State employees represented by AFSCME Council 31 received an automatic annual raise on July 1, highlighting the salary discrepancy between government and private sector workers.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ questionable spending, as revealed in its own federal reporting, could be driving members away from the union.

A current union-negotiated contract with Illinois state government gives out-of-the-norm health benefits to government workers at very low cost. State workers’ share is far less than what private-sector taxpayers must spend for health coverage.

The contract negotiated between the state and AFSCME Council 31 was ratified by members in July. But the final contract has yet to be released, meaning taxpayers don’t yet know how much it will cost them.

Illinois’ largest public employee union, AFSCME Council 31, finalized their second contract with Gov. J.B. Pritzker July 25. New pay raises will cost taxpayers $625 million.

A former Alton labor union president pleaded guilty to transporting thousands of dollars in stolen member dues across state lines to gamble and pay for personal expenses.

AFSCME Council 31’s own federal reports show 18.5% of workers have chosen to break away since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME. It could be because less than 21% of the union’s spending is on representing its members.