News and Highlights - AFSCME Council 31

02/03/2012	Pay Raise Battle Continues on the Legal Front The hearing schedule in the legal conflict over the Quinn Administrationâ€™s failure to pay negotiated raises has been extended for several weeksâ€”and could mean that a decision in the case will be delayed as well.
02/03/2012	Call Monday to restore library hours Help urge the mayor to fully restore library hours and staff. He's restored some operating hours and brought back some needed staff. Now it's time he finishes the job. E-mail him today and call him on Monday, Feb. 6! Go to SaveChicagoLibraries.com.
02/03/2012	AFSCME to COGFA: Hold closure hearings where facilities are The General Assembly's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has scheduled a hearing on the plan to close the Tinley Park Mental Health and the Jacksonville Developmental centers at 10 a.m. Tuesday, in Room 212, State Capitol.
02/02/2012	NEW! AFSCME to Quinn: Honor the Contract The AFSCME state bargaining committee delivered a collection notice to Gov. Pat Quinn's Capitol office, demanding that the governor honor the union contract and end his illegal pay freeze.
01/06/2012	NEW! Big bucks anti-union campaign scores in Indiana Update: Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed into law a so-called right to work bill. The legislation, part of a well-funded, multi-faceted attack on unions' and workers' rights, weakens union bargaining power and lowers wages.
01/30/2012	AFSCME debunks business lobby's state budget report A Jan. 30 report by the Chicago-based, corporate-funded Civic Federation attacked public-employee pensions, wages and health care, pushed for facility closures, and urged higher taxes and no prescription drug help for seniors, yet said nothing about the state's broken tax system. The union responded to the federation's misplaced priorities and omitted facts.
01/27/2012	Patrons mount stout defense of Rockford Public Library system More than 100 people packed a Rockford Public Library board meeting to oppose a radical plan by the system's executive director that would close every branch including the main library and convert the system to 96 percent digital.
01/27/2012	AFSCME endorsements set for 2012 primary election Delegates to the Council 31 PEOPLE convention met Jan. 20 and 21 in Springfield to decide which candidates for the U.S. Congress and state legislative and judicial offices would receive the union's endorsement for the March 20 primary elections.
01/26/2012	Knox County workers battle for fair contract Sensing a union-busting agenda on the County Board's part, Knox County workers picketed a County Board meeting to protest management's attempts to force major concessions in contract negotiations.
01/20/2012	Quinn administration announces Tinley, JDC closures "Pat Quinn puts politics and budget considerations ahead of people who need disability services and mental health care," AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer said.
01/20/2012	Library lovers speak out for Chicago's public libraries! Large contingents of library staff and patrons gathered on Jan. 23 at the Bucktown, Little Village and Beverly branch libraries to speak out against Mayor Emanuel's library closures and layoffs, saying the mayor's new plan is not enough.
01/17/2012	Recall Walker petition drive ends with 1 million signatures We Are One activists in Wisconsin took a giant step toward their No. 1 priority, recalling Gov. Scott Walker, when, on Jan. 17, they turned in petitions with 1 million signatures, hundreds of thousands more that required to trigger a recall election.
01/16/2012	Quinn administration holds secret meetings to plot facility closures Meeting in secret with no public input or scrutiny, a small handful of top Quinn Administration officials and state legislators is plotting to close state-run psychiatric hospitals and residential centers for individuals with profound developmental disabilities.
01/13/2012	Rally to save Chicago public health clinics The budget enacted by the City Council in November could phase out nearly all of Chicago's public health services by the end of the year-and eliminate the jobs of more than 200 employees.
01/13/2012	Republicans playing politics at state workers' expense Rep. Cross and Sen. Radogno seem to believe the state should spend tens of millions of dollars on new corporate tax breaks, while doing nothing to ensure that caregivers, correctional officers and child-protection workers are fairly paid.
01/10/2012	NEW! AFSCME fights to save Chicago libraries With 176 library employees laid off and Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushing to close the city's 75 branch libraries an additional 8 hours per week, the union pushed back strongly.
01/10/2012	Homeless services restored; workers to be recalled from layoff Services to the homeless are being restored and city of Chicago employees who provide those services called back from layoff as the city responded to a restoration of state funding and a letter from AFSCME urging the callbacks.
01/06/2012	Obama stands up for workers, consumers with recess appointments President Obama has appointed a director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and filled three vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board, saying "We can't wait to strengthen the economy and restore security for our middle class."
01/06/2012	Latest news on state employee pay suit A Jan. 6 hearing in Cook County circuit court produced a schedule to expedite the union's effort to enforce the arbitrator's order, uphold the contract, and secure the FY2012 pay increases owed to state employees.
12/23/2011	Republicans yield to pressure, extend jobless benefits The holidays will look a lot brighter for the jobless and the many working families living paycheck to paycheck, as AFSCME members helped pressure Congress into finally passing a temporary extension of unemployment benefits and the payroll tax break.
11/29/2011	Agreement reached to keep facilities open The governor and legislative leaders have agreed on a "budget reallocation," averting all of the scheduled facility closures for the remainder of the fiscal year. Click for a statement from AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer.
12/22/2011	Red Cross workers fight for fair contract Red Cross employees in Peoria, still battling for their first contract four years after they voted for AFSCME representation, spent Dec. 21 leafletting people at the organization's "12 Hours of Giving" blood drive.
12/21/2011	Status Hearing Results in Status Quo On Tuesday, Dec. 20, a status hearing was held before Judge Billik in Cook County Circuit Court in the ongoing legal dispute between AFSCME and the Quinn Administration regarding the state's failure to pay negotiated wage increases.
12/21/2011	Mental Health Movement continues to battle closures When Chicago's Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair came to a South Side meeting on Dec. 20, with employees from clinics he is closing, the Mental Health Movement, which is fighting the closures, "occupied" the meeting. See the video.
12/15/2011	Chicago's very own Grinch steals mental health services Unrelenting in their battle to save city of Chicago mental health clinics from closure at the hands of Mayor Grinch, STOP and supporters from AFSCME regaled the City Council with some great new Christmas Carols. See the Progress Illinois video.
12/12/2011	Legislators bypass pay raises, pass corporate tax breaks The General Assembly has passed a bill giving tax breaks for big corporations and the rich, ignoring Director Henry Bayer's call for funding state employees' negotiated raises before ponying up on these costly giveaways.
11/18/2011	Layoffs, service cuts on tap as Cook County budget passes Dooming Cook County to hundreds of layoffs and ill-advised service cuts, 11 of 17 commissioners voted against a modest 1-cent hike in cigarette taxes and went on to pass board President Toni Preckwinkle's unnecessarily austere budget proposal.
11/23/2011	AFSCME on the airwaves AFSCME discussed the current attacks on public pensions on radio and television last weekend.
11/21/2011	Tens of thousands rally to kick off Walker recall Some 30,000 Wisconsin union members and supporters returned to Capitol Square in Madison, kicking off the 60-day petition drive aimed at gathering at least 540,208 signatures by Jan. 17 to put a recall of Gov. Scott Walker on the ballot.
11/18/2011	Corporate attacks on collective bargaining escalate It's not just Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan. It's not just Gov. Pat Quinn's sneak attack. The 1% have launched a coordinated attack on collective bargaining rights at every level. Click for a humorous video and more information on the latest assaults.
12/05/2011	Legal fight continues for negotiated raises The union is continuing to pursue legal enforcement of wage provisions in the state collective bargaining agreement on behalf of AFSCME members in 13 state agencies who have not received scheduled pay or step increases.
11/05/2011	Despite protests Chicago City Council passes budget The Chicago City Council has passed Mayor Rahm Emanuel's budget that would close mental health and primary care clinics, cut services for the elderly, homeless, at-risk kids and more. Hundreds of layoffs are slated.
11/16/2011	Legislators should act now to stop layoffs Layoffs could begin as soon as Dec. 1 unless the state legislature, which meets in special session on Nov. 29, takes action to prevent the facility closures and job cuts. One more call could make the difference -- 1-888-912-5959.
11/12/2011	SB 512 stalls on House floor Although the House pension committee approved the pension-slashing Senate Bill 512 during the second week of veto session, the bill was not called for a vote on the floor.
11/12/2011	Resolution could limit pay increases Two new measures before the General Assembly could allow legislators to cap the wage increases a governor could agree to in contract negotiations. House Joint Resolution 45 and House Resolution 608 would also bar no-layoff agreements.
11/12/2011	Corporate tax scheme meets resistance An agreement between Gov. Quinn and the four legislative leaders to give more tax breaks to big businesses ran into resistance in the final days of the General Assembly's fall veto session.
11/10/2011	COGFA on closures: No. No. No. No. No. No. And No. The General Assembly's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has now made its advisory recommendations on all seven facility closures proposed by the Quinn Administration, giving the governor nothing to stand on.
11/10/2011	ACTION! Join NAMI in calling for mental health funding The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is urging emails to legislators in support of restoring funding for the three state mental health centers that Gov. Quinn is trying to close and for community mental health services that have been cut back.
11/09/2011	Ohio voters stand with public employees and their unions Ohio Gov. John Kasich got a kick in the teeth from voters who soundly rejected his assault on middle class jobs, voting 62 percent to 38 percent for repealing his bill that was designed to destroy collective bargaining rights for public employees.
11/08/2011	In court: Ruling on TRO delayed A Randolph County judge has postponed until Dec. 1 consideration of an AFSCME motion for a court order that would temporarily halt facility closures and layoffs. The state has agreed to hold off on already scheduled layoffs until at least Dec. 1.
11/04/2011	ACTION! Emanuel's half-hearted, half measures on libraries don't measure up Feeling the pressure created by AFSCME and thousands of Chicago residents who don't want cuts to their libraries, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to foist a "compromise" plan onto City Council while pretending he has the union's agreeement.
11/14/2011	Activists sit in at Mayor's office to save clinics A last-ditch effort to save Chicago Department of Public Health mental health and primary care clinics brought demonstrators to the door of the mayor's office, where a group blocking the entrance was demanding a meeting with Emanuel.
11/03/2011	Un-Welcome mat rolled out for Walker Chicago visit Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, speaking in Chicago to business people at the tony Union League Club, was greeted by a spirited group of union members, with reinforcements from the Occupy Chicago movement. The message: "Union busting - it's disgusting!"
11/02/2011	AFSCME: Cook County layoffs will undermine services The plan to lay off 1,000 Cook County employees will be devastating for the employees and the communities where they live and detrimental to public services county residents want and need, Council 31 told the County Board in public hearings.
10/31/2011	Hundreds protest Chicago library cuts at City Hall 'Story Time' The kids loved it and the mayor undoubtedly got the message: Cutting library hours and the staff who make libraries happen isn't good for Chicagoans, whether they are families with toddlers, students, avid readers, the unemployed or homeless folks.
10/28/2011	ACTION! Love your Library -- Sign the petition AFSCME members who work in the Chicago Libraries are fighting back against Mayor Emanuel's proposed budget, which would slash 363 library staff positions and reduce library hours across the city. Click to sign a petition supporting the libraries.
10/27/2011	COGFA rebuffs Quinn on facility closures COGFA has made its advisory recommendations on four of the seven facility closures proposed by the Quinn Administration's, voting against all four closures. Votes on the remaining three facilities have not yet been scheduled.
10/25/2011	Council 31 convention delegates act on resolutions to map out policy Resolutions passed at the Council 31 Biennial Convention, held Oct. 14-15 in Springfield, serve as a guide for the policy priorities during the upcoming two years. Click to see the complete text of the resolutions.
10/22/2011	ACTION! Love your Library -- Come to City Hall Monday, Oct. 31 AFSCME members who work in the Chicago Public Libraries are battling Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposal to slash 550 library staff positions and reduce library hours across the city. Click for details on "Story Time" at City Hall.
10/19/2011	Save Mabley campaign gets boost from parents' video Click to see a powerful video on why Mabley Developmental Center is so crucial to the lives of its residents, made by the families of the individuals who live in the Dixon facility. And don't forget the Oct. 26 Rally in Springfield!
10/18/2011	Emanuel's Budget Slashes Services and Jobs Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to slash services vital to Chicago communities, including primary health care, mental health services, public libraries and emergency dispatchers. Say NO to Emanuel's bad news budget. Call your alderman today.
10/17/2011	Huge rally rocks Capitol rotunda AFSCME joined other public-employee unions from all across Illinois, gathering in Springfield for a huge rally in the Capitol rotunda as the General Assembly's fall veto session got underway.
10/06/2011	AFSCME, other unions back Occupy Wall Street movement "We stand in solidarity with those protesting Wall Street's greed," AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee said of the blossoming Occupy Wall Street movement that began and continues in Lower Manhattan.
10/05/2011	Speaking out on facility closure plans Illinois newspapers are beginning to sound the alert about the consequences of Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to close state facilities. Click for two recent pieces that go right to the heart of the matter.
10/03/2011	Arbitrator rules that Quinn layoffs, closures violate union contract An independent third-party arbitrator has ruled that the State of Illinois is violating the terms of a collective bargaining agreement by laying off more than 1,900 state employees and closing seven state facilities, including three psychiatric hospitals, two developmental centers, a prison and a juvenile detention center.
09/27/2011	Oppose privatization of city clinics at Oct. 12 demonstration Support full funding for Chicago's mental health clinics and oppose privatization of any health services. Demonstration to deliver letters to Mayor Emanuel, 11:30 a.m., Oct. 12, 5th floor, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle.
09/27/2011	AFSCME to legislators: Slow down on facility-closure process AFSCME is calling for greater openness and public accountability by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability as it examines Gov. Pat Quinn's proposals to close seven state facilities and issues opinions on each.
09/23/2011	Postal Service unions rallied to save jobs and services Rallies were held around the country on Sept. 27 to push for legislation that would save 120,000 U.S. Postal Service jobs and the services those workers provide. Click here for more information.
09/23/2011	Health-care choices expand for Central Ill. state and university members and retirees State and university employees and retirees in Central Illinois will have access to many OSF Health System providers by signing up for Personal Care OAP during the upcoming special enrollment period, Oct. 10-28.
09/21/2011	AFSCME airs ad to back Obama jobs bill "More jobs equals less debt" is the message of an AFSCME ad urging Congress to pass President Obama's jobs bill. Click here to view the new ad.
09/21/2011	ACTION! Illinois AFSCME members: Join in Ohio battle to regain bargaining rights We Are One Ohio is ramping up the campaign for the Nov. 8 election to repeal the law that wipes out public employee unions, and AFSCME members here in Illinois can help. Click to find out what you can do and see a video about the battle.
09/19/2011	Work, education, recreation in store at Council 31 convention Local unions are in the process of electing delegates to Council 31's 17th Biennial Convention, which begins Oct. 13 in Springfield with its theme Union Proud, Union Strong. Guests are welcome.
09/16/2011	ACTION! Make the call to stop assault on collective bargaining AFSCME members are making calls to state legislators in an effort to compel the governor to honor the union contract. Call your legislator at 1-888-912-5959. Tell them to stop the assault on collective bargaining and fix the state budget.
09/16/2011	AFSCME takes layoffs to arbitration An arbitration case is underway, with AFSCME asking an arbitrator to rule the state would be in violation of the union contract if it closes state facilities and lays off the employees who operate those facilities.
09/16/2011	A win for workers: Congress dodges FAA shutdown Under public pressure, led by the labor movement, Congress has voted to extend Federal Aviation Administration funding until January without the anti-worker add-ons Republican lawmakers were trying to attach to the authorization bill.
09/08/2011	Judge Dismisses Pay Lawsuit; Union Will Appeal A federal judge has dismissed AFSCME's lawsuit challenging the Quinn Administration's decision to withhold pay raises from more than 30,000 state employees. The Union plans to file an immediate appeal of the decision.
09/08/2011	AFSCME on Chicago Tonight AFSCME Council 31's Anders Lindall discusses the threat of state employee layoffs, the attack on pensions, and the importance of the public sector and the labor movement in rebuilding the middle class, on Chicago Tonight with host Carol Marin.
09/07/2011	Support drive for blood safety and workers' rights American Red Cross employees have called for improved safety at blood drives. Sign a petition urging the organization's CEO to invest in its workforce by improving blood safety compliance and stopping violations of workers' rights.
09/02/2011	Group insurance contracts extended through June 30 State and university employees and retirees will be able to switch health plans during an Oct. 10-28 special enrollment period. Any changes will take effect Dec. 1.
08/31/2011	AFSCME seeks preliminary injunction on state wages With lawsuits pending in both state and federal courts over Gov. Quinn's decision to withhold pay raises from some 30,000 state employees, the union has asked a federal judge to suspend the emergency rules that imposed the wage freeze.
08/29/2011	Federal bill could prevent layoffs in Illinois Bucking fierce Republican opposition, a leading Democrat in Congress is backing a bill to aid state and local governments - $37.5 billion allocated over a two-year span, designed to preclude future layoffs - or allow callback of laid-off workers.
08/26/2011	Concern grows over prison overcrowding As the Department of Corrections continues to stuff more prisoners into Illinois' overcrowded, understaffed correctional centers, the consequences are starting to raise concerns around the state.
08/26/2011	We need government to invest -- our children's future depends on it The right calls it deficit spending, but who will pay for infrastructure projects like school repairs, park improvements, sewer and water projects, levy upgrades, roads, bridges or public transportation projects? No one if government doesn't.
08/26/2011	Bus drivers, monitors choose AFSCME Some 240 bus drivers and bus monitors who work for the McLean County School Unit #5 voted overwhelmingly to join AFSCME, seeking fairness and respect.
08/18/2011	AFSCME members make waves at State Fair On Governor's Day at the State Fair, hundreds of union members turned out to tell Pat Quinn to respect their work, follow the contract and keep his word.
08/24/2011	Proposed NLRB election-rule change would increase fairness Four top Democratic lawmakers have joined 21,000 workers in supporting a change to labor-law rules that would make it a little easier to form a union. Even though the changes are considered quite modest, Big Business if fighting them tooth and nail.
08/11/2011	Schakowsky: Focus must be on jobs crisis U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is sponsoring the Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act, a cost-effective plan to put over 2 million people to work for two years.
08/07/2011	Governor's phone rings off the hook Thousands of state employees sent Gov. Quinn a strong message last week -- calling his office during a statewide call-in campaign and telling him to stop trampling on the union contract.
08/13/2011	Union-led coalition knocks off two Wisconsin state senators The battle for the right to collective bargaining inched forward on Aug. 9, when two out of six Republican state senators from Wisconsin were recalled by their districts.
08/03/2011	Court cases move slowly on state wage increase A procedural hearing on Thursday, Aug. 4, is unlikely to yield a decision as AFSCME pursues the case against Gov. Pat Quinn for his refusal to implement negotiated state-employee pay raises in contravention of the union contract.
07/29/2011	AFSCME statement on city of Chicago budget On Friday, July 29, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the city faces a $635 million deficit in FY 2012. In response, AFSCME Council 31 called on the mayor to commit to preserving city services while cutting excess management and outside contracts.
07/26/2011	Chicago unions: There's a better way The Chicago Federation of Labor has issued a report challenging Mayor Emanuelâ€™s claim that layoffs or work rule changes are the only solutions to the cityâ€™s budget woes. The report details dozens of alternatives to make city services more efficient.
07/06/2011	A video message for state employees AFSCME-represented state employees, watch a special video from the union's executive director Henry Bayer on how AFSCME and our members are fighting back to defend our contract and the integrity of collective bargaining.
07/15/2011	Emanuel takes aim at city workers AFSCME says Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to lay off 625 city employees is "irresponsible" and urges that the layoffs be rescinded.
07/13/2011	Spirited pickets send strong message Thousands of state workers took to the picket lines on Tuesday, July 12, to defend their right to collective bargaining and protest Gov. Quinnâ€™s cancellation of their negotiated pay raise. Updated with links to news coverage!
06/26/2011	Cook County WIC Program Saved After continued pressure from AFSCME members and WIC clients, the Cook County Health & Hospital System Board has directed the County Department of Public Health to reverse its plan to privatize the Women, Infants and Children health program.
06/24/2011	Governor has bad-news budget on his desk AFSCME members in state operations, community programs, universities, school districts and local governments will all feel the effects of dire service cuts if the governor implements the state budget the General Assembly has sent him.
06/16/2011	The Truth About the Economy Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich said he could explain the problems with the economy in less than 2 minutes, 15 seconds -- and he did it (with illustrations to boot). Click to view the video.
06/22/2011	Bill to limit collective bargaining not called as one-day session ends The Senate adjourned its one-day June 22 session without acting on SB 1556, which changes the definitions of supervisory and managerial under state labor law retroactively and has already passed the House of Representatives.
05/31/2011	Another win! No hikes for now on retiree health care In another big win for AFSCME members, Sen. Jeff Schoenberg has backed off on his efforts to implement steep increases in what state and university retirees must pay for health care.
06/13/2011	AFSCME-backed candidates win SERS trustee slots Lori Laidlaw and Shirley Byrd have been elected to the State Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees.
06/01/2011	Collective bargaining limits blocked SB 1556, which would have potentially stripped thousands of state employees of their bargaining rights by redefining "managerial and supervisory" under state labor law was not called by the state Senate before the General Assembly adjourned.
05/30/2011	A big win! Pension-cut bill withdrawn We did it! Public employees scored a huge victory when House leaders and corporate CEO's announced in the final hours of the legislative session that they are backing off pension-cutting legislation for current employees.
05/12/2011	Bayer debates Civic Federation chief on pensions Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer appeared on the Tuesday, May 10 edition of WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" program. Click here to view the video.
05/04/2011	TV ads help do the job AFSCME and other unions representing public employees who formed the We Are One Illinois coalition ran statewide TV ads that helped build the momentum against pension cuts for current employees. Click here to view the ads.
05/02/2011	Unions getting the facts out on pensions AFSCME and its allies including the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, and the Illinois Education Association coordinated a series of guest columns in newspapers across Illinois during the first week of May.
04/11/2011	We Are One rally rocks Chicago More than 10,000 union members and supporters, including 2,000 AFSCME members, assembled at Daley Plaza in Chicago on Saturday, April 9 to proclaim "We Are One." The message came through loud and clear.
04/06/2011	AFSCME-backed candidates fare well in municipal races AFSCME supported candidates in Chicago, Rockford, DeKalb, Springfield, Champaign, Silvis, Rock Island and Joliet. Click here to see how they fared.
04/06/2011	'We Are One' week around the state "We Are One" week has started out with a bang, with hundreds coming out in Champaign, Decatur, Kankakee, Ottawa, Peoria, Rock Island, Rockford for rallies leading up to the all-Illinois rally Saturday in Chicago.
04/01/2011	Ohio follows Wisconsin in stripping public-worker rights The Ohio legislature has passed a bill that will undermine collective bargaining, ban public workers from striking, raise their health insurance costs and set pay raises by supervisor evaluations is expected to be signed by the governor.
04/06/2011	King's son says his dad would have backed public employees Martin Luther King III, president and chief executive officer of The King Center, explains why his father would be on the front lines today supporting public employees.
04/01/2011	The 'Daily Show' sends up big corporations' complaints about taxes General Electric didn't pay any taxes in 2009. Oops. It actually got tax credits, so it paid negative taxes. Then complained about high taxation. Jon Stewart takes a poke at them, and NBC.
04/22/2011	AFSCME files unfair labor practice against Cook County shutdown days In spite of the vote by AFSCME members in the Health System to reject Cook County's proposal that employees take unpaid days off, the county has acted unilaterally to impose five unpaid "shutdown" days on Health System employees.
04/01/2011	AFSCME works to keep student activities at ISVI and ISD When the Quinn administration banned out-of-state travel to save money at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and School for the deaf, AFSCME helped the students raise money so they could continue to compete with their peers.
04/28/2011	May Day battle in Chicago still resonates worldwide Join union leaders, activists and labor history buffs as they gather in the Forest Home Cemetery on Sunday May 1 to remember the tragic events that happened in Chicago's Haymarket Square 125 years ago as workers fought for the eight-hour day.
03/04/2011	Pension study: state constitution means what it says In what Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer termed a "definitive scholarly analysis of the Illinois constitution's pension clause," the state Senate's chief legal counsel argues pension benefits for current public employees can't be reduced.
03/02/2011	U.S. Labor Secretary: Unions are workers' voice "For my entire adult life, I have honored, respected and celebrated the voice of workers, which can only be guaranteed when they have the right to organize and bargain collectively," U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said in this blog posting.

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