AFSCME puts $100K into campaign guaranteeing $2,100 property tax hike

By Mailee Smith

07/07/2022

Illinois’ largest state worker union has a long history of demanding higher taxes. Now AFSCME is funding a state constitutional amendment campaign that will hike property taxes statewide.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Amendment 1, property taxes

AFSCME contract lets Illinois state workers miss 10 days without discipline

05/13/2022

AFSCME union members receive generous salaries and benefits from their state contract, yet union bosses are pushing to enshrine their power in the Illinois Constitution – something no other state has been willing to do.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, contract, government unions

Illinois taxpayers pay nearly 78% of state health insurance

By Dylan Sharkey

02/09/2022

Amendment 1 would stop voters and lawmakers from curbing government unions’ ability to demand more from taxpayers, including platinum health insurance the average Illinoisan doesn’t enjoy.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Illinois, pensions

While Pritzker talks state worker furloughs, New York delays raises

By Mailee Smith

01/14/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker could delay the $313 million in raises state workers have yet to receive, but instead he’s considering taking $75 million from their paychecks and leaving taxpayers without their services.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, deficit, government unions, JB Pritzker

Government unions invested $10M in Madigan, but could that end in 2021?

12/23/2020

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has funded a lot of campaigns – and his legal defense – with money from government unions. Even if unions still back him in the New Year, members have options.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, corruption, government unions, Mike Madigan, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, teachers

Star of misleading ‘fair tax’ ad set to draw $1.1M in pension payments for 1 year of state work

By Brad Weisenstein

10/19/2020

‘Fair tax’ backers funded by Gov. J.B. Pritzker created the illusion of bipartisanship by using a former public employee union staffer who collects a generous taxpayer-funded pension due to a loophole in state law.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, pensions, progressive tax, Vote Yes for Fairness

7 misleading progressive tax claims public unions are telling Illinois members

By Mailee Smith

09/30/2020

Government unions and their PACs have spent more than $1 million pushing the progressive tax on the Nov. 3 ballot – and are using misleading information.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, fair tax, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, progressive tax, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, Vote Yes for Fair Tax

Illinois government unions give Madigan $10 million reasons to stay together

By Mailee Smith

08/13/2020

The state’s government unions have heavily funded the election committees run by longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – who then uses his influence to pass union-friendly bills.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, corruption, Democratic Party, Mike Madigan, unions

Illinois state workers receive $1,300 pay raises July 1

By Mailee Smith

06/29/2020

State workers represented by AFSCME Council 31 will see pay increases averaging $1,343 starting July 1. Total cost of the raises is $261 million as COVID-19 continues depleting state revenues.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Illinois lawmakers pass Election Day holiday for government workers only

05/22/2020

Election Day 2020 would be a paid holiday for all government workers – at an unknown cost to already ailing local governments.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, government workers, public sector, special session, vote-by-mail

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

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Cathy Stuehmeier

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students