IllInoIs

www.ilafl-cio.org • Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. Second Street, Suite 200, Springfield, Illinois 62701 • 217-544-4014Michael T. Carrigan, President • Timothy E. Drea, Secretary Treasurer

A F L - C I OnEWs UPDATE - 5/27/16

The Illinois House and Senate are scheduled to adjourn today and return to Springfield on Sunday, around 3pm. Both chambers will remain in session through Tuesday, May 31st. We will send out updates as necessary. This is meant to be an abbreviated synopsis of actions this week, we will have more after May 31st.

On Wednesday, the House voted on a motion to override Governor Rauner’s veto of HB 580. The vote to override failed 69-47-1 (needed 71 votes). Sixty-nine Democrats voted for the override. Two House Democrats did not vote for the override (Franks voted present and Drury was a “no” vote), no House Republican stood up for state employees. The bill would allow state workers the same fair arbitration process that Illinois law has provided for more than 30 years to municipal police, fire personnel, state correctional officers and state troopers. It would allow an impartial arbitrator to be chosen to resolve a contract dispute, with the arbitrator being chosen by mutual agreement from both parties in the dispute. The motion to override the Governor’s veto is renewable and can continue to be voted on in the House through June 1st.

Representative Welch deserves special recognition this week for standing up for working families.

AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch issued this statement:

“We are deeply disappointed in the 48 legislators in the House today who failed to override Gov. Rauner’s veto of the fair arbitration bill, House Bill 580. They sided with the governor against the people of Illinois and against the public service workers who protect kids, care for veterans and the disabled, respond to emergencies and keep us safe.

“In January the Rauner Administration walked away from the bargaining table and has since refused to even meet with our union. Instead the governor is seeking the power to unilaterally impose his extreme demands, including forcing

workers to pay double their current costs for health care, a four-year wage freeze, and doing away with protections against unfettered privatization.

“If he imposes those demands, public service workers will be forced to work under his terms or go out on strike. While as a candidate Rauner vowed to force a strike, the union supported the arbitration bill as a fair alternative path to keep Illinois working.

“Contrary to the governor’s wild exaggerations designed to defeat HB 580, the bill would have merely provided to all state employees the same fair arbitration procedures already available to public safety workers throughout Illinois. According to state records, those procedures in the past 10 years have resulted in 48 percent of all arbitration decisions favoring the employer, 43 percent favoring the union, and 9 percent split.

“The fair arbitration bill was meant to protect public services and ensure fairness for the men and women who work to provide them. That’s why large majorities of voters even in Republican districts consistently supported the bill and urged their legislators to enact it. It’s unfortunate that too many lawmakers sided today with Governor Rauner rather than representing their constituents.”

Override Vote on Impartial Arbitrator Authorization Bill FailsG e n e r A l A s s e m B l y

Memorial Day may 30,2016

IllInoIs AFl-CIo nEWs UPDATE

www.ilafl-cio.org • Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. Second Street, Suite 200, Springfield, Illinois 62701 • 217-544-4014Michael T. Carrigan, President • Timothy E. Drea, Secretary Treasurer

Page 2 - 05/27/16

Budget Bill Passes House This Week

The House Democrats began the budget process on Wednesday this week by passing SB 2048 to the Senate. House Republicans voted as Governor Rauner told them, and voted no on school funding and social services funding for FY17. Republican legislators continue to follow Governor Rauner’s lead by insisting on cutting benefits for injured workers, not funding childcare services, cutting wages for the middle class, and failing to fund higher education institutions.

SB 2048 goes to the Senate for consideration.

Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan addressed the hundreds of working families and community supporters who gathered in Springfield this week to push for the Next Generation Energy Plan (SB 1585) to prevent the closure of its nuclear plants near Clinton and the Quad Cities. In part, the Exelon-backed bill would extend low-carbon-emissions subsidies similar to those enjoyed by the wind and solar power industries to nuclear plants.

Carrigan said the bill was about the engine for any economy – jobs. Thousands of workers are employed at nuclear power plants across Illinois.

“The Next Generation Energy Plan offers a promising glimpse into what the future of our state could be – a future where jobs are saved and new ones created, as environmental innovation produces positive economic benefits,” Carrigan said. “This is a future that will benefit our communities, and one that can soon become reality if this important measure is passed, leading us on a path to a cleaner tomorrow.”

Working families rally to prevent closure of nuclear plants

Hundreds rally at the state Capitol to support Clinton Power Station and cleean energy. Photo by IBEW 51.

IL AFL-CIO PresidentMichael T. Carrigan

Recently U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (D-IL) pledged to support GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Kirk, who is being challenged by Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth in a race with national implications, said he would “certainly” back Trump.

Kirk’s stance is not much a surprise, given his 23 percent lifetime voting record on labor issues. Lining up with the anti-worker Trump aligns two anti-worker politicians.

Trump said he “loves” Right To Work – policies • that suppress wages for all workers.

Trump’s companies actively suppress workers • from joining unions and bargaining together.

Trump has said Americans’ “wages are too • high.”

Kirk has a history of attempting to portray moderation, but his voting record and lack of support for working people show he is clearly in the pocket of the billionaire class. His Trump support is further evidence.

Kirk Pledges To support Trump

Billionaire CEO Trump Supports Right To Work, Union Busting

economic Development Changes Approved by the House

SB 2531 (Lightford/Welch) passed the House this week by a vote of 66-48-0. The legislation seeks to allow minorities and labor a voice on public-private partnership economic development corporations that are set up in regions around the state. Large corporations set these boards up to direct how public dollars are spent in their community. Many of them charge membership fees, some up to $100,000 for a seat at the table. SB 2531 would require labor and minorities two seats at these tables, at no cost. All but one Republican (Bill Mitchell) voted to deny minorities and working class citizens a seat on these boards.

The bill now goes to the Governor for consideration.

www.ilafl-cio.org • Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. Second Street, Suite 200, Springfield, Illinois 62701 • 217-544-4014Michael T. Carrigan, President • Timothy E. Drea, Secretary Treasurer

IllInoIs AFl-CIo nEWs UPDATE Page 3 - 05/27/16

Memorial Day honors those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives defending our great nation. At the same time, the day unofficially kicks off the summer grilling season, where families and friends gather together to support one another. This Memorial Day - buy union.

Buy Union this memorial Day

(Note: AFL-CIO has endorsed the BCTGM’s boycott of Nabisco products made in Mexico because Mondelēz International, Nabisco’s parent company, continues to outsource product lines and middle-class American jobs to Mexico. Before you buy Oreos or any Nabisco brand products, check the label to make sure you are buying American-made snacks. Learn how to check the label.) (From www.unionplus.org)

Hot Dogs, Sausages and Other Grill Meats

Ball Park• Boar’s Head• Dearborn Sausage Co.• Fischer Meats• Hebrew National• Hofmann• Johnsonville• Oscar Mayer•

CondimentsFrench’s mustard• Gulden’s mustard• Heinz ketchup• Hidden Valley Ranch• Vlasic®•

Buns and BreadArnold• Ottenberg’s• Sara Lee• Vie de France•

Bottled WaterPocono Springs• Poland Spring®•

Ice Cream and Frozen Treats Breyers® • Carvel• Del Monte Fruit Chillers• Good Humor• Hiland Dairy• Laura Secord• President’s Choice•

Snacks Flipz® pretzels• Frito-Lay chips• Triscuit crackers• Wheat Thins crackers• Oreo cookies • (See note below)

BeerBudweiser• Bud Light• Leinenkugel’s• Mad River Brewing Co.• Michelob• Miller• Rolling Rock•

(See more beers from Union Plus)

The Historic Pullman Foundation and Pullman National Monument have been selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to compete with 19 other well established National Parks for a share of $2 million dollars in preservation funding. An amount of $250,000 can be won for restoration work at the Pullman National Monument Visitor Center.

The voting campaign is between May 25th and July 5th. In this national campaign you need to vote daily (early and often). In fact you can vote 41 times for the Pullman National Monument. Be a prime Pullman supporter, pledge to vote daily from May 25th to July 5th. Go to www.voteyourpark.org/pullman to vote. Please share this with your membership to promote labor history.

Historic Pullman competes for national grant of $250,000Awarded by online votes from union members and supporters

2016 Political Briefing - June 6, 2016Located at Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, IL

Registration is free - RSVP is required - E-mail terrip@ilafl-cio.org