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* JT writes another letter to state employees…
Dear Colleagues,
We continue to receive many questions regarding the Labor Board’s decision and the implementation of the State’s proposals.
One proposal that can be implemented immediately is bereavement leave. Bereavement leave provides employees with paid leave for the terrible circumstance of attending a funeral for their children or step-children. Surprisingly, previous contracts did not provide for this form of time off, meaning that some employees have previously been forced to use sick or vacation time in such circumstances. Unfortunately, in some cases, employees may not have accrued much sick or vacation time.
AFSCME requested that the State correct this issue by providing for bereavement leave and we did so in our offer. While it is my hope that this provision never impacts any of you, putting it into effect as soon as possible just seems to make the most sense. Therefore, the State plans to implement this proposal immediately.
I am sure that many of you will continue to have questions regarding the State’s proposals. If you have additional concerns, please consult the Labor Relations tab on the Team Illinois website, http://www.illinois.gov/sites/TeamIllinois/LaborRelations. There, you will find the entirety of the State’s final offer to AFSCME, as well as the employee FAQs website. The FAQs website is a terrific source of up to date information, where you can review answers to questions submitted by state employees, as well as submit questions of your own.
Sincerely,
JT
John Terranova
Deputy Director
CMS Office of Labor Relations
Whatever else you can say about them, these Rauner guys ain’t stupid.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:47 pm
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Does “bereavement pay” cover the death of a State?
Comment by Colin O'Scopey Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:51 pm
This is clever, no doubt. Operating state government without a budget or a realistic plan to achieve one, not so much.
Comment by slow down Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:53 pm
This is a good idea that the employees have driven a truck through and made my employer rue the day it was given. How does the Teamster’s deal on healthcare compare to Afscme’s?
Comment by hmmm Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 12:55 pm
You’re not going to be able to afford to take your kid to the doctor but when they die you get 3 days off. /s
Comment by Union proud Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:00 pm
Like bereavement matters to someone in a different job or retired. The exodus from State service is going to go faster than I thought. But for those who stay they will have hundreds if not thousands in less spending power due to increased healthcare costs. Sorry Springfield, you’re going to die.
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:03 pm
==How does the Teamster’s deal on healthcare compare to Afscme’s?==
That’s a great question! To prevent one point of confusion among the expected answers, no, the ProTech Teamsters are not tradespeople, and include civil engineers, technical managers, and other titles which overlap significantly with those of AFSCME.
Comment by AC Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:06 pm
I am very surprised that it wasn’t already happening. It’s been around in large companies in the private sector for decades. Other statewide Illinois office holders employees already had it too. It costs productivity, not cash.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:06 pm
Implementing this bereavement day change is really a rotten thing for the state to do. All the hostile commenters are correct in their criticism.
Comment by jim Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:06 pm
I do not believe JT even a little bit. No one contacted him about Bereavement leave. State employees get 3 personnel days a year to attend funerals.
A thousand calls on insurance costs, but no comment? How is the $170 million cut going to go down? It is retroactive to July 1, 2015, right? It is a 24% cut, correct? Premiums are suppose to double, right? Please JT, tell us what our insurance will cost?
Comment by yeah Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:07 pm
Wow,
Can’t be happy about anything apparently.
Comment by Oneman Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:08 pm
They can talk all they want about implementing parts of the contract, but until the Labor Board issues a written decision we are still under the tolling agreement.
Comment by Ezlife Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:11 pm
==Sorry Springfield, you’re going to die.==
I think, once business start closing and laying off staff in Springfield, we need to ask the question: Do residents of the state capitol think state employees learned their lesson yet? I think we can already ask residents of several college towns across Illinois: Do you think University employees learned their lesson yet?
Comment by AC Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:11 pm
IDOT already has this in their personnel policy. Employees can use sick time for bereavement leave.
Comment by Huh? Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:11 pm
There probably will be more need for bereavement leave once state employees forego medical treatments for family members due to Rauner’s sky high prescription drugs, treatment co-pays and huge out-of-pocket annual maximums. Spare us your loving concern JT.
Comment by Johnnie F. Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:12 pm
If Rauner were as smart as you seem to think, his poll numbers wouldn’t be where they are and he wouldn’t have to pretend Trump’s victory was his.
Comment by anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:12 pm
So if a sibling or parent dies- you still have to take vacation or sick time? That’s not how the other elected officials bereavement works.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:13 pm
What a bright spot on Monday!
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:14 pm
===he wouldn’t have to pretend Trump’s victory was his===
You MJM people have been so petulant in defeat. Y’all can really dish it out until the shoe is on the other foot.
And yes, that’s a mixed metaphor, but apt.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:14 pm
Thoughts Matter please note that leave for the death of a child had to be legislated in Illinois. Passed with one no vote in House & 2 no votes in the Senate. http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GAID=13&GA=99&DocNum=2613&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=88&LegID=95913&SpecSess=&Session=
Comment by jimbo Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:20 pm
Difficult to take bereavement leave when your job has been outsourced.
Comment by State Worker THX 1138 Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:21 pm
===You MJM people have been so petulant in defeat==
That statement is especially kind given the content of so many posts.
Comment by A guy Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:22 pm
Madigan will not be Speaker in January 2019. He’s done. Rauner has too much money and unlike Madigan has a strategy that isn’t stuck in the 1970s.
Either Mike does the honorable thing and doesn’t file for reelection in the 2018 primary or he selfishly takes the Democratic Party down with him - because if he sticks around, the Republicans will get to 60 seats.
Third option is a revolt - despite some promising signs, I’m not holding my breath. Too many caucus members have no organization, no fundraising skills, and no idea how to run a campaign without their hands being held every step of the way.
Comment by Grand Avenue Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:26 pm
– You MJM people have been so petulant in defeat. Y’all can really dish it out until the shoe is on the other foot. –
You always assume too much. I don’t like Rauner or Madigan but I did support Donald Trump. Rauner’s people were predicting one seat pick-up. They were surprised by Trump’s victory and how it helped them. They won’t be honest about that but you should.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:29 pm
===Madigan will not be Speaker in January 2019. He’s done. Rauner has too much money and unlike Madigan has a strategy that isn’t stuck in the 1970s.
Either Mike does the honorable thing and doesn’t file for reelection in the 2018 primary or he selfishly takes the Democratic Party down with him - because if he sticks around, the Republicans will get to 60 seats.===
(Sigh)
It’s one thing to think its a “no-brainer”, no matter what, Rauner wins, it’s another to predict… 8 seats flipping… based on nothing.
Wishful thinking isn’t analysis of something we can’t analyze 23+ months out.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:30 pm
To the Post,
Rauner will continue to offer peel away gives that will fracture AFSCME with tangible appearing wins like this, or weaker ones like the $1,000, but this is the hand AFSCME is dealt with getting Rauner, and Rauner sees where his openings are.
Smart ploy, smart politics, actually.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:34 pm
jimbo - that’s a different policy. That is a 2 week leave. That’s not what is being discussed here. This is a 3 day leave.
Comment by Thoughts matter Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:43 pm
JT is a troll for Rauner. Every time I get a email from him it just roll my eyes.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:48 pm
“sorry Springfield, you’re going to die”
just a tad excessive???
Comment by baloneymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:50 pm
Rauner and JT are winning the public relations war, hands down. That should concern every AFSCME member.
As to breavement leave, I can tell from personal experience that you had to use personal or sick time if a minor child died.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 1:52 pm
so far it is Rauner 2 AFSCME 0…volunteerism and bereavement are understandable issues to the public. AFSCME reply, continue to negotiate with us even though been at it for two years with no contract. They need something that the public understands in their messaging.
Comment by Mod Dem Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:06 pm
Rauner is definitely winning the public relations fight. Most people are focusing on the overtime issues. AFSCME can try can and shift the conversion to health insurance, but most people have already seen their premiums double over the last few years. So not sure that would help all that much either.
Comment by Robert the 1st Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:09 pm
I perceived this statement as a dark foreshadowing.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:10 pm
So how many days of bereavement do employees get? What rate is it earned at? Is there a lifetime limit?
===State employees get 3 personnel days a year to attend funerals.===
The most recent contract also lets sick leave be used for family members and includes a broad definition of how that is applied.
Comment by Anon Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Whatever good will his bonus and bereavement ploys may generate will evaporate when Rauner implements the draconian changes he has planned. It will be a short- lived p.r. victoty , if that.
Comment by Truthteller Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:28 pm
== As to breavement leave, I can tell from personal experience that you had to use personal or sick time if a minor child died. ==
RNUG, I’m sorry that you have personal experience. I can’t even imagine…
Comment by Agricola Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:29 pm
- Agricola -
Thank you. It’s something you learn to live with. Been a lot of years but still hits me every year because we shared a birthday.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:43 pm
That’s right,…Rauner is playing politics while taxpayers are losing out. To him and others it’s a game.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:56 pm
Nothin’ sez tough guy, shake it up like more taxpayer funded time off…..very clever
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:59 pm
I thought the law was pretty clear that Rauner couldn’t implement any part of his last offer until the LRB issued its written order.
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:08 pm
So if my wife dies I don’t get bereavement leave? Now that’s a well thought out plan!
Comment by Sarcastic One Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:12 pm
The Rauner Guys may not be stupid, but it is heartless to me to use this as political gamesmanship, which the last paragraph of JT’s letter was. That showed the letter for what it actually was- a propaganda piece. If you want to implement something because it is the right thing to do, then do it without the “look how gracious we are” leveraging.
Comment by Anon221 Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:31 pm
How about using some recently hired Tier 2 employees and sharing their entry-level pay? I think the public can understand what being frozen for four years at $35,000, for example, and getting an insurance hike feels like. Telling all these people to get a new job if they don’t like it isn’t the right answer.
- Mod Dem - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 2:06 pm:
so far it is Rauner 2 AFSCME 0…volunteerism and bereavement are understandable issues to the public. AFSCME reply, continue to negotiate with us even though been at it for two years with no contract. They need something that the public understands in their messaging.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:48 pm
Is the bereavement leave for the subcontractors to whom Rauner will subcontract state job positions? Nice to give them such a benefit since they won’t be having affordable healthcare or pensions.
Comment by Jeep Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 3:50 pm
===So if my wife dies I don’t get bereavement leave?===
The way the current policy was written you would be able to use any/all of your sick time available in the event of a spouse dying.
I presume that this new leave will be limited differently creating shortfalls for people who do not find the leave sufficient.
Comment by Anon Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 4:29 pm
I supervised a new hire whose father died then shortly thereafter her son was murdered while away at school. She came from private industry and could not believe we did not have bereavement leave.
Comment by Emily Booth Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 4:56 pm
– It’s one thing to think its a “no-brainer”, no matter what, Rauner wins, it’s another to predict… 8 seats flipping… based on nothing. –
I hope Rauner and Madigan both lose their re-elections. Illinois would be better off them. Rauner is in his first term. He made me dislike him that much.
Comment by anonymous Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 5:08 pm