Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said Thursday it has reached tentative agreements with unions representing roughly 300 engineers and operators, plumbers, steamfitters and machinists.

House Speaker Mike Madigan said on multiple occasions he had the votes to override the governor’s veto.

The failure of the Illinois House of Representatives to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of Senate Bill 1229 represents a great win for taxpayers on two fronts. First, taxpayers’ voice in AFSCME negotiations was protected. The governor, not an unelected and unaccountable arbitrator, will set the terms of the next contract. But the failure of...

Illinoisans’ household incomes have fallen by 8 percent since 2000, while state-worker salaries have increased by 22 percent.