On Tuesday, Universal negotiations took place with the county side of the bargaining table showing some signs of softening their hard lined stance on getting their way on some basic issues.
The County has made some language offers, which will basically be status quo. This is a good sign as they are beginning to sort through some of the minor issues, and begin to focus on the major issues of wages and benefits. The final offers for Interest Arbitration are due on June 1st.
While the offers made in Interest Arbitration don’t necessarily apply to the rest of us immediately, they will set the table for the rest of our negotiations. Most importantly will be what the wages package will be and what if any health care changes will also be asked for by the sheriff’s locals involved in this arbitration.
The County isn’t happy that an arbitration is occurring before the general contract has been settled. Maybe they should have tried harder to negotiate in good faith earlier? The next date for contract negotiations will be after the final offers have been submitted to the arbitrator. Stay tuned for updates!
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!
We can’t stop now. We marched at the State Capitol to demand that
our legislators act immediately to prevent devastating budget cuts that would harm all
Illinois citizens. And we’re determined to keep the pressure on until they do just that.
Many of the organizations that participated in that march and rally are organizing Call-In Days to
make sure that legislators continue to hear from us every day that they’re in session.
Our Call-In Day is scheduled for Friday, April 30.
Plan to join in and make sure that we keep the pressure on for a responsible budget. Tell your legislators: “Raise the new revenues needed to prevent budget cuts that will harm
vital services. Support HB 174!”
You can call your legislators’ offices directly, or dial 1-800-719-3020 to be connected.
AFSCME Council 31 and your Local Bargaining Committee Members urge you to make this very important call!
15,000 Jam Capitol to Protest Budget Cuts
Springfield, April 21 — Over 4,000 AFSCME members joined with members of the teachers’ unions, the AARP, Lutheran Social Services, Action for Children and dozens of other organizations in the largest rally and march ever held in Springfield. The crowd was spirited and determined, demanding that legislators act now to pass HB 174 and prevent looming budget cuts that would drastically cut funding for education, child care, homecare for seniors and services for people with disabilities.
The theme of the day was “Save Our State” (SOS!). State representatives have been standing idly by as Illinois sinks further into financial ruin. Now they’re approaching the end of the legislative session and a looming budget disaster. Governor Quinn’s budget plan for the coming fiscal year would cut nearly $3 billion—slashing funding for the education of Illinois children, state universities, local governments, and vital human services.
The Illinois Senate has already voted in support of HB 174 which would raise the revenues needed to fix the state’s budget woes. But the House has refused to act. Speaking before the assembled crowd, Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer summed up the message of the day’s activities:: “We do our jobs everyday. We expect legislators to do theirs”.
From AFSCME Council 31…
Democratic State Senator John Sullivan pretty well summed up the stunning indifference to the impact of the state’s budget woes that characterizes far too many members of the Illinois General Assembly when he told a local newspaper this week:
Lawmakers lack the appetite to pass any type of tax increase, he said, so the legislature most likely will pass a budget that simply allocates whatever money appears to be available. “But obviously, that (type of budget) is going to run out before the end of the (fiscal) year,”….
In other words, legislators are prepared to vote for a phony budget that they know will implode mid-year leaving the state flat-broke. That’s the height of irresponsibility. Every time you turn around some elected official is getting on his or her high horse to complain about some public agency (or public employee) that isn’t doing what it’s supposed to. Yet here’s a whole body of elected officials flat out refusing to do their jobs—and thinking they can away with such gross negligence scot free.
That’s why the Responsible Budget Coalition march and rally on April 21st is so critical. We’ve got to be in Springfield with numbers and intensity that legislators have never seen before. We’ve got to demand that they do their jobs and do what it takes to fix the state’s budget mess.
Dozens of other groups will be there with us next Wednesday. It’s going to be a rousing event—with lots of opportunities to get our message across. Enclosed is a March/Rally Prep Sheet with information on the plan for the day’s activities. Please review this information right away so you’ll know what to anticipate and how to best prepare. Then make copies of the Prep Sheet and distribute to all of your members who will be coming so that AFSCME can be the best-organized, most-disciplined force there that day. We’ve also attached a map of the area with some of the key activity points noted.
If you are coming on a bus—or bringing groups in vans—please make sure to review the information on the Prep Sheet (as well as any further updates we send you) with all those on the bus/van.
Local unions are making their own arrangements for lunch depending on their return travel plans. Many locals who have rented buses will be providing lunch on the bus ride back. Others are planning to stop at “fast food” restaurants on the way out of town. If your local would like to stay in Springfield to eat lunch, Council 31 can order lunches for you at a cost of $8-10 per meal. To place your order, call Joy Sheff at 217-788-2800 X 3320 no later than Friday, April 16 with the number of lunches you’d like to order and a designated local union contact. Lunch orders can be picked up at the AFSCME tent at the conclusion of the Capitol march by your designated contact. There will be some seating available at the tent for members who want to have their lunch there.
Once the rally and march are over, if you are able to stay longer, make every effort to talk directly with your legislators. Some legislators may be trying to avoid such direct encounters, but if you are persistent, once the big crowds disperse, you and your members will likely be able to track your legislators down and drive home the key message of the day: We are here to demand that you act NOW to fix the state’s budget disaster. We will provide you with talking points for use in such direct lobbying.
So make one final push for turnout from your local. Council 31 will be backing you up this week with robocalls and email messages to all members. And then get your marching gear ready to go!
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL AFSCME MEMBERS
If you haven’t already signed up to participate in the Responsible Budget Coalition rally and march at the State Capitol on April 21st, it’s not too late to be part of this important event. Many local unions are organizing buses, vans or car pools to make the trip to Springfield . And if you’re already in the Springfield area, you can join the hundreds of other AFSCME members who will be heading over to the Capitol when the rally gets underway at 11:30 AM.
Illinois has a $13 billion budget shortfall—and legislators’ only solution is to make deep cuts to vital services and jobs. Now legislators are talking about passing a “six-month” budget and going home on May 7th, well before the legislative session is set to conclude on May 30th. That means the state will effectively run out of money—and the ability to pay its bills or its employees—before the year is out. And it means that universities, local governments and nonprofit agencies will all be left without the state aid that they need to keep operating.
We get up every day and do our jobs, no matter how hard they are. We’ve got to let our legislators know that we expect them to do their jobs—even when the going gets tough. It’s time to pass HB 174 which would raise the revenues needed to fix the state’s budget woes.
It’s critical that AFSCME members–along with the teachers, disability and senior advocates, childcare providers and religious groups who are our allies in the Responsible Budget Coalition—turn out by the thousands to rally and then march around—and into—the State Capitol on April 21st. We’ve got to make sure that legislators get our message loud and clear: It’s time to pass the revenue-raising measures needed to keep Illinois working.
Every AFSCME member has a big stake in this fight. So contact your union steward or local officers to sign up today to be at the State Capitol on April 21st. And visit the AFSCME Council 31 website at www.afscme31.org for regular updates about the rally plans over the coming week.
Both newspapers are taunting us. The State’s Attorneys office gave us a black eye yesterday. Not only did they not do their job by backing us up, they didn’t ask for further testing or additional drops to prove the defendant’s claim of a false positive drop. They also suggested that our officers didn’t perform the drug drop correctly, or are they inquiring about the lab practices? Then our own department hit us right in the gut too.
Our ‘fearless leader’ didn’t return calls from the press, nor did any of his minions offer a defense or support of our officers. ACCU-Lab though jumped right up and defended its testing and analyzing processes, and even suggested further testing or a ‘clarification’ on all lab tests before a violation is filed. This is the defense from a hired company that might make its sample pick ups weekly in some locations. Or is this a ploy to get even more county money for each drop analysis?
You remember policeman Anthony Abbate. He’s the guy who pummeled Karolina Obrycha in a bar while off duty in 2007. Judge John Fleming found him guilty of aggravated battery and sentenced him to probation instead of the penitentiary! Intensive probation with curfew, community service and special conditions. Mr. Abbate tested positive on a drop, and his defense was eating too many poppy seeds. Yes, poppy seeds. This defense has been used numerous times before with no results from numerous defendants. Not this time. The state did not back the violation petition and withdrew the petition. They didn’t seek the source of the positive test. They didn’t request additional testing of the sample, or additional drops. No, they believed the defense attorney. Mr. Abbate is also to attend anger management counseling, but isn’t because he is unemployed and can’t afford it. This also is a defense that has been used by numerous defendants with limited results. Can’t go. Can’t afford it. “He (Abbate) has been miserable since being sentenced to probation,” said attorney Peter Hickey. “Probation dropping the ball made it more miserable.” Probation didn’t drop the ball. This ‘ball’ had been bouncing like a super ball since sentencing!
We did our job. The defendant (Abbate) tested positive and he was violated. ACCU-Lab affirmed the positive test, even at a low level. The state’s attorneys refusal to back us up is going to lead to future problems. No instant drop was requested to see if the defendant used recently. No court order for further drops to be done before a continued court date. Nope. Can’t verify the reason for the positive drop, so withdraw the petition. Remember the last time the states attorneys office blamed us for not violating a defendant for non-compliance with special conditions of his probation? It’s our fault. Totally. Right. Who’s not doing their job? State?
We are lead to believe that the defendant (Abbate) is at no fault here. No masking agents. No flushing. No coming off a prior high and caught at the last possible moment. This guy is an ex-Chicago cop! Nope. It’s poppy seeds your honor! Nothing more. How many pounds of poppy seeds did this guy eat? Memo to out friends in the public defenders office, who regularly peruse our site: Challenge Every Positive Drop alleged in VOP petitions! Hey, maybe you can really prove that the defendant got high just from being in the same room as the dope? Second hand smoke! Absorption through the skin! This decision deserves to be mocked! Over and over again! He didn’t use your honor, he was just in the vicinity!
Mr. Abbate isn’t happy about being on probation. He’s so unhappy with his probation that he has filed an appeal of his conviction with the Illinois Appellate Court, case #09-1801. Does he really think other justices will overturn his conviction? Not once they see the tape of the beating! Does he really want to end up in IDOC?
A note to our officers on this case, and you know who you are. Keep up the good work! Drop this knucklehead weekly and get him before the judge with every little violation. Violate non-compliance with anger management counseling. Violate any curfew violation. Violate any non-compliance to submit to a drop. Violate non-payment of probation and court fees. Violate non-worked community service hours. Make the judge tired of seeing this loser before the bench. Go get ‘em guys! Kick the ‘ball’ right through the uprights!
The stories in the newspapers disgust us so much, we’re not going to reprint them here. If you want to read them (if you haven’t already) go to their websites, www.suntimes.com or www.chicagotribune.com. Yeah, he’s innocent. Poppycock! Or should we say poppy seeds?!?
(From AFSCME Council 31…)
It was only a few months ago that all of the political pundits were sounding the death knell for national health care reform in our country. But yesterday that historic reform legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is expected to pass the Senate in the coming days.
The lessons in that year-long battle are many and will be widely discussed and analyzed. But there’s one critical lesson for those of us in Council 31 that we’d like to note today: the importance of perseverence even when the odds seem to be stacked against us.
It’s a particularly important lesson as we battle on in the long struggle to raise the revenues needed to get Illinois back on track–and prevent massive cutbacks in jobs and services.
We’ve got to make clear to elected officials that we are determined to win passage of HB 174 or similar legislation–and we’re not giving up. And that’s why it’s so essential that we have a massive turnout at the State Capitol on April 21st. One event won’t carry the day. But an event that is big enough to demonstrate our strength and determination will make a big difference in this fight.
So we hope you’ve already begun to lay the groundwork in your local for a big turnout. To help you in that effort, we’ve attached an Organizing Guide, which includes more information on plans for the 21st as well as steps you can take to build participation. We’ve also attached a flyer on the 21st for you to reproduce and distribute widely to your members (bulk copies are being sent to you via regular mail).
We hope you’ll do everything you can to make April 21st a momentous day in the struggle to preserve jobs and services in Illinois .
Tune into the rebroadcast at midnight tonight to watch Hank Scheff from AFSCME Council 31 defend public pensions.
If you miss it, here’s the website where you can watch past shows: www.wttw.com/main and click on past shows!
(From the Chicago Sun-Times…)
The Illinois House overwhelmingly passed a sweeping pension-reform package this afternoon that would elevate the retirement age to 67 and restrict benefits for future state government workers and teachers.
The measure would not affect pay-outs to current workers. But future government workers would have to work until age 67 to get full benefits.
Madigan says the plan would save the state’sc pension systems more than $100 billion over the next several decades.
State pension systems are underfunded by $80 billion.
The legislation affects most municipal retirement programs as well.
The plan has Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s support.
This does not bode well for our brothers and sisters who will work for the state in the near future. And it may come up for discussion in Cook County also. Don’t forget that employees hired after 1986 are subsidized by the State of Illinois.
Union members do better
Given that union members generally receive bigger paychecks and better employee benefits, it’s curious why more people aren’t card carriers.
A new study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research drives home what union members have always known: “[B]etter protection of workers’ right to unionize would have a substantial positive impact on the pay and benefits of workers in every state.”
According to the study, The Unions of the States, union members enjoy:
- Bigger paychecks – generally about 15 percent higher than nonunion workers;
- Better benefits – especially employer-financed health insurance, pensions, and paid holidays and vacation;
- Input on working conditions; and
- A voice in the political arena.
But as long as nonunion workers’ rights are violated by their employers when those workers express union sentiments, unions won’t experience a dramatic growth in their membership.
That’s where the Employee Free Choice Act comes in. It would give workers a much easier path to union recognition and a contract than they now have under the current system, which allows disciplining, intimidating or firing union supporters with virtually no consequences.
The study shows that right-to-work states, where union membership is as low as 5 percent of the total workforce, have the lowest wages and worst benefits.
(From AFSCME 31 Website)