The state’s largest government-worker union has no strike fund, but refuses to agree to a contract taxpayers can afford.

Through House Bill 580, Democrats in the General Assembly take a second run at removing Gov. Bruce Rauner from contract negotiations with AFSCME.

Lacking signs of progress after 24 bargaining sessions with Illinois’ largest government-employee union, Gov. Bruce Rauner says that “further negotiation is no longer worthwhile.” AFSCME continues to ignore the fact that the people who pay its members’ salaries and benefits, Illinois taxpayers, continue to struggle in a difficult Illinois economy. Illinois workers, faced with stagnant earnings, are now paying for AFSCME salaries that are double their own.

Without a strike fund, AFSCME – which represents 60,000 state workers in Illinois – has avoided a strike. But since the union announced that the governor has walked way from contract talks, a strike could be on the horizon.

Both the administration and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 have agreed to stay at the table until they reach impasse.