07/29/2010	Quinn Vetoes Employee Privacy Measure Gov. Pat Quinn has used his amendatory veto to gut an AFSCME-backed bill that would have kept employee performance evaluations confidential. AFSCME Council 31 Director Henry Bayer vowed to push for an override of the governor's veto.
07/27/2010	NEW!  Juvenile Justice needs reform, not reorganization A new AFSCME study finds that four years after the creation of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, the state's eight Illinois Youth Centers still lack the education and treatment programs young offenders need to rebuild their lives--and a proposal to merge them into DCFS won't address these problems. "Road to Reform: Rebuilding Juvenile Justice in Illinois" is based on budget analyses and a comprehensive survey of hundreds of frontline employees.
07/23/2010	NEW!  Union wins delay in Kane County Health Dept. cuts More than 40 AFSCME members employed by the Kane County Department of Public Health will not be receiving layoff notices thanks to the union's efforts, which included ...
07/23/2010	NEW!  Coalition to Cook County Board: No health-care cuts Working with a coalition of community groups, patients and care-givers, AFSCME is pushing Cook County commissioners to forego cuts to the Cook County Health and Hospital Systems...
07/23/2010	Public wants federal government focus on JOBS Despite the incessant and often nonsensical propaganda blitz about the false dangers of increasing the federal budget deficit, a new poll has found that Americans support reducing the unemployment rate over deficit reduction by a 64-30 margin.
07/23/2010	Enhanced Medicaid match needed to fund state services With Republicans using the filibuster to block consideration, vitally needed federal assistance to state governments is stalled in the U.S. Senate.
07/23/2010	AFSCME gets out facts as pension attacks continue Watch AFSCME Director of Research Kerry Korpi stand up to attacks on public employees and our pensions during an appearance on CNBC. At issue: should states cut public pensions to balance ballooning budgets?
07/12/2010	How to get the American economy moving NOW Political strategist Robert Creamer makes a compelling argument for why Congress should act immediately to provide desperately needed federal assistance for state and local governments--preventing service cuts and layoffs--and to extend unemployment benefits. He shows how this course can help to get the entire economy moving again.
07/01/2010	Sen. Brady targets state pensions in campaign for governor Forget about reducing benefits, raising employee contributions, extending the age and other recently popular methods of attacking retirement security for public employees, state Sen. Bill Brady wants to eliminate state pensions altogether.
06/28/2010	Convention delegates view "Tribute to Bill Lucy" View the video tribute to retiring AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer Bill Lucy, shown to delegates to the 39th International Convention that opened June 28 in Boston.
06/25/2010	Health care reform: Young adult coverage begins soon Learn more about coverage under you employer's health insurance plan for your young adult children up to age 26 and the changes to our nation's health care system …
06/16/2010	Big Business still playing old pension-cut tune Not content with the harm they've done to undermine retirement security for the public servants of tomorrow, corporate fatcats keep beating the drums to reduce pensions going forward for current public employees, too.
05/28/2010	STAR bill doesn't shine Legislation that provides a big tax giveaway to private developers has passed both houses of the General Assembly despite the state's dismal fiscal picture.
05/28/2010	Pension borrowing stalls in Senate The Senate joined the House in adjourning days before the scheduled conclusion of the spring legislative session after failing to muster the votes needed for approval of a pension borrowing plan.
05/26/2010	Some cuts blocked, others approved AFSCME lobbying efforts helped to defeat budget amendments to lower the mileage reimbursement rate for state workers and raise health insurance costs for state and university retirees. But the General Assembly has now approved a budget package that includes massive cuts to a wide array of vital services.
05/24/2010	State employees can still sign up for voluntary furlough days AFSCME members can still sign up for days off in the ongoing voluntary furlough program and earn "incentive days." State employees who take unpaid furlough days anytime until June 30, 2011 can earn paid days off in conjunction with major holidays.
05/06/2010	Confusion reigns over state budget [UPDATED Fri. 5/7, 6 p.m.] An FY11 budget plan is no closer to completion. Representatives instead approved a tax giveaway to a private developer while voting down plans to borrow the state pension payment and pass a budget full of sharp cuts. Meanwhile, senators who passed budget cuts last night voted today for further pension underfunding. [UPDATED Fri. 5/7, 6 p.m.]
05/04/2010	Anti-government group snooping in state employees' personal info An anti-government group that calls itself the Illinois Policy Institute has issued a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the state of Illinois, seeking personal information about every state employee. These right-wing extremists have asked to be given the names, agencies, titles and performance evaluations of every state worker. Clearly they intend to cause politically motivated mischief if given such private information. AFSCME is fighting to stop this nakedly political breach of confidentiality.
04/23/2010	Were you there? The April 21 Save Our State rally was the largest in recent history. Click here for photos, video, to share your story and request a special souvenir to remember the day.
04/23/2010	RBC rally makes big splash as counterpoint to anti-government noise An estimated 15,000 people demanding that state legislators raise their taxes? The event captured the attention of the national media. Click here for a sampling of the national and local coverage.
04/22/2010	We can't stop now -- Call in Day is Apr. 30 The Responsible Budget Coalition is following up the huge march and rally in Springfield with a coordinated call-in day. AFSCME Council 31's day to call our legislators is April 30.
04/22/2010	March through the financial district As part of a national campaign to rein in Wall Street, the Chicago Federation of Labor held a march and rally to target Chicago’s banks. Hundreds of demonstrators marched through the financial district as part of the AFL-CIO's Good Jobs Now/Make Wall Street Pay campaign.
04/21/2010	15,000 Jam Capitol to Protest Budget Cuts Over 4,000 AFSCME members joined with members of the teachers’ unions, the AARP, Lutheran Social Services, Action for Children and dozens of other organizations in the largest rally and march in more than a quarter century in Springfield.
04/21/2010	AFSCME Retirees Send a Powerful Message AFSCME Chapter 31 retirees sent a very direct message to legislators as part of the Responsible Budget Coalition rally on April 21. Retirees packed the House gallery, where observers are permitted to watch the proceedings when the House of Representatives is in session. And just as they can watch what's happening on the House floor, they are in plain view of the legislators who are down on the floor.
04/16/2010	AFSCME testifies: Best jobs strategy -- raise revenues, close budget gap In testimony before the Illinois General Assembly's bipartisan Jobs Creation Task Force, John Cameron, Council 31's political and community relations director, made a compelling argument that the best possible means of reducing the state's high unemployment rate is to pass the tax reform measures needed to close the state's enormous budget shortfall.
04/14/2010	AFL-CIO leads the charge to rein in Wall Street While average Americans watched helplessly as the value of their retirement funds and their homes sank lower and lower, Wall Street bigwigs were still reaching into our pockets for bills to light their cigars. Now Congress is trying to rein in the wheeler dealers and the labor movement is pushing for legislation with real teeth.
04/12/2010	What health care reform means for Illinois Opponents of reform are already calling for its repeal -- and spreading outrageous lies about what it means for America. Click here for an entertaining video that tells the truth about how many people in our state will benefit from reform.
04/07/2010	Labor leader says Massey mine put profits before safety Twenty-nine confirmed deaths is the toll in a West Virginia mine disaster that is raising questions about the mine operator’s safety record. "This incident isn’t just a matter of happenstance, but rather the inevitable result of a profit-driven system and reckless corporate conduct," AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka said.
04/05/2010	Local governments hard hit by Quinn budget plan Cities and counties all across Illinois would see their state aid cut by more than 30 percent if Gov. Pat Quinn's FY 11 budget is approved by the General Assembly. Most local governments have already been hard hit by the recession-induced drop in revenues.
04/01/2010	AFSCME speaks out on public-sector service cuts Unprecedented attacks on funding public sector services for Illinois communities are now ravaging the state. AFSCME Council 31 staff representative Flo Estes, regional director Larry Spivack, and Local 1891 president Kevin Johnson were among those interviewed at a recent city council budget hearing in Evanston addressing these devastating cuts.
03/26/2010	AFSCME responds to pension-slashing legislation Following the General Assembly's passage of a bill that drastically reduces pension benefits for future state, university and local government employees, Council 31 leaders took to the airwaves to respond aggressively.
03/25/2010	Lawmakers cut public-employee pension benefits Despite stiff opposition from the entire Illinois labor movement, the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to create a second tier of benefits for all new hires who will participate in SERS, SURS, IMRF, Cook County, City of Chicago and all of the state's teachers' pension systems. ...
03/23/2010	President Obama signs historic health care reform into law In a March 23 ceremony at the White House, President Barack Obama signed landmark health care reform legislation. Right away the new law will regulate insurance companies, improve health security for all, and begin to close the Medicare prescription drug 'donut hole.' When fully implemented, the historic reforms will help contain health care costs for every American, end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and provide coverage for more than 30 million people now uninsured.
03/12/2010	Democrats push jobs bill with aid to states U.S. Rep. George Miller, Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has introduced legislation that would create or save 1 million jobs, or even more as the people who get jobs start spending money and create new jobs. The Local Jobs for America Act would...
03/11/2010	Governor's budget proposal would take heavy toll Public services at every level, community service providers, Illinois citizens who rely on these services, active AFSCME members and retirees, and nearly everyone who lives, works, goes to school in or visits Illinois will be affected by the governor’s proposed budget, which, while making huge cuts, still leaves a $9 billion budget deficit.
03/11/2010	House passes bill to protect employee confidentiality The Illinois House of Representatives has passed AFSCME-backed legislation that would preserve the confidentiality of employee performance evaluations. Click for more information and Council 31's latest Legislative update...
03/11/2010	Senate passes jobs bill with aid to states The U.S. Senate has passed AFSCME-backed legislation to bring additional federal aid to cash-strapped state and local governments. It includes critical funding to help states deal with huge budget shortfalls for health care services -- funding that will save thousands of jobs. ...
03/09/2010	AFSCME sues state over change to retiree insurance AFSCME Council 31 has filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court challenging the Quinn administration’s requirement that state retirees pay part of the cost of dental coverage under the state health plan.
03/03/2010	Union members do better Given that union members generally receive bigger paychecks and better employee benefits, it's curious why more people aren't card carriers. A new study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research drives home what union members have always known: "[B]etter protection of workers' right to unionize would have a substantial positive impact on the pay and benefits of workers in every state."
03/02/2010	Voluntary furlough program gets underway AFSCME members in state government are encouraged to participate in the new voluntary furlough program which is intended to help the state cope with its dire budget shortfall. No state employee can be mandated to take an unpaid furlough day.
02/24/2010	AFSCME secretary-treasurer Lucy to step down After 57 years as an AFSCME member, 38 of those as the International Secretary-Treasurer, Bill Lucy has announced his intent to retire on June 25.
02/18/2010	Stimulus grant comes via tax return for some retirees Before AFSCME intervened, the $250 one-time payment for seniors contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was originally targeted for those who receive Social Security. But thanks to successful lobbying by AFSCME International,
02/17/2010	Rally rocks capitol More than 3,000 determined citizens -- including hundreds of AFSCME members -- packed the State Capitol rotunda on Feb. 17 to demand swift legislative action to address the state's budget woes. ***Updated with tons of rally photos!
02/17/2010	Brady pushes bill to eliminate state pension system Senator Bill Brady, the presumptive Republican gubernatorial nominee, is pushing legislation that would bar any new state or university employee from participating in the state pension systems.
02/17/2010	House passes bill to put brakes on Thomson sale On Feb. 17 the Illinois House of Representatives voted by an overwhelming majority to pass AFSCME-backed legislation that could help to slow--or even prevent--the sale of Thomson Correctional Center.
02/03/2010	New rewards program for PEOPLE MVPs AFSCME has launched a new rewards program for MVP contributors to PEOPLE, the fund that supports the union's political and legislative work on the issues we care about and for the candidates who stand up for us.
01/27/2010	AFSCME, state reach mediated resolution on layoff grievances With expectations that a temporary injunction halting state layoffs would soon be lifted, an independent arbitrator mediated a resolution of the outstanding grievances related to implementation of some 2,600 scheduled layoffs. The final resolution will prevent any state employee from being laid off or any facility closed through the end of June, 2011 -- beyond some of the layoffs or the closures already announced.
01/19/2010	How you can help Haiti In their moment of urgent need, the people of Haiti have asked for help from the world community. Those of us who can must heed this call. AFSCME is donating $25,000 in relief funds to the Solidarity Center's Earthquake Relief for Haitian Workers fund, and encouraging members to do the same through the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center.
01/15/2010	State Journal-Register: "Delays in paying health insurance bills hit home" The Jan. 15 edition of the Springfield State Journal-Register shines a light on how some health providers are asking state and university employees, retirees and their dependents to cover costs that should be paid by the state. It's yet another symptom of the state budget crisis that can only be solved by raising revenue.
01/14/2010	Vote count brings PSA 1s into AFSCME A long process came to a happy ending when the votes were finally tallied, showing that, by more than two to one, the 1,200 Public Service Administrator Option 1s had chosen AFSCME representation.
01/08/2010	AFSCME calls for special task force to investigate release programs, safety in state prison system In a letter sent Jan. 7 to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan, AFSCME Council 31 called for the immediate creation of "a special joint task force, including legislators from both parties and both chambers, to answer urgent questions about the administration of the corrections department. AFSCME members include some 11,000 frontline employees of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

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