House fails to override Rauner veto of fair arbitration bill, HB 580

On the afternoon of May 25, the House of Representatives fell short of the super-majority needed to override Governor Rauner's veto of House Bill 580, the fair arbitration bill. (roll call)

In response, AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch issued this statement to news media:

“We are deeply disappointed in the 48 legislators in the House today who failed to override Gov. Rauner’s veto of the fair arbitration bill, House Bill 580. They sided with the governor against the people of Illinois and against the public service workers who protect kids, care for veterans and the disabled, respond to emergencies and keep us safe.

“In January the Rauner Administration walked away from the bargaining table and has since refused to even meet with our union. Instead the governor is seeking the power to unilaterally impose his extreme demands, including forcing workers to pay double their current costs for health care, a four-year wage freeze, and doing away with protections against unfettered privatization.

“If he imposes those demands, public service workers will be forced to work under his terms or go out on strike. While as a candidate Rauner vowed to force a strike, the union supported the arbitration bill as a fair alternative path to keep Illinois working.

“Contrary to the governor’s wild exaggerations designed to defeat HB 580, the bill would have merely provided to all state employees the same fair arbitration procedures already available to public safety workers throughout Illinois. According to state records, those procedures in the past 10 years have resulted in 48 percent of all arbitration decisions favoring the employer, 43 percent favoring the union, and 9 percent split.

“The fair arbitration bill was meant to protect public services and ensure fairness for the men and women who work to provide them. That’s why large majorities of voters even in Republican districts consistently supported the bill and urged their legislators to enact it. It’s unfortunate that too many lawmakers sided today with Governor Rauner rather than representing their constituents.”

To how your state representative voted, click here.