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The government union angle

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In Bruce Rauner’s Illinois, the common villain behind crushing pension debt, municipalities sliding toward bankruptcy and businesses bypassing the state is organized labor.

“Government union bosses” are also the reason that Chicago Public Schools are likely to go bankrupt, the Republican governor said recently. And residents of the city, which Rauner says faces greater financial peril than Illinois, can blame them if property taxes skyrocket, he says.

In a little more than 100 days as chief executive of the nation’s lowest-rated state, Rauner has begun an election-worthy campaign tying much of Illinois’s financial misery to the actions of organized labor. If union power isn’t rolled back in a state where one in seven workers is a member, Illinois is doomed, he says.

“We’re slowly, slowly starting to become southeast Michigan,” Rauner, 59, a former private-equity executive, said April 15 in a not-so-veiled reference to Detroit’s record $18 billion bankruptcy. […]

“Our government unions are very, very powerful,” Rauner said in a speech Monday to the Great Lakes Economic Forum in Chicago. “We’re 93 percent unionized — the most unionized state government in America.”

“Very high cost, very much featherbedding and overstaffing,” he said.

Didja hear that, everybody? We’re doooooomed!!!

Guys like that don’t compromise much.

Also, too, overstaffing?

Really? C’mon.

And again with the Detroit card? Has he ever been to Detroit? People have been playing that card since Harold Washington was mayor. Yes, the city has big problems, but Detroit it ain’t, and neither is Illinois.

Sheesh.

* From yesterday…

With a series of titanic budget votes coming up fast, Gov. Bruce Rauner went into full campaign mode today, depicting himself as a man on a sacred mission to break the hold that “corrupt” insiders and labor unions have on the state’s government and economy.

Speaking to a friendly business group here in Chicago, the state’s new GOP governor appeared to pull no punches and signaled no interest in compromise—and, if anything, he seemed to lengthen the list of things on his agenda.

“We have a moral duty to act,” Rauner told the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing. “We have a duty to minimize how much we have to take from you. . . .That money belongs to taxpayers.”

Right now, Rauner said, “the unions control everything. There is not a school district in America that can withstand a strike of over a week.” The result, especially here in Illinois, is “higher taxes. Deficit spending. It’s a conflict of interest we’ve got to take care of.”

Alluding to “tough votes” that will occur within a month or two in Springfield, Rauner said “special interests” are “yelling and screaming and trying to intimidate the process.” But they have so weakened the Illinois economy that a “crisis has created the opportunity for structural change.”

He loves him some drama, man.

…Adding… A commenter points to the Waukegan teacher strike last year, which lasted a month.

* And, now, from AFSCME Council 31…

Management pushing to make our workplaces less safe and much less fair.

After several rounds of negotiations, there’s little common ground to be found. The Union is pressing for stronger safeguards against irresponsible privatization, while the Rauner Administration is pushing to wipe out any limits on privatization at all. In fact, the Administration is pushing for changes that would allow the employer to lay off bargaining unit employees and bring in vendor employees to… do their work.

The Administration is proposing dozens of other changes to key sections of the contract aiming to undo decades of progress in shaping safe, fair and humane working conditions. They want to do away with any limits on forced overtime, to eliminate bumping and other layoff rights, to require longer hours and less overtime pay—and much more.

While no economic proposals are yet on the table, the Administration included over $700 million in cuts to the group health plan in its FY 16 budget based on a drastic restructuring of health insurance benefits that could cost each employee thousands of dollars annually.

The governor is claiming that state employee salaries are too high and pensions too generous. In fact, neither our wages nor benefits are out of line with other states or with our skills and education. We ‘re on the job every day providing services that citizens depend on, while the governor is travelling the state trying to stir up animosity toward unions and working people.

We’re standing together for a fair contract! We’re standing up for our union rights!

Unity Day — Thursday, April 30 We’ll be wearing green clothes, or wearing union t-shirts, or wearing the new ‘100%’ union buttons. We’ll have union signs or banners. Check with your local union for the “unity day” plan for your worksite

Gonna be a long, hot summer for Roberta Lynch et al.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:15 pm

Comments

You’re right Rich, he doesn’t read the news, even in his own state, where we had a month-long teachers strike DURING the Governor’s election campaign.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/waukegan-teacher-strike-deal-280896252.html

Comment by vibes Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:20 pm
=== Gonna be a long, hot summer for Roberta Lynch et al. ===

I imagine it’s already been a long and hard Winter and Spring as well. Hopefully, there has been a lot of strategy meetings and outreach to allies. Without it, they’re at a big risk of getting rolled.

I would like the Little Birdie Reporting Service to get into some of those meetings to let us know the union strategy.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:24 pm
About AIM, or the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing, from their website:

Our Funders

Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing (AIM) services are made possible by Alliance (AIM) partners, funded in part through cooperative agreements with the:

1) U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
2) Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
3) U.S. Department of Defense
4) City of Chicago
5) and corporate and foundation partners

Yeah, we really need to shrink government. LOL.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:26 pm
“Moral duty” from the “businessman” whose companies gouged on the baby heart medicine, busted out nursing homes and engaged in Medicare fraud.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:29 pm
AIM’s parent organization, NORBIC, gets 97 percent of its $1.3 million annual budget from government grants, according to its tax returns.

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2013/362/864/2013-362864028-0a1ffac9-9.pdf

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:35 pm
Word… Why do you let facts get in the way…? Close the comments Rich… Word wins.

Comment by Walter Mitty Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:35 pm
Hoping everyone doesn’t drink his kool-aid. Read the facts for yourself before believing everything you read. Sad thing is most who read his BS are uneducated & uniformed.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:39 pm
Let’s look at Indiana…privatize welfare with IBM….didn’t work so cancel contract….tied up in lawsuits with IBM…preliminary hearings show IBM did not deliver but was still owed $50 million ……how much did this effort save the state?

Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:39 pm
The Galesburg teacher’s strike last summer also lasted 16 days.http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Galesburg-teachers-narrowly-approve-new-contract-ending-15-day-strike-273083431.html

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:46 pm
Sticking with that “sky isn’t falling stuff,” Miller has become a pure union mouthpiece, clueless about plain math and finance.

Comment by Driveby Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:48 pm
The privatization of the Illinois lottery worked out just great.
lol

Comment by foster brooks Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:49 pm
===Sticking with that “sky isn’t falling stuff,”===

Isn’t the parable actually used to prove people who scream that the sky is falling all the time are often goofballs?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:50 pm
Also, where does that 93 percent unionized number come from? The only source I can find for it is Rauner’s own quote.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:52 pm
“Very high cost, very much featherbedding and overstaffing,” he said.

Overstaffing?! Yes, that is why every state agency is so backlogged! I think he needs to visit a few more of his state facilities.

Comment by Rusty618 Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:53 pm
It’s funny to hear this “government union bosses” thing. My sister’s girl had the Chicago Teachers Union’s treasurer as her teacher in 6th great. Joanna is a great girl, but she’s got some issues that make the school environment difficult for her. She’s ADD and she’s got a bit of a cognitive disability. When that “Union Boss” was her teacher, she grew from a D student to a B student and she is still a B student as a junior in high school. My sister still raves about Ms. Mayley as being the one that turned things around for my niece.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:54 pm
===The privatization of the Illinois lottery worked out just great.===

The company significantly increased state revenues. It just didn’t increase them nearly as much as promised.

So it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t particularly horrible.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:57 pm
The only thing that makes me rationalize how off-pudding these remarks are to reality, truth, or even partisan talking points is coming to grips that no matter hypocritical Rauner personally is, professionally was, or governmentally governs, I need to realize it makes 100% sense if I remember;

Rauner is a true believer.

It’s who he is.

It’s how he wants to govern.

For good or ill, governing by true beliefs leads to all we’ve seen, and much more to come… Summer, and beyond(?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 12:59 pm
It looks more and more like Rauner does not want a budget solution other then union busting of state employee unions. He is wanting a big shortfall to create a “crises”. He can use the “crises” to “negotiate”. I wouldn’t be surprised if he threatens to privatize the dept. of corrections.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:01 pm
===threatens to privatize the dept. of corrections. ===

He can threaten all he wants, but he’d have to pass a law to do it.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:04 pm
Southeast Michigan? More like southwest.

Comment by Owen, Son of Gus Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:18 pm
This is a very serious question. Is Gov. Rauner a sociopath? Has anyone personally experienced him exhibiting an empathetic or sympathetic behavior (not an attitude but a behavior). Mr. Miller have you seen anything during the doggie playdate? Seriously, is this guy a sociopath?

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:20 pm
Enough with the ’sociopath’ talk. You can’t diagnose from afar.

Comment by Shark Sandwich Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:29 pm
Moral duty? His moral duty is to represent all the citizens of Illinois including union members and the people elected to represent them. His willingness to divide this state is shameful and will only do lasting damage to an already beleaguered public.

Comment by Obamas Puppy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:33 pm
If the state is so overstaffed, why the need for unrestricted forced overtime?

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:35 pm
Shark, it’s a valid question and it’s an important question. I can’t think of or haven’t seen anything. Think about Clinton. He was maybe a little bit too the other way, but do you get my meaning? If he can’t feel sympathy or empathy it would explain a lot.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:42 pm
@Honeybear- I am not sure about sociopath but he is definitely a demagogue.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demagogue

He has determined who the “enemy” of the people is
and will scapegoat them until they do not exist. He will chose a new enemy or simply expand his list. This is Rauner’s pattern and the pattern of all demagogues.

=“We have a moral duty to act,” Rauner told the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing. “We have a duty to minimize how much we have to take from you. . . .That money belongs to taxpayers.”=

The enemy also pays taxes. We have a moral duty to minimize how much we take from them too. You represent them too.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:44 pm
The state would be better economically if there were groups of workers available that we didn’t have to pay….. Chinas economy is booming, and they arent saddeled with unions or requirements for the age or salary of their “workers.”

Europe can run commercials of celebreties in IL: “for 10 cent a day tou can feed a resident of il…..”

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Don’t politicians tend to overstate the issues like this anyway. Most of us that Chicago won’t turn into Detroit, but there are people out there who believe that. And there are politicians willing to say that as well.

Comment by Levois Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:46 pm
Don’t know about sociopath or demagogue, but there is definitely something wrong.

Comment by AnonymousOne Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:57 pm
A moral duty to act?! Ha! Is his speech writer one of W’s old writers?! Thank god he is only talking about unions and not wrongfully invading other countries.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 1:59 pm
If the State has 93% of all employees in the union it might be because all the non-union employees got it stuck up the you know what for the last 10 years ,so many joined the union. It use to be that only Troopers, Special Agents and Sgts were in the union. Now the M/Sgts, Lts and Capts are also members of the union.

Comment by ISP Retired Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:02 pm
==Don’t know about sociopath or demagogue, but there is definitely something wrong.==

I’m leaning towards megalomaniac.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:03 pm
Oh, well, at least we have a breathable atmosphere and lots of water:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/video/south-dakota-ad-campaign-at-least-were-not-mars/vi-AAbvNPo

Maybe Illinois could run a campaign like this, with a theme like “We’re way cooler than Venus!”

Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:06 pm
OK, the Governor is anti-union. We get that. He’s going to play hardball with the AFSME contract. We get that. He’s never going to stop with the union bashing rhetoric. We get that.

As has been discussed here in the past even if he fired every State employee, the fiscal problems don’t go away. His $2 billion dollar savings in FY16 by changing the pension system is going nowhere. The fiscal issues still persist.

So, is this it Governor? Is that all you’ve got? Bashing the workers that protect the public health and fix our roads? Asking the press to promote your agenda for you? Cutting programs to autistic children? Cutting money to cities? Slashing education funding? Crafting a budget that will never pass the GA? Comparing the state you profess to love, the state where you live, the state you represent, the state where you made your billions to Detroit??? Is that it Governor? IS THAT IT???

This Governor is about as inspiring as a bandaged foot, and his agenda is far less attractive.

Comment by Sangamo Sam Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:09 pm
The Governor never defines his business pals as special interests. In his world only certain special interests are evil. I don’t even think he realizes what a hypocrite he is when it comes to the topic of special interests.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:10 pm
There are some very nice communities in southeast Michigan. Ann Arbor and surrounding communities, the northern suburbs to name a few.

Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:12 pm
Sounds right, Wensicia!

Comment by AnonymousOne Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:12 pm
=== “We have a moral duty to act,” Rauner told the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing. ===

Do I have this right? Rauner is now promoting corporate greed as a moral responsibility!

Comment by forwhatitsworth Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:13 pm
>While no economic proposals are yet on the table, the Administration included over $700 million in cuts to the group health plan in its FY 16 budget based on a drastic restructuring of health insurance benefits that could cost each employee thousands of dollars annually.

The benefits choice period for state employees, university employees, and non-Medicare retirees is coming up starting May 1 when selections are made for health insurance, dental insurance, etc.

I am wondering if that is going to be the first major shot across the bow directly effecting large numbers of state employees?

Comment by Retired Already Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:17 pm
“Shark, it’s a valid question and it’s an important question.”

No, hb, it isn’t. It’s goofy and a cheap shot. You have a problem with him, win on the merits of your ideas, don’t demagogue. Armchair psychology is the loser argument, no matter if it’s Bush, Clinton, Blago, Madigan, Rauner…

Maybe one of them is, their public face and what little we see of their private lives will never be enough to know.

Comment by Shark Sandwich Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:21 pm
JS Mill- you are right, a demogogue. I just saw pictures of Gov Rauner touring the Fairdale tornado site. He was very visibly moved. I hadn’t seen those. It was an honest question and I’m sorry if I offended anyone. I think it’s important to ask tough questions. I’m struggling to understand a person who seems to have very little empathy and blames everything on others.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:34 pm
Rauner wants a strike. Union members need to get a month or two of living expenses lined up and ready.

Comment by facts are stubborn things Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:41 pm
Fear Mongering-spouting myths and opinions everywhere he goes. His message is getting old with people fast. I haven’t heard much in the way of the “shared sacrifice” anymore. Guess hes given up on sharing the sacrifice and has instead piled the sacrifices on the backs of real people. SO TIRED OF THE BS from this Wanna-Be French Horn tooting …..you fill in the blanks

Comment by BlameBruceRauner Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:41 pm
…plain math and finance…

When you focus on plain math and finance, you write off what it means to be a thinking human being, capable of imagination, creativity and determination.

We have a governor comfortable with bankruptcy, disunion and hurting others because of “plain math and finance”. Governors shouldn’t be comfortable doing that to the citizens they govern.

There is a way to fix these problems without harm. He was elected to find it, after promising for over a year that he knew how.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 2:59 pm
“I’m struggling to understand a person who seems to have very little empathy and blames everything on others.”

I suspect that at least some of it is an act, a public/stage persona kind of like, say, that of a pro wrestler or rock star who pretends to be really hardcore on stage but is much more subdued off stage. Much of the relentless union-bashing, etc. MAY be simply putting on a show for his intended audience (the RNC, perhaps, or prospective GOP donors) to impress them, even though he knows he will not get what he is demanding.

How much separation there is between the “real” Rauner and the “stage persona” Rauner may not be known until either the end of this session and/or the expiration of the AFSCME contract, at which time he will have to put up or shut up.

Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:09 pm
==hurting others because of “plain math and finance”==

Specifically, he is choosing some taxpaying citizens over other taxpaying citizens to single out and hurt– defaming and degrading their worth as contributors to this state. This is governmental leadership? It appears to be a strategy to isolate groups of Illinois citizens out of what only appears to be disdain. This is not a leader or even a good person. I may be naive, but I thought that a good leader brings people together, moving toward a positive goal. Nothing about him indicates this. He has generated so much anger and resentment. THAT might be why someone (who is able to)leaves this state.

Comment by AnonymousOne Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:12 pm
== Rauner wants a strike. Union members need to get a month or two of living expenses lined up and ready. ==

Yep. If he doesn’t get a strike, most likely he’ll force a lockout while saying the unions forced him to take that action.

Most government union members have never seen anything like what they will be facing this summer. While I don’t think it will reach that level, they should read up on the Illinois coal mine wars as a reminder of where unions came from.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:21 pm
Secret Square, I had hoped that he was just playing a part. But I am increasingly becoming uncomfortable with his behaviors. I am especially concerned about those he is chosing to execute his orders. They are young politically connected hacks who are only marginally qualified. BUT THEY FOLLOW ORDERS UNWAVERINGLY!!! Thinking on this is what got me thinking about whether he had the capacity to feel empathy or to accept valid criticism. He doesn’t seem to be capable of backing off and pivoting. It all seems for naught and SO MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING HURT! What’s the point? I am beginning to worry that sociopathy is creeping into our every day political discourse.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:28 pm
How can Illinois government be so overstaffed when we have the lowest per capita ratio of State employees of all 50 states?

Comment by Rtired and fed up Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:41 pm
=Rauner wants a strike. Union members need to get a month or two of living expenses lined up and ready.=

That’s good advice. Sadly, I just had to have a serious talk with my wife. CPS is going to be playing hardball in contract negotiations and we need to have money lined up to replace her salary next fall because I am willing to be CPS will force another strike emboldened by having Rauner in Springfield. Fortunately, I make enough that it won’t be too bad for us, but for others, it’ll be a real hardship.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:52 pm
==How can Illinois government be so overstaffed when we have the lowest per capita ratio?==

Because our governor needs this to be true (overstaffing). People of his standing know that if you get the message out there early and often, most people will accept it as truth because it’s easier to listen than to do your own homework of learning the facts. And since there is money to buy billboards, spots in the media, etc., you win!

Comment by AnonymousOne Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:55 pm
The unions all shot themselves in the foot when they stood back and let Ronald Regan replace all of the stiking air traffic controllers. All unions in the country should have walked out in solidarity with the air traffic controllers thus showing Reagan that the unions were still strong in this country. Now every business knows that all they have to do is bring in temporary workers to fill the jobs once held buy the unions workers. Rauner is no different he knows that he can bring in temporary workers from temp agencies (employment agencies that will help a person find a job ie. Kelly Services) pay the contrator a flat fee and not have to pay any fringe benifits at all. This is what Staley Manufacturing did in Decatur, Ilinois and it is what Bruce Rauner wants to do to the State employees. We can try to fight him but i’m afraid that the persident has been set and unions and State employees are going to suffer under this Governor. Am I scared Hell Yes I am we all need to stick together and not let him have his own way.

Comment by Larry Young Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:58 pm
I have a PhD in Financial Economics, and my experience with people who talk about plain math and finance with respect to Illinois’ fiscal problems is that they have little understanding of basic economic and financial concepts. One little thing many of these folks simply fail (or more likely refuse) to comprehend is the difference between a stock figure like total debt, the unfunded pension liabilities, etc. and flow concepts like state revenues, total state personal income, etc. Invariably they compare the former to the latter and make statements such as: by golly, even if we dedicated all tax revenues to paying off the unfunded liabilities it would take 3 whole years, etc., so this proves Illinois is effectively bankrupt. By this apples vs. oranges logic just about every person with a mortgage, not to mention the federal government, is in a horrible financial position.

Comment by Andy S. Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:59 pm
RNUG @ 3:21pm: Well said. I have been saying something very similar to my co-workers for past couple of months. I think none of us have in the past (at least with past governors) have seen anything before what issoon to come down the pike in the upcoming union negotiations.

Comment by Capitol Fax Follower Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 3:59 pm
===The unions all shot themselves in the foot when they stood back and let Ronald Regan replace all of the stiking air traffic controllers.===

What was that strike about? Do you know?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:00 pm
The JRTC is clearing out of employees.
I would guess 25 to 35 percent of the once filled desks are empty. As people have been pushed out or left for other jobs. Less than half of those who have left over the last five years get replaced. I just spoke with someone who was sobbing because they are leaving their job of 20 years. The turnaround in action.

There are very few left over 60 years old.

Comment by gg Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:02 pm
“In Bruce Rauner’s Illinois.” Those opening words of Rich’s article pretty much explains a lot. Ownership.

Comment by Minnow Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:03 pm
Regarding staffing ratios, you cannot just look at the ratio of state employees to population. Some states are much more decentralized than others, with relatively more local government employees. I think the only meaningful comparison would be to look at state AND local government employees relative to population. Not sure how Illinois would look based on this metric.

Comment by Andy S. Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:07 pm
@Honeybear- no offense taken, we are on the same page.

I have been struggling to pinpoint and articulate (mostly for my own edification)what his issue is and I finally arrived at demagogue. I think it fits.

Ultimately the downward spiral of increasing narcissism will manifest itself in the behavior most closely associated with a sociopath. He (Rauner) and his, as well as his needs and thoughts become the only thing that count (in his head). Anyone that disagrees is corrupt and therefore unworthy of anything but contempt. By diminishing the value or de-humanizing the opposing forces, he no longer feels guilt for actions that cause them harm.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:13 pm
“Not sure how Illinois would look based on this metric.”

Given that Illinois has way more units of local government than any other state, I’d guess that metric would put Illinois closer to average or even above average in employee per capita ratio.

Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:14 pm
Not that it matters w rauner as boss, but i wonder if his negotiators have illinois experience. I doubt they have any leeway to find middle ground. Crisis = leverage.

Rauner wants a strike, but will prob have to settle for a lockout.

His comments about feather bedding, over staffing, union rules preventing computerization, etc, really are pure fiction. But i think he really believes it. Thats dangerous and portends a long long summer. I wonder if he is capable of compromise.

His negotiating position seems to be all for him, nothing for you

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:18 pm
I had a crazy thought before he took office that if Rauner was able to look at the State the way he would look at a business he was taking over he would recognize how horribly understaffed it was to do all the ever increasing responsibilities the legislature has delegated to the Agencies. He is clearly so blinded by his hatred of unions that he can only see the reality he’s already made up his mind to find.

Comment by Bibe Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 4:56 pm
I worked for three GOP governors in Illinois. Never have I heard anything near the level of dripping contempt that this governor shows on a nearly a daily basis for his employees.

Comment by kimocat Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 5:56 pm
OW–http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id296.htm-Air Traffic controllers strike.

Comment by Minnow Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:14 pm
- Minnow -,

Was the strike… legal?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:17 pm
Anyone remember those bonuses he promised state employees for good ideas shortly after he started?

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:19 pm
OW
No. I think Fed. Law in the 70’s made it illegal. Know that site didn’t work like I hoped. Just google air traffic controllers strike. Were several of them, but Reagan was the one in 1981 strike that fired them.

Comment by Minnow Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:29 pm
Rauner is one of a kind. He was truly lucky to run against a worn-out shell like Quinn. No one will ever vote for this guy for any office ever again. He drips hatred for the common person.

Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:33 pm
My point to askibg about the air traffic controllers and…

===The unions all shot themselves in the foot when they stood back and let Ronald Regan replace all of the stiking air traffic controllers. All unions in the country should have walked out in solidarity with the air traffic controllers thus showing Reagan that the unions were still strong in this country. ===

The Air Traffic Controllers’ situation never warrented that type of solidarity. Not understanding what really happend makes that statement above Dopey.

- Wordslinger - really lays it out well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 6:47 pm
What does Governor Rauner consider special interests?

Comment by bird Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 7:01 pm
Thanks - Minnow - for your help. Appreciate the leg work.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 7:43 pm
If the governor thinks the State is overstaffed maybe he should read a few audit reports from the last couple years. I’m willing to bet a sizable percentage of the findings are attributed to insufficient staff, experienced staff leaving and not being replaced, too many duties for an employee, etc.

Comment by MyTwoCents Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 8:12 pm
He has to talk through people, pay people off woops I meant “lobby” to get his way in the legislature, call the state corrupt- anyone who disagrees with him, and extort to get his way. This guy has went off the deep end—I thought WWII ended. Welcome to the twilight zone

Comment by Ljt75 Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 8:46 pm
@bird anyone who disagrees with his train of thought. Remember he’s going to tell the legislature and the courts what to do, not the other way around.

Comment by Ljt75 Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 8:50 pm
With regard to audit findings he would see it only as incompetent overpaid state workers and nothing else even though in many agencies staffing levels are so low there is a lot of forced overtime.

Comment by Rtired and fed up Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 9:07 pm
When Reagan fired the striking air traffic controllers, the feds made strikers ineligible for food stamp benefits. At the time, Bob Michel, R, was running a tough campaign for reelection in Peoria. Caterpiller was striking. They made an exception for the Caterpiller strikers for food stamps. Bob Michel won re-election.

Comment by Emily Booth Tuesday, Apr 28, 15 @ 11:28 pm
“He can threaten all he wants, but he’d have to pass a law to do it.” Great point Rich.

How is the Governor’s legislative agenda looking? Friday is May 1st? Is he going to pass anything? Introduce anything? Does he have an agenda that is not in talking point format?

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, Apr 29, 15 @ 8:58 am