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* 12:10 pm - AFSCME invokes contract mediation. Via press release, AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer…

“On Monday, thousands of state employees rallied at the capitol. They made clear that they can’t afford the drastic increases in health care costs the governor is trying to force on them.

“After the rally we were able to make some progress at the bargaining table. […]

“Even so, the differences between the parties are still very substantial. The governor’s representatives are still pushing proposals that would make health care unaffordable for many state employees and their families.

“As a result, AFSCME has invoked its right under labor law to request the participation of a mediator, and the parties have agreed to extend the current contract that was set to expire June 30. The existing contract will remain in place through the first mediation session.”

The next step is the union and the governor’s office have to agree on the specific mediator. A union spokesperson said he was confident that will be accomplished.

* 12:57 pm - Maybe Gov. Blagojevich and Jim Thompson could scheme to buy this for the state instead of that dilapidated old Tribune ballpark…

Tribune Tower is in play.

Tribune Co. Chairman Sam Zell told staff today the company is in discussions with “a number of real estate firms” to determine how to generate the most value from the neo-Gothic Michigan Avenue home of the flagship Chicago Tribune, an iconic bookend of the city’s Magnificent Mile.

Statehouse North?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:10 pm

Comments

Perhaps they should enroll in AllKids to reduce costs. - Blago

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:16 pm
Rich Miller for mediator!

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:22 pm
No.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:23 pm
and who pays the mediator?

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:24 pm
Dan Stefanski for mediator.

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:33 pm
More saber-rattling. Let’s hope the taxpayers don’t get held up too badly. We really are stretched out here. And of course, a lot of us have to pay for our own health insurance…all of it. Now, that’s not Blago’s fault. He tried.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:42 pm
++++
And of course, a lot of us have to pay for our own health insurance…all of it. Now, that’s not Blago’s fault. He tried.
+++++

Wait. Wait. I know the answer to this one.

Okay. Ummm. “It’s the fault of the state workers!”

That’s it!

And:

“The state workers should be chastised because they’re smart enough to work for an employer that *does* pay for insurance!”

Right?

I got it. See? Easy.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:47 pm
Whoops — that was my snarky comment above.

Macbeth hereby claims responsibility for the anonymous snark.

Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:48 pm
No, I didn’t say it was the state employees’ fault.
But one of the admittedly few highlights of the Blago administration is that he did make a major effort to deal with the problem of the uninsured.
He deserves credit for that. If Illinois had guaranteed, community access to health insurance (everybody pays the same for the same level of coverage, access guaranteed regadless of health history) we’d all be paying more, including, probably, state employees, but vast numbers of Illinoisians would not be excluded, as they are now, by cost and health history. Nobody, including
state employees, should be “special” when it comes to health care.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:01 pm
Why should people pay the same for health insurance? Why should I pay as much as some fat smoker?

Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:04 pm
So when is Zell going to sell the Cubs (choke) to the State( I forgot it is a rweal assesst of the Tribune Corp.).

Comment by decaturvoter Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:04 pm
*So when is Zell going to sell the Cubs (choke) to the State( I forgot it is a rweal assesst of the Tribune Corp.)*

Bitter Sox fan alert!

Comment by The Doc Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:13 pm
since poster is in Decatur probably a bitter Cards fan, but regardless it is a bad typist alert

Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:23 pm
It is interesting to see people chastise one side (state workers) or the other (state government) for carrying the additional share of Health care costs when neither is responsible for the outrageous yearly increases in our health care system.

Pharmaceuticals, Insurance companies, Major health facilities (Hospitals, etc), and Doctors have all increased their prices dramatically every year, all are making great profits (and big salaries) and workers pay for all it, whether it is directly or indirectly.

It is an out-of-control system.

Comment by JR Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:24 pm
Casino Tribune?
With 7.5 percent of slot revenue earmarked to payoff the purchase/renovations of Wrigley Field.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:35 pm
Mike Royko Memorial Tower

Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 1:46 pm
*Dan Stefanski for mediator* LOL
I thought he was in the “where is he now?” category.

Comment by Bluefish Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:09 pm
I would love to work at 401 N. Michigan! The Thompson Center sux!

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:18 pm
I think the Tribune Tower should be dismantled, and the pieces sold on Ebay. I’d bid on one of the reliefs from the Great Wall or the Taj Mahal.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:02 pm
Hmmm…just how did Col. McCormick’s minions obtain some of those relics?

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:03 pm
It’s a buyers or renters market. I’m in the Wirtz building directly across the river and we shook them down pretty good a couple months ago to re-up. And Trump Tower isn’t online yet.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 3:14 pm
It has been rumored that Mr. Obama would like to move some of the DNC offices to Chicago …

Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:06 pm
Absolutely right, word.

Zell made all that dough buying low, and selling high. He either has some dumb money on a stick somewhere (you know, like the State and the Cubs)
or he’ll be sitting on that Tower for awhile. AA isn’t too familiar with the innards of that building, but on location alone, the highest and best use probably ain’t newspaper offices.

Hey, maybe he thinks the POB will pass and he can sell it to the State Pension Funds!

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:12 pm
With all this, Blagojevich wants give free health care to all Illinoisans, give me a break. Where’s all this money coming from?
Is he printing it in Ravenwood?

Comment by Wacker Drive Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:32 pm
If I were governor, one of the very first things I would do is write a letter to all state employees apologizing for all the “stuff” they have endured in the last few years and assuring them of my respect for the work they do.
If Blago had not dissed state workers so much over the past few years, maybe they would be willing to make some REASONABLE concessions now to help contain pension and healthcare costs. But as Rich has pointed out many times, Blago loves a fight, and he must really be itching for one with AFSCME. Too bad he can’t just go over to Pamplona and wave some red flags in front of the bulls instead.

Comment by Bookworm Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 9:16 pm
Blags is a pugilistic puscilanimous poottyfooter! sp?

Comment by A Citizen Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 9:33 pm
Bookworm during the last AFSCME contract state workers agreed to pay 8 percent more for retirement. The State last year decided not to make it’s payments to the retirement systems, putting them even further in the red. We’ve ponied up…the state hasn’t. We’ve agreed to reasonable increases in Health Care every contract that I can remember for the last twenty years. What the Guv is offering this time is very unreasonable. None of the health care providers are asking the state to increase workers costs, the state has decided to do that on their own.

Comment by Ultra50k Thursday, Jun 26, 08 @ 8:17 am
The “Healthcare Governor” my behind!

State agencies that serve the public are chronically understaffed and underfunded, including health and human services departments and facilities that serve seniors, the mentally ill and disabled. He’s thought NOTHING of stripping these agencies that serve the public to the bone while he pushes his agenda to paint a pretty political picture so he can try and climb the political ladder.

YES, health care for all Illinoisans is a worthwhile endeavor. But does that matter when the guy pushing it constantly robs Peter to pay Paul, always seems to be on the verge of federal indictments, and is FAR more concerned with political retribution than doing what is RIGHT?

I’m hopeful that Illinois will be able to create a very viable state insurance program for all Illinoisans in the future. But I do not trust this slimy governor to do it after he’s fouled up so much in this state and shown that he cares way more about political gimmicks than governing.

IMPEACH. NOW.

Comment by Undercover Thursday, Jun 26, 08 @ 8:51 am