Day of Action: Thousands of AFSCME members tell Rauner to negotiate [VIDEO]

Standing together to send a strong message to Governor Rauner—Don’t Dictate, Negotiate!—thousands of AFSCME-represented state employees took part in the Nov. 17 Day of Action in every corner of the state.

“We had a fantastic turnout,” said Tad Hawk, president of AFSCME Local 1805 in the Metro East area outside St. Louis, where more than 200 members rallied at a union hall in Caseyville.

The Day of Action followed a ruling by the Rauner-appointed Illinois Labor Relations Board that could allow the governor to impose his extreme terms, including a four-year wage freeze and a 100 percent increase in employees’ health-care costs. He would also do away with standards that prevent unaccountable outsourcing of public services for private profit.

AFSCME members were heard loud and clear through saturation media coverage statewide.

“I think the governor should negotiate. We are not at an impasse,” Al Luna told the Joliet Herald-News. Luna is an AFSCME member who works at the Department of Employment Security.

“We’re still willing to compromise,” Department of Human Services employee Larry Holmes said. “But he’s not willing.”

“Dozens of correctional officers, mental health workers and supporters” demonstrated in Dixon, “holding signs, whistles and megaphones,” the Telegraph reported. “Local 817 President Rick Ruthart, representing 711 members, said the governor needs to negotiate a compromise rather than dictate terms. ‘He is the one who walked away from the table,’ he said. ‘We are open to more compromise; we're still willing to work.’”

In Springfield, DHS employee Kelly Spencer told the State Journal-Register that “She's concerned about the potential impact of both the wage freeze and increases to health care premiums. ‘For me, it would be devastating because I’m already living check to check,’ she said. ‘... When you put a freeze on that and take more out, it’s going to put me in a very huge bind.’”

DHS caseworker Rita Haupt told the Charleston Times-Courier that Rauner’s “terms will make it that much more difficult to pay health insurance premiums, which are expected to double, along with dealing with a four-year wage freeze”.

There and elsewhere, state workers were joined by university employees whose health costs are also in the governor’s crosshairs. “Renee Kerz, AFSCME Eastern Illinois University chapter president, said these terms are major hit to state employees like her who to pay these additional health costs with no expectations of a raise in the near future.”

Outside Chicago, where some 200 AFSCME members rallied in Homewood, DHS caseworker Brittany Adams told the Daily Southtown that, “We want a fair contract. That’s all we want.”

While making clear that they do not want to be forced out on strike, state workers made clear they'll do what it takes to defend their rights, the well-being of their families, and the integrity of the public services they provide.