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Amidst the perpetual dick-wagging that goes on in Springfield over the state budget, State of Illinois employees are feeling the pinch. Thousands of state workers, members of AFSCME Council 31 rallied at the State Capitol Monday before marching to the Hilton hotel, where negotiations between the state and the union are being held. The governor's office refused to comment on negotiations, saying "it would be irresponsible on our part to negotiate this contract through the media.”
The union claims that the Blagojevich administration is insisting on huge concessions from state workers, including higher pension contributions and sharply increased health insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays. In May state workers held informational pickets around the state over the negotiations impasse. And earlier this month, business and taxpayer organizations sent a letter to the governor demanding that he cut pension increases and hike employee contributions for health insurance. “We already pay a good dividend for health insurance and we also pay a good part for our own retirement and now they want to take more from us in this tough economy and it’s not right,” said a state worker from the Pontiac Correctional Center. “It’d be so tough for families already to have to pay more. We’re paying our fair share and then some.”
The current contract, which covers some 35,000 state workers expires June 30. After seven months of negotiations, they still haven't reached an agreement. The union says that a strike is still a possibility.
AP Photo
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Kevin, you spend alot of time beating up on Blago, which I get, but is he the only one down there? What's madigan's roll? And I aint talking Lisa. And what about Emile, wasn't he just calling for a pay raise for himeself?
Wow, I hope state workers don't strike. What would Illinois do without a bunch of people sitting around and wasting time?
Total side point, but man, I never realized what a beautiful state capital building we have.
Dude that's because they totally remodeled it from top to bottom. From chandeliers imported from Paris too the gold plated johns. Ask Kevin if you think I'm lying son.
p.s guess who paid for it?
@ Bluefairlane: "Wow, I hope state workers don't strike. What would Illinois do without a bunch of people sitting around and wasting time?"
Actually, this is the union the represents most of the employees who actually do things (building service workers, engineers, carpenters, etc). When I went to the University of Illinois, there was talk of an AFSCME strike, and the administration had no contingency plans because you can't hold class in buildings that haven't been cleaned, feed students in dorms when all the food service staff are striking, etc. Last I heard, if this strike were to happen, it would close all state Universities (at the very least).