Pritzker signs AFSCME deal costing taxpayers $3.6 billion more than it needed to

By Adam Schuster
08/29/2019
By continuing practices such as automatic raises and taxpayer-subsidized platinum health insurance, along with a new $2,500 bonus, the AFSCME contract will transfer more than $3.6 billion in extra compensation from taxpayers to state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, contract, health insurance, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Civic Federation calls for tax hikes, opposes sensible reform in budget criticism

By Adam Schuster
05/17/2018
The Civic Federation’s criticism of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget is a mixed bag, with its own proposals for Illinois’ financial crisis – including nearly $3 billion in tax hikes – missing the mark.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, Civic Federation, health insurance, income tax, Laurence Msall, LGDF: Local Government Distributive Fund, municipal pensions, pensions, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois AFSCME workers receive, on average, nearly $110,000 in total compensation

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
04/04/2017
The highest state worker salaries in the nation, overtime pay, generous state pensions, taxpayer-subsidized health care coverage and free retiree health insurance for career workers combine to give the average Illinois AFSCME worker six-figure annual compensation.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, health insurance, state worker pay

Never enough: AFSCME votes to strike, declines Rauner’s contract offer that retained many lavish perks

By Mailee Smith
02/23/2017
The state’s largest government-worker union just voted to authorize a strike for state workers. The union perpetuates a myth that Gov. Bruce Rauner is waging war on the middle class – all while ignoring that his contract offer to state workers includes benefits unavailable to most Illinoisans working in the private sector.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Bruce Rauner, health insurance, pensions