should they have same pension.

Comment by woohoo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:01 pm
Fred — Quinn renegotiated the contract, promising no layoffs in exchange for deferring some pay raises. When he later decided not to give some employees those same raises, it was his own promise he broke. And the biggest reason some PSAs got such large pay increases when they got into the union was because Blago and Quinn cut their pay and then froze it, and increased their responsibilities by not replacing those who left. A very large portion of the PSAs and SPSAs who have not been able to get into the union are being paid less then the union people who work for them, and when one of them leaves or retires they can’t be replaced from within because no one will leave a unionized position to take the job and the few outside hires I’ve seen are getting around 20% more than the people they replaced. And I’m talking about professionals, not political hacks. The raises you’re complaining about are closer to market rates than giveaways.

Comment by Anonymice Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:03 pm
“P.S. takes majority vote to pass the contractual raises and benifits and quinn voted for it FRED”…… What are you talking about? It didn’t take legislative approval to pass the contractual raises 4 years ago. The legislature didn’t play a role in the collective bargaining process. In addition, you mentioned that Quinn voted for it. Hmmm…..As Lt. Governor he voted for it? That doesn’t make any sense either. Its alright if you don’t understand the process.

Comment by Fred Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:20 pm
Mouthy says “Democrats starting to squirm a little bit in here.” I don’t think so. It’s not like all those union memmbers on the director’s lawn were going to vote Dem anyway; they are hard “R’s” trying to make the Gov look bad. And isn’t it just a touch ironic — okay, A LOT ironic! — that these Repubs are protesting union cuts? Let’s see how many people are protesting the GOP leaders tomorrow on the lawn. Anything over zero would be an upset.

Comment by Soxfan Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:45 pm
I agree with Soxfan. Busing in repubs that seem to think it is ok for taxpayers to pay an obscene amount of our money to AFSCME workers is nothing to lose sleep over. It is too bad that these “workers” did not do anything when previous Governors did not make the payments in the past. At least this adult Governor is trying to do his part.

Comment by Diane Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 9:58 pm
Stifle yourself with the “communist agenda.” I hope you went to school in Kentucky.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:20 pm
Diane………see RNUG’s comment at 1:44. Read about the suits against the state by workers to get adequate funding!!

Comment by geronimo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 10:26 pm
FRED you are not as dumb as your post make you sound after all. just a little test. thanks for letting everyone know so the Gov. needs to but out of the contract and give us back our money.

Comment by woohoo Wednesday, Aug 15, 12 @ 11:37 pm
Slashing pay, cutting benefits while handing out huge tax breaks to corporations is the Republican game plan. It also happens to be the course that Quinn is following.
Claiming that the protesters were Republicans won’t fly.

Comment by Truthteller Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 6:44 am
===Claiming that the protesters were Republicans won’t fly.==

Then why did they boo Obama?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 7:20 am
Rich,

I was there as an AFSCME protester. Most of us couldn’t even here what was being said. I was booing, not necessarily Obama, just booing the Governor and his policies regarding the people who work for him.

Comment by KurtInSpringfield Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 8:21 am
By the way, we weren’t bussed in republicans. AFSCME bussed people in from all over the state. I personally talked to people from IYC Murphysboro, and people from the youth center in Joliet. There were also members from Dwight & Tamms. Most of the protesters I saw were members of AFSCME council 31. So unless someone else who was there (like I was) has contrary evidence, please stop with the conspiracy theories about bussed in republicans. By the way, I consider myself neither republican nor democrat, rather more of an independent.

Comment by KurtInSpringfield Thursday, Aug 16, 12 @ 8:31 am