Governor Pat Quinn

AFSCME Members Ratify Pact

Amanda Vinicky — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:38:51 +0000

Members of the largest public employees union in Illinois voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract with the state. 96% of those who voted were in favor of the pact.

AFSCME and Governor Pat Quinn's administration reached a deal in late February. But in order for it to take effect, a majority of the union's members had to agree to it.

AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall said this may have been the toughest negotiations the union's ever experienced.

Illinois to Release More Pension Info

Amanda Vinicky — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:38:43 +0000

Illinois will disclose more details about its underfunded pensions systems following an agreement with the Securities and Exchanges Commission.

Retirees to Help Pay for Healthcare

Amanda Vinicky — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:29:57 +0000

Retired state workers in Illinois now know how much they will be required to contribute to their health care costs. The details are in the tentative contract agreement between the state and AFSCME.

The pact also will give the state the savings it had already been counting on.

Until now, state and university employees who retired after long government careers had not been required to pay any health care premiums. A new state law changed that, but how much they would pay was subject to contract negotiations, which dragged on for 15 months.

AFSCME Contract Agreement in Illinois

Brian Mackey — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:38:26 +0000

After 15 months of negotiating, Illinois' largest government-employee union has reached a tentative contract deal with the administration of Governor Pat Quinn.

AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall said the specifics will be kept private for now.

“It's a three-year agreement. The details are going to be reviewed by our entire rank-and-file membership. ... The ratification process will get started the week of this coming Monday, March 4," Lindall said.

Quinn Delivers State of the State Speech

Illinois Public Radio — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 04:20:51 +0000

It's the start of Illinois' new legislative session, and Governor Pat Quinn has now explained what he wants lawmakers to accomplish.

In his fifth State of the State address since becoming governor, Quinn laid out a wide-ranging agenda:

He wants to allow same-sex couples get married and he wants to raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour. He also said lawmakers should pass a measure that would allow voters to register online.

In addition, Quinn called for a ban on the sale of assault weapons.

Labor Takes One On The Chin from Illinois Democrats

Bill Knight — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:05:53 +0000

Illinois’ friends of labor must be feeling a double-whammy double-cross , as Gov. Pat Quinn last month terminated the state’s contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and House Speaker Mike Madigan revived his dormant resolution to limit raises to people who work for the state.

Illinois Governor Ends AFSCME Contract

Rich Egger — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:34:23 +0000

40,000 state employees in Illinois no longer have a contract.

Governor Pat Quinn on November 20 took the unprecedented step of terminating Illinois' contract with the state's largest public employees union, AFSCME.

The contract expired in June, but the two sides agreed to multiple extensions as they negotiated over a new one.