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* UPDATED x1 * Today is deadline day on AFSCME bill

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Monday is the deadline for Rauner to act on that bill that would send unresolved labor negotiations between the state and some of its employee unions to binding arbitration. If he doesn’t act, the bill automatically becomes law.

Rauner was asked last week what he plans to do with the bill. He wouldn’t say exactly, but he did say, “It’s stunning. It’s atrocious legislation.”

Gee, sounds like he’s going to sign it.

* And the governor’s office has been busily contacting editorial boards. Here’s one of the latest…

Not only does HB 580 contain the same language as SB 1229 which would allow an arbitrator – not the elected legislature or governor – to decide what could eventually be a $3 billion tax hike for Illinois taxpayers, it also contains additional language that could cost taxpayers another $400 million on top of that.

With negotiations stalled, and the previous contract having expired, the Rauner administration announced that it would not continue to pay automatic salary step increases that the state could not afford. SB 508 includes new language that would force the state to retroactively pay these step increases from the expired contract to the tune of another $400 million, according to administration sources.

*** UPDATE *** At least one guy in comments (somebody who usually knows these things) thinks the deadline is tomorrow. Either way, the Illinois Policy Institute is sending mailers against the bill. Here’s one…

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 16, 16 @ 9:50 am

Comments

I know that the staff of newspapers have been reduced, but if the best the editors can do is repeat the bogus numbers emanating from the governor’s office without independently verifying them, then perhaps they’ve outlived their usefulness

Comment by Truthteller Monday, May 16, 16 @ 9:55 am
It’s a simple choice between Labor Peace or the Greatest Labor War of the 21rst Century. Rauner would be so wise to chose peace.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 9:57 am
This needs a VETO

Comment by Allen D Monday, May 16, 16 @ 9:59 am
Labor War will cause the collapse of the state workforce. I have never been more certain on anything. You might interview a thousand Management and they will deny it. Go ahead interview or talk to nearly ANY regular state employee. They are so ready to get out. Retire if they can. So many are finding other jobs. Look, I know I get passionate on this blog. That might cause people to doubt the veracity. But I’m not kidding. We’re going down NOW!

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:01 am
I think Rauner ought to sign it. An arbitrator is going to go for what is reasonable- that’s what all sane people should want at the end of the day. Having an arbitrator gives Rauner a graceful cover and exit. Blame not getting everything he wanted on the arbitrator rather than having to own a lockout.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:02 am
I don’t see how Rauner could not veto this bill after all he’s gone through to fight public unions and try to paint them as enemies of the state and major culprits.

If we don’t get a budget and we see a strike, boy will we have some fun times ahead.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:03 am
This bill deserves the same fate as SB1229.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:03 am
state employee benefits and salties are comporable, to a little below the local area emploers of the Springfield Clinic, St Johns, Blue Cross etc. and below what State Farm in bloomington offers, State Farm has a comporable
size work force to the state and offers the same defined benefit pension…. plus profit sharing, lower cost health insurance and a water park…..

Goc rauner administartio. is laying some of the highest salaries, including a 30k a month salary, and he had to offer a tier 2 only new hire tier 1 venefits to get them in board a isbe. so other then his love of crushing the middle class to support the ultra wealthy not sure why he hates state worker.

on a side note, The apringfield area has about 150mlion un its economy from state worker health care , not to mention all the spending of from 7k worth of households. Rauner plans to double health insurance costs and cut salaries. This will do some serious economic dmg when workers reduce back health care use and overall spending. So any local business in Sangamon should be concerned about the economic impact of the loss of all that spending in the area…. i

Comment by Ghost Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:09 am
Anyone who thinks that Rauner will let HB580 become law is fooling themselves. We will have to rely on the legislature overriding today’s expected veto to avoid Armageddon!

Comment by Omega Man Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:18 am
Wonder if Rauner will wait until 11:59 pm tonight to veto the bill???

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:20 am
=This needs a VETO=

Agreed as long as Rauner consistently deals with labor and offers AFSCME the same deal it offered to the other unions.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:21 am
Wonder where those 1 or 2 House Republican GA votes will be…

Comment by DHSJim Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:24 am
===Greatest Labor War of the 21rst Century…
Labor War will cause the collapse of the state workforce…We’re going down NOW!…
Armageddon!====

It might be a bit more than “passion” describing things in this way.

Comment by A guy Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:25 am
Rauner says that HB580 will result in a massive tax hike. It’s really just an attempt to force a massive reduction in salary for all state employees, similar to the way the state has used the pension system as a piggy bank to keep taxes artificially low for decades.

Comment by Omega Man Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:28 am
As with anything else Rauner spills from his mouth, he’s change that $3 bill to $4 bill and back.

Where does he come up with these things?

Comment by Tinsel Town Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:29 am
If Rauner wins there will hardly be any State employees once he starts privatizing everything.

Comment by DHSJim Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:30 am
Ya got to remember, what has Rauner agreed to while in office, very little other than lining his pal’s pockets with contracts from fiscally challenged social service agencies.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:33 am
Sometimes I feel like the state of Illinois is the only state where it’s okay to think that you don’t have to pay for the services you receive.

It should be fun to see how the veto override would go, though. That can be fun.

Comment by Anon Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:39 am
“state employee benefits and salaries are comparable, to a little below the local area employers of the Springfield Clinic, St Johns, Blue Cross etc. and below what State Farm in Bloomington offers, State Farm has a comparable
size work force to the state and offers the same defined benefit pension…. plus profit sharing, lower cost health insurance and a water park…..”
———-

Let’s not forget that State Farm has as part of the overall package the right to do extensive outsourcing of work, ‘at will’ employment, and, if they decide to make changes or changes effecting employment, they can make it happen without having to move heaven and earth several times over (Hint: No AFSCME).

And if you can’t handle the job, you probably won’t be there medium term, much less long term.

I’d bet that if Bruce Rauner could get the same type of labor deal (all of it, not just pay & bennies) that State Farm has with it’s employees for the State’s AFSCME workforce, he’d probably grab it in a New York nano second.

Course, that would likely mean “Bye Bye AFSCME”. And a lot of Blago and Quinn political holdovers would likely be out of a job….

Comment by Judgment Day Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:40 am
Labor is a “fight to the finish” with Rauner. If he gets to impose this terrible contract, he’ll have unlimited rights to privatize state jobs. By the end of his first term, the union will be a shadow of its former self and the next “contract” will be useful only as toilet paper. Please come to the rally to send a message “loud and clear” to all state legislators that a veto override is the only way to stop the madness.

Comment by Omega Man Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:48 am
Wonder how Franks and Dunkin and Drury will vote on the veto override…?
It speaks to how Republican rags like The Daily Herald parrot Raunerite talking points and label the Democrats’ majority ‘veto-proof…’

Comment by IRLJ Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:51 am
Judgement day - do you see State Farm customers ( I am one) constantly complaining over the pay and benefits of state fa employees? No, you don’t- even though the money comes from customer payments? Do you see State Farm terminating their management staff wholesale every time an election happens? Do you see the management of State Farm requiring their staff to be of a particular political party? Afsmce didn’t just come into play to negotiate contracts, they came into play to insulate staff from political nonsense, and from taxpayers who would prefer state employees tone treated like Scrooge treated his employees.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:52 am
“And a lot of Blago and Quinn political holdovers would likely be out of a job…” and replaced by Rauner cronies. The difference being…?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:53 am
sentence 1 - state farm employees

sentence 5 employees to be treated like

Comment by thoughts matter Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:54 am
a lot of Blago and Quinn political holdovers would likely be out of a job

Those folks are either gone or going right now. No the effected will be people like me and my cohort or employees. Of the 15 that came in with me there were 12 with Masters Degrees. We’re down to 8 of us left in just two years. There’s a new trainee who got her degree from U of Chicago. The newer employees are the best but lowest paid employees the state has ever had. But those folks also have the most options otherwise. The days of High School educated state employees is long long over. This is humpty dumpty time folks. Once this is broken it can’t be put back together. State government is incredibly complex. I’m so not kidding about this stuff.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:55 am
Related topic: Does anyone know of an update to the INA voting no to Rauner’s contract offer. Has he tried to impose a last best offer on them? Did they return to bargaining table?

Comment by Johnnie F. Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:55 am
Hey Honeybear- nothing like a little hyperbole?

Comment by Sue Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:56 am
-It might be a bit more than “passion” describing things in this way. -

What are you saying? Use your words.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:58 am
-Ya got to remember, what has Rauner agreed to while in office, very little other than lining his pal’s pockets with contracts from fiscally challenged social service agencies. –

Nope, private social service agencies are for the most part gone. Dead. finished. There is nothing to pick up. There is no profit in it. That was the point. He didn’t want to own cuts so he killed them this way. Feature not bug

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:00 am
I wish Honeybear were being hyperbolic, but as a keen observer of what happened in Wisconsin, I don’t believe her descriptions are inaccurate.

Comment by AC Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:05 am
- AC - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:05 am:

I agree! Most people are too disconnected to know what will happen.

Honeybear you keep going!

Comment by Jimmy H Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:15 am
What bugs me the most about this is if Quinn won there is no way on God’s green earth AFSCME would have ever lobbied for this legislation. Because Rauner won they want to make this a one time affair. If AFSCME wants all future contracts decided for arbitration I’m for it. But right now they are picking horses and boxing them to hedge their bet for 2018. Elections have consequences, deal with it. You picked the wrong horse.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:16 am
Governor Rauner would gain huge good faith TRUST if he does not veto this. If he lets this become law, Madigan should zip it and make further compromise with Rauner on the TA.

Comment by Jimmy H Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:17 am
=What are you saying? Use your words.=

I believe he’s saying that using terms like “the greatest labor war of the 21rst century” and “Armageddon” don’t convey passion, they make you seem a bit unhinged.

I suspect that this is a characterization that would only bolsters Rauner’s arguments regarding labor so you might want to ponder it a bit.

An over the top response by labor is exactly what Rauner is hoping for. It’s one of the few things that could sway public opinion in his favor. He doesn’t need to demonize labor if they’re willing to do it themselves.

Comment by pundent Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:17 am
The effect of the past year has already done what the Gov. set out to do…lessen the ranks of Tier 1 employees through subliminal forcing to get out while the getting is good. More will go depending upon the health care aspects of a contract and even more will choose to leave pending other changes to come. Soon he’ll have the work force he’s envisioned…complacent, conformist, contractual and culled.

Comment by Captain Illini Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:21 am
Exactly so AC. Thank you. Look at Kansas. Look at Louisiana. Those states are at stage IV. Wisconsin is in stage III. We’re in stage II but moving fast. People who are not in government don’t realize how it works.

Example: We daily use 30 year old legacy systems to transact and process foodstamp, medical, and TANF cases. THERE ARE NO MANUALS FOR ANY OF THESE SYSTEMS. There are only copies of copies of copies of copies of hand done cheatsheats and job aids done by workers. Each time a worker retires it’s a great day. We get new job aids and distribute them. I get stuck on a weird case daily. “What the hell is happening?” Is every day. I go to an old-time and they look threw their collection, walk over to another worker etc. Eventually we figure out what happened and how to fix it. Friday my office lost two veteran caseworkers. Their knowledge was literally irreplaceable. We lose another one at the end of the month. OUR CAPACITY WAS TOTALLY AND LITERALLY JUST DIMINISHED. If you make the flight go faster, I’m not not not kidding, we will literally grind to a halt.

LABOR PEACE IS THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD SLOW THE COLLAPSE. We cannot replace fast enough. We already have the smallest workforce per capita in the United States. AND THAT WAS WHEN RAUNER STARTED!! We’re way below skeleton now. The Raunerite management, with a few exceptions, are young (as seen in campaigns) inexperienced, arrogant, and willfully incompetent. It’s a nightmare.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:26 am
The same people who are arguing it is unconstitutional, immoral and undemocratic to allow the people to decide how to draw legislative district lines are the same people arguing it is preferable to allow arbitrators to decide how to spend tax dollars. Makes total sense.

Comment by JB13 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:37 am
My agency recently hired a licensed IL attorney (law school graduate) as a Technical Advisor I, step 1c. That’s $4,377/mo. or $52,524/y. How could rauner say that’s overpaid? Unsurprisingly, that person quit after a year. Freezing pay at that level is going to make more people quit.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:38 am
We know the BigBrain cannot be questioned but it seems like 50 calendar days really lands on 5-17-16

Comment by Annonin' Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:42 am
Not true JB13 - I’m in total agreement with changing how we draw legislative districts. I think an independent group should do it, and I think the physical layout ought to look more like the counties rather than puzzle pieces. Beyond that, I have no idea how to do it. But we definitely shouldn’t let the legislators or the political parties draw the map.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:48 am
===look more like the counties===

lol

Ever look at the county map for southern Illinois?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 16, 16 @ 11:50 am
I know counties often get borders based upon rivers or other natural land formation, as do properties. I did just take a look at the county map( without enlarging it). We could only wish our political districts made half as much sense.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:15 pm
Honeybear, how is it that with such diminished capacity at your agency, you have so much time on your hands to post on Capitol Fax daily, throughout the day? Look, I understand your concerns. I’m a state employee, too (posting on my lunch hour). But I think you’re perhaps unintentionally feeding into that unfortunate perception that so many people have about state employees not doing enough work while they’re on the clock, if you have this much time to comment on blogs.

Comment by ABC Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:20 pm
Arbitrators make their rulings based on what is determined to be a fair and reasonable compromise between the two parties based on research. Rauner expresses 100% certainty that this will cost a lot of money. That strongly suggests that Rauner knows state workers are underpaid and that his bargaining positions are not anywhere close to reasonable.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:21 pm
To the update: that pig better represents the wealthy and corporations in this state.

And what exactly is “an Afscme official?”

And this might be a nitpick but that “5 weeks vacation” is only after 25 years of service. The governor dropped his proposal to change it so why is it listed as one of our “demands?” It’s simply status quo agreed to by both sides.

Comment by steward Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:21 pm
The vacation is no better then the private sector. In many cases, it is worse then the private sector.

They can’t win on the truth so they make up facts and figures.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:37 pm
ABC +1

Comment by Georg Sande Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:43 pm
I love that “bought & paid for” policy! /Snark.

Comment by James Knell Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:43 pm
=This needs a VETO=

Agreed. Arbitration will probably result in a salary bump which needs to be paid for by a huge take hike. The union would only deploy it against an unfriendly governor.

==Freezing pay at that level is going to make more people quit.==

This is probably true and is an important part of right-sizing the state’s spending. Given Illinois’ stagnant/declining population it needs fewer employees. New replacements will be put on tier two with much cheaper pension plans.

Comment by atsuishin Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:44 pm
Does anyone not think Rauner has private companies with experience in other states ready to pick up the pieces after he collapses everything?

Comment by Liberty Monday, May 16, 16 @ 12:50 pm
-Given Illinois’ stagnant/declining population it needs fewer employees-

Now I get the right-sizing argument. I really do. Revenue for instance. There are a lot of people there just doing data entry. That at some point will get automated. I get it. But the people that you do have HAVE TO BE TOP NOTCH AND COMPETANT. Otherwise it’s just not going to fly.

True, I’d like it if we had biannual “Fitness Reports” like I did when I was in the Navy. FOR EVERYONE! I think this is fair. My union would have a total fit BUT we do need to have competent workers. That being said, we’re losing our best and the institutional knowledge of how to make government run is being lost. You take too much crap in this job. I’m committed to serving because I feel more “calling” in it than I did to ministry. I serve the people that Jesus called us to serve. But others? It’s just a job to the new ones and the veterans are retiring fast because of Rauner. Literally we are coming apart at the seams and losing functionality. One might as well shut down the government if the Labor War happens.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:04 pm
Arbitration will probably result in a salary bump which needs to be paid for by a huge take hike

Nope, it will result in a status quo contract. Study interest arbitration and get back to me on that. Interest arbitration forces both sides to be as reasonable as possible. It forces both sides towards the middle.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:07 pm
atsuishin, I think you don’t know that in 2000 Illinois already had the fewest state employees per capita in the country, and since then number of state workers is down another almost 20%. That makes your statement seem a little odd. And, by the way, a 3% salary hike for AFSCME would cost the state about $125 million or so annually, hardly the basis for a “huge tax hike” since it would be about one-fifth of one percent of the state’s budget. Sometimes facts are troublesome things.
That’s not to say that Gov Rauner is wrong in trying to temporarily avoid wage increases as part of an overall strategy of holding costs down during
very difficult financial times: he isn’t. It’s just that the record should be kept straight when discussing the issue. You didn’t do that

Comment by steve schnorf Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:18 pm
I can’t imagine how we got to this place. Was there a time when the message was “Come to IL, where we pay our state workers great salaries and benefits!” to “Out state employees are making too much money and draining the tax payer’s pocket book.”

Comment by Dale Cooper Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:45 pm
Interest arbitration has existed since the 1980’s as the sole means for resolving contract disputes for publicly employed security officers, peace officers, and fire fighters in Illinois. Under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act (IPLRA), these groups of employees cannot strike in the event that they reach impasse during negotiations with their employers. Instead, since its enactment in 1984, Section 14 of the IPLRA has required that these employees and their employers participate in mediation and interest arbitration proceedings. Pursuant to this statutory framework, the parties begin mediation if a new agreement has not been reached. If a mediator cannot resolve the dispute, either party may request binding interest arbitration.

Since on financial issues, the arbitrator goes with one side’s offer or the other, arbitration tends to at least bring the two sides a lot closer together, even if they can’t settle on the final terms of a contract.

Furthermore, the arbitrators can rule with the public employer on some issues - and with the union on others. This bill merely extends to state employees what is already done throughout the state with police and firemen. One can see all of the arbitration decisions that have taken place with Illinois police and firefighter vs villages, etc. at: http://www.illinois.gov/ilrb/arbitration/Pages/default.aspx

Comment by Joe M Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:46 pm
“- Honeybear - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:04 pm:”

It looks like Honeybear has been hijacked. Most reviews are subjective. I have a friend who was told that she could not get a good review, she got an average review, when she had a great year because then she would have to get a bad review if she has a bad year. That is bad logic. You can be sure that her supervisor would give her a bad review if she had a bad year.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Does the governor not have the right to veto the Step-increase portion of the bill, and pass the arbitration portion of the bill? There is NO increase in cost for arbitration.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:00 pm
Veto then impasse approved by State Zlabor Board then implement final offer. Only watched Rauner to make the progress Illinois desparately needs

Comment by Sue Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:06 pm
== Most reviews are subjective. ==

Can’t speak to how they ate done today, but at one time the merit comp position reviews were driven by top management budget decisions made at the begining of the budget year before the reviews were ever done.

One year my boss did my evaluation and it numerically came in scored granting me a raise higher than was pre-planned; he caught tons of heat to lower the evaluation so it would score within the budget.

Comment by RNUG Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Anonymous 1:47; I know, I know most of my AFSCME sisters and brother hiss like cats at reviews. I had a good experience in the Navy with Fitness Reports. If you haven’t been in the military it’s different than the normal performance review. I get it. I got a great review from my supervisor which was then changed to an average “meets expectations” by our No.2 manager. Yep, totally subjective. However if we did FitReps like the Navy, that manager would have been relegated to the Artic station long ago. EVERYBODY gets a Fitrep.

Sisters/Brothers the alien who “hijacked” me has returned control of the vehicle back to me. I’ll shut up. At least on reviews.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:08 pm
===I know counties often get borders based upon rivers or other natural land formation, as do properties. I did just take a look at the county map( without enlarging it). We could only wish our political districts made half as much sense.
===

Take a gander at the state legislative map in the first half of the 20th century some time. It is very possible to respect county boundaries and still gerrymander like crazy.

Comment by GraduatedCollegeStudent Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:14 pm
==RNUG: “…at one time the merit comp position reviews were driven by top management budget decisions…”

I experienced a section with 2 unit supervisors who manipulated their anniversary dates to be changed to within June, right before the end of the State fiscal year. Throughout the year, all their merit comp employees were downrated for trivial excuses. Every year come June, there was always JUST enough funds left to give each of the two a maximum-dollar “superior performance” raise …

Comment by Curmudgeon Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:24 pm
==steve schnorf - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 1:18 pm:==
Steve +1

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:28 pm
==“An over the top response by labor is exactly what Rauner is hoping for. It’s one of the few things that could sway public opinion in his favor.”==

Note to people planning to attend the union rally - please take note, and conduct yourselves accordingly.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:31 pm
==Omega Man - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 10:48 am:==

You must not read Capitol Fax, if you did, you would know that Madigan does not have enough votes to over-ride Rauner’s veto.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:33 pm
==RNUG - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:07 pm:==
== Most reviews are subjective. ==
“Can’t speak to how they ate done today, but at one time the merit comp position reviews were driven by top management budget decisions made at the begining of the budget year before the reviews were ever done.”

This is why merit comp does not work.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:37 pm
== I think you don’t know that in 2000 Illinois already had the fewest state employees per capita in the country==

I am aware of is this stat. it doesn’t change the fact that il’s budget has ballooned in real terms while the state’s economy and jobs has declined or grown sluggishly. and the population has stagnated/declined.

Of course the state government has a role but it needs to shrink to something more affordable for the beleaguered taxpayer.

Comment by atsuishin Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:43 pm
atsuishin. You just don’t get it. You won’t get anything done without a viable competent state workforce. NOTHING. To use a rather politically incorrect phrase, “too many chiefs and not enough Indians”. That’s what we’ve got.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:07 pm
Mama - The rest of the working world seems to be getting by on merit pay just fine. It’s far from perfect, but giving raises based strictly on how long you have been converting oxygen into carbon dioxide doesn’t work either.

Comment by DGD Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:14 pm
===getting by on merit pay just fine===

Define “just fine.” Because I know plenty of people who’ve been unfairly passed over or punished who didn’t think things were “just fine.”

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:17 pm
-The rest of the working world seems to be getting by on merit pay just fine-

Nope- that’s why we’ve got Trump and Sanders, both very popular, but with opposite solutions and diagnosis of the problem. No merit pay is not working for people. We union folk call it wage slavery.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:18 pm
DGD @ 3:14 ==The rest of the working world seems to be getting by on merit pay just fine.==

In the rest of the working world, poor performance of the workforce would hurt the business and eventually get the boss fired. The boss has some incentive to do a good job evaluating the workers and rewarding the good ones. No governor ever got voted out of office because he screwed over the good workers so they would leave and he could replace them with his cronies. I’m not saying unions are the perfect answer, but merely giving state workers civil service protection against firing isn’t enough either. The merit comp workers have been leaving and not being replaced.

Comment by Whatever Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:37 pm
Am I the only person that notices that some people are way too happy over the possibiilty of some hard working people getting pay cuts and benefit losses?

Comment by btowntruth Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:38 pm
===poor performance of the workforce would hurt the business and eventually get the boss fired===

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:41 pm
poor performance of the workforce would hurt the business and eventually get the boss fired===

If that were true then a whole heck of a lot of country music songs, etc would not have gotten written! Ha!

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:47 pm
–Am I the only person that notices that some people are way too happy over the possibiilty of some hard working people getting pay cuts and benefit losses?–

Scientifically proven that privilege insulates people from feeling compassion and empathy. I just read a study that showed that the wealthy are absolutely less compassionate. Not that regular folk can’t be uncompassionate or empathetic. All I have to say is Trump. But the trolls here are just so wrapped up in themselves and their dogmatic viewpoint. It’s sad.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:51 pm
=Am I the only person that notices that some people are way too happy over the possibiilty of some hard working people getting pay cuts and benefit losses? =

This is what happens when a government demonizes a class of people. History is full of such examples, and none of them turn out well for the targeted group. Citizens who are angry about some perceived injustice will latch onto the rhetoric without every questioning its veracity or if the alleged transgressions of the targeted group are even responsible for the injustice in the first place.

Comment by MSIX Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:53 pm
==- atsuishin - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:43 pm:

== I think you don’t know that in 2000 Illinois already had the fewest state employees per capita in the country==

==”Of course the state government has a role but it needs to shrink to something more affordable for the beleaguered taxpayer.”==

FACT: State workers pay state & federal taxes. Firing state workers would reduce the state tax revenue.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:54 pm
What Mama @ 2:37am stated is true. The merit compensation pay plan was ostensibly implemented in IL as a “pay for performance” mechanism for non-union personnel. It has in practice been used to reward personal friends, political patronage and punish or ignore others. AFSCME and collective bargaining in IL may have some shortcomings, but it helps to maintain a semblance of a meritocracy.

Comment by kitty Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:56 pm
So why wouldn’t Rauner just veto it today? Has he been visited by the ghosts of Labor past present and future?

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:06 pm
**FACT: State workers pay state & federal taxes. Firing state workers would reduce the state tax revenue.**

Silly comment of the day. Where do you think worker’s pay comes from ? State workers pay comes from state tax revenue, therefore state employees are net tax consumers. I live near and work in Springfield and certainly don’t want to see the workforce decimated, but some of this is just silly.

Comment by DGD Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:12 pm
**Define “just fine.” Because I know plenty of people who’ve been unfairly passed over or punished who didn’t think things were “just fine.”**

just fine = better than rewarding employees on time served alone, particularly when they are nearly impossible to discipline or fire.

Comment by DGD Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:14 pm
If it is not vetoed today…tomorrow may be the day where 580 is played as a bargaining chip by R.

State workers may be tossed under the bus at the leaders meeting.

Comment by Johnnie F. Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:18 pm
-State workers may be tossed under the bus at the leaders meeting.-

I’ve been afraid of that for some time now. We shall see.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:30 pm
He vetoed it!

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:54 pm
http://herald-review.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/rauner-you-ve-been-misled/article_57fbf9e5-c013-5552-ae30-d84698d86a14.html

Comment by Liberty Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:05 pm
Finke- http://m.lincolncourier.com/article/20160516/NEWS/160519597

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:06 pm
“- DGD - Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:14 pm:”

That is not a true statement.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:09 pm
Well,Honeybear,the veto hit.
What do you think happens now?

Comment by btowntruth Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:20 pm
To “Mama”, hopefully the Rally will change some legislators minds. If they won’t defuse this mess, we will end up ON STRIKE!

Comment by Omega Man Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:20 pm
== What do you think happens now? ==

Veto override attempt, probably followed by a strike

Comment by RNUG Monday, May 16, 16 @ 8:21 pm