News
Mar 16, 2023
New! Chicago City Council passes labor peace ordinance

The Chicago City Council passed the AFSCME-sponsored Human Service Workforce Advancement (HSWA) ordinance by a veto-proof majority of 42-2 on March 15.

Jan 16, 2023
New! AFSCME Recommendations: 2023 Chicago Municipal Election

AFSCME members on the Region I PEOPLE Committee have announced their recommendations for aldermanic candidates in the 2023 Chicago municipal elections.

Mar 10, 2023
New! Field Museum employees win union with AFSCME

Nearly 300 employees of the Field Museum have won their union with AFSCME Council 31.

Feb 10, 2023
New! HRDAC pushes to gut university worker protections

The State University Civil Service System (SUCSS) was created to ensure the fair and equal recruitment, retention and development of university staff and provides critical protections to workers in the university system. But now it has come under threat.

Feb 10, 2023
New! DSP wage increase campaign set to kick into high gear

AFSCME members who care for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in community agencies are ramping up for a wide-ranging, concerted effort to get wage increases through the state budgeting process.

Dec 14, 2022
Logan County Health Department wins healthy new contract

They battled through a pandemic. Now, workers at the Logan County Health Department have won a new contract that rewards them for the good work they've done throughout the public health crisis.

Dec 27, 2022
Field Museum workers file for union election with AFSCME

Employees of the Field Museum filed union representation petitions with the National Labor Relations Board, triggering a union election in the coming weeks in which the employees can vote to formally certify their union.

Dec 13, 2022
New! SAIC adjunct professors, lecturers vote to join AFSCME

More than 600 non-tenure-track faculty of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) have voted overwhelmingly to form their union with AFSCME. 92% of ballots cast were in favor of the union.

Dec 13, 2022
Local 3328 makes big improvements in wages

Members of Local 3328 in the DuPage County Probation Department won a great contract where the smallest increase for each employee was $7,000, and the average increase for all members was 25% over the three-year life of the contract.

Dec 12, 2022
IPI sinks even lower in failed attempt to defeat Workers' Rights Amendment

In the IPI's failed campaign to defeat the Workers’ Rights Amendment, it sunk to new, unimaginable lows.

Dec 12, 2022
State bargaining committee gears up for negotiations

AFSCME members in state government are gearing up for contract negotiations for a new state of Illinois master contract, which covers some 35,000 state employees.

Mar 03, 2023
New! AFSCME Recommendations: 2023 Municipal, School Board & Library Elections

AFSCME Area PEOPLE Committees, comprised of representatives from local unions, have announced their recommendations for the 2023 municipal and school board elections occurring across Illinois.

Dec 12, 2022
Rushville exposure incident underscores need for mail safety

A security therapy aide at the state of Illinois’ Rushville Treatment and Detention Center nearly died in October after coming into contact with an unknown substance sent to the facility by mail.

Dec 12, 2022
Randolph County voters back measure to keep care center open

Randolph County residents delivered an overwhelming vote to keep the community’s nursing home in public hands. A referendum to sell an unused portion of the nursing home passed with 67% of the vote.

Nov 09, 2022
2022 Election Results For AFSCME-Recommended Candidates

AFSCME-recommended candidates won up and down the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election.

Nov 09, 2022
Big wins for workers in 2022 election

Workers and retirees won big in Illinois, passing the Workers' Rights Amendment and electing union-backed candidates in nearly every state and federal race, and in a majority of county contests.

Nov 04, 2022
Vote YES on the Workers' Rights Amendment!

With the Workers’ Rights Amendment in place, politicians couldn’t simply change the law to take away wages, benefits, workplace safety protections or other provisions of your union contract — the state Constitution would stand in their way.

Nov 02, 2022
Newberry Library employees win union election with AFSCME

Employees of the Newberry Library voted to form Newberry Workers United/AFSCME, with more than 75% of votes cast being in favor of the union.

Oct 20, 2022
Long contract fight pays off for Local 1514

It took nearly three years at the bargaining table, but at last members of AFSCME Local 1514 have won a contract they can be proud of.

Sep 23, 2022
Champaign-Urbana Public Health employees forming union with AFSCME

Nearly 100 employees of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District are coming together to form their union with AFSCME Council 31. Workers say they’re fighting for fair pay, transparency, and equal opportunity.

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