Pension-slashing bill passes Senate, House
Despite unanimous opposition from the labor movement, tens of thousands of phone calls and dozens of legislative office visits by union members in the final days, and hours of emotional, back-and-forth debate on the floors of the state House and Senate, legislators voted today (Tuesday, Dec. 3) to sharply reduce the pensions of active and retired state and university employees and teachers.
The We Are One Illinois union coalition, of which AFSCME is a leading partner, issued this statement:
"This is no victory for Illinois, but a dark day for its citizens and public servants.
"Teachers, caregivers, police, and others stand to lose huge portions of their life savings because politicians chose to threaten their retirement security, rather than pass a much fairer, legal, negotiated solution in Senate Bill 2404.
"It's bitterly ironic that, on the same day legislators used the state's troubled finances to justify stealing the retirement savings of public servants, they approved millions of dollars in new tax giveaways for big corporations.
"A majority of legislators ignored and defied their oaths of office today—but Governor Pat Quinn doesn't have to. He can stay true to his oath and the legal promise made to public employees and retirees by vetoing this unfair, unconstitutional bill. If he doesn't, our union coalition will have no choice but to seek to uphold the Illinois Constitution and protect workers' life savings through legal action."
The legislation took the form of a conference committee report that was amended to Senate Bill 1. Both chambers voted nearly simultaneously to approve it.
The vote was 30-24-3 in the Senate:
The vote was 62-53-1 in the House:
Learn more about the bill’s impact here.
Tomorrow, after you've reviewed the roll call votes, call your senator and representative on the We Are One Illinois hotline at 888-412-6570. Thanks those who stood with workers and retirees for fairness and justice—and let those who betrayed us know how angry you are.