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?

By Ann Miller

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, Abigail Holtzman

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

By Joe Barnas

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

Illinois bill would make Election Day a holiday, but only for government workers

By Joe Barnas

05/21/2020

Tucked into sweeping vote-by-mail legislation is a holiday provision that would make Nov. 3, 2020, a holiday for all state and local government workers.

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

Despite economic crisis, Pritzker won’t consider postponing $261 million in state raises

By Mailee Smith

04/24/2020

With more than 755,000 Illinoisans out of work, state employees are still scheduled to get their automatic raises. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is treating those raises as non-negotiable. Governors in other states would disagree.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, state worker pay

Illinois scheduled to give $261M in automatic pay raises to state workers

By Mailee Smith

04/13/2020

Pritzker should join other Democratic governors in postponing automatic pay raises, which would free up funds for needy Illinoisans and potentially preserve state worker jobs in the long run.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, pensions, public sector, state worker pay