AFSCME and Gov. Bruce Rauner are deadlocked in negotiations for a new contract for Illinois state workers. AFSCME claims to advocate for its members — but union leadership has turned its back on contract provisions that would benefit state employees and their families.
A new Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll reveals that nearly half of Illinoisans support Right-to-Work laws – but that more education on worker freedom is needed.
Government employees responsible for managing water quality are earning six-figure salaries, despite a recent history of slacking on taxpayers’ time.
Cook County correctional officers’ unusually high use of sick and family medical leave coincides with Cubs playoff games.
By demanding a larger share of the state’s limited resources, AFSCME is depleting state funds and keeping them from social service providers and other Illinoisans who most need them.
A career teacher can expect to collect $2 million in benefits during his or her retirement.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees has used stall tactics in labor negotiations, in an apparent attempt to wait out the state till more union-friendly lawmakers could be elected and hand AFSCME its demands outside the contract negotiating process.
Many educators are wary of a strike’s hardships and long-term consequences for students, their families and the educators themselves. These teachers can remove themselves from CTU authority and the conflict between union priorities and students’ needs.
Resigning from the union before the potential upcoming strike can protect teachers from union discipline.
AFSCME wants the state to hike taxes on Illinois residents to fund the union’s demands for salary and benefit increases.
On Sept. 2, a state administrative law judge issued a 400-page recommendation regarding the status of contract negotiations between Illinois and the state’s largest government-worker union. Three important things to know about the decision include: the state and AFSCME are in uncharted territory in their negotiation-related proceedings, the judge found the parties have reached impasse on 5 of 12 contested issues and the judge questioned AFSCME’s testimony and behavior during negotiations.
From 2005 to 2014, AFSCME worker salaries grew 5 times faster than Illinois workers’ earnings.
Familiarity with labor law terminology helps Illinoisans understand the impact of government-worker unions and the need for labor reform in the state.
Illinois taxpayers have won a partial victory in the first round of impasse proceedings between the state and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, as the administrative law judge’s ruling puts the state closer to implementing its last contract offer to state AFSCME workers.