April 21 -- Biggest Crisis, Biggest Crowd

Preparations for the Wednesday, April 21, "Save our State" rally have shifted into high gear.  AFSCME members from across the state will join thousands of others from the Responsible Budget Coalition at the state Capitol to demand that legislators support raising the revenues needed to get our state back on track. 

 

The rally begins at 11:30 on Second St. in front of the main entrance to the Capitol.

• AFSCME members can meet at the AFSCME tent in the parking lot directly across the street from the AFSCME office (at 532 S. Second St.) where members can gather in the morning as they arrive.  If at all possible, please come to that tent rather than going directly to the rally so that we can march to the rally together.
• The tent will be “open” at 10 AM.  There will be water and coffee available for those who arrive before step-off time, as well as limited seating.
• Wear walking shoes and check the weather report to see if you need jackets or rain gear.

Public parking locations in downtown Springfield:

·        6^th & Washington -- Underground parking under the Old State Capitol
·        4^th & Washington -- By the Amtrak station
·        6^th & Madison -- By the Lincoln Museum
·        7^th & Adams -- Next to the Convention Center   PCCC
·        7^th & Monroe -- Hilton parking

Back-up parking location – shuttle to rally
Crowne Plaza Hotel parking lot  -- 3000 S. Dirksen St., just off I-55 

Bus and van drop off location
Jackson St., between 4^th and 5^th

 

Our state is falling apart, with local governments on the ropes, nonprofit agencies barely staying afloat, education—from K through college—being slashed, and pensions and retiree health benefits under attack.  That’s why we’re opening up the biggest front yet in the war to fix Illinois’ fiscal mess.  We’re heading to Springfield in an all-out demonstration of support for HB 174 – the bill to reform Illinois’ tax system and raise desperately needed new revenues.

Every AFSCME member has a stake in this fight:

If you work for state government, you just barely dodged a knockout punch this year.  The state was prepared to lay off thousands of employees until an AFSCME lawsuit and related settlement put the brakes on that plan.  But that agreement expires on June 30 of next year, so without new revenues this year, state workers will almost certainly be facing even more massive layoffs.

If you’re a university local, you are facing demands for concessions at the bargaining table, pressure to take furlough days, nearly missed paydays and the very real threat of layoffs. 

If you’re a city or county local, the problems you’re already grappling with -- demands for wage freezes or givebacks, furlough days, and layoffs -- just got a whole lot worse with the proposal to cut the amount of state funds going to local governments by over $300 million.

If you’re a school district local, you’re looking at massive funding cuts -- more than $1 billion in state funds.  School districts will have no choice but to lay off hundreds of employees.

And if you’re a nonprofit sector local, you will find it even harder to win the pay increases you so desperately need and deserve.

So plan to come to Springfield with a busload or a carload of your co-workers, and help raise the stakes for wavering legislators. Their jobs are on the line, too.