Council 31 Legislative Update

May 7, 2009


Threat of Massive Layoffs in State Government Looms Larger – It’s hard to believe, with state government already cut to the bone, but a growing number of legislators are saying that they won’t vote for a tax increase—which will leave the state with a $12 billion budget shortfall that could well translate into massive service cutbacks and employee layoffs.
Gov. Quinn has stepped up to the plate and proposed an increase in the state’s income tax to address this dire shortfall. The reality is that just to pay for existing state and university pension liabilities and maintain current service levels the state needs a larger increase than the one Gov. Quinn has proposed. But rather than talking about how to raise more revenues, virtually all Republicans—and even many Democrats—are opposing any tax increase at all.
AFSCME members know all too well that state government is already a barebones operation, but there’s no doubt that without a tax increase, more cuts will be made.
So it’s going to be up to us to get that message out to our members and the wider public—to stand up against those who would deliberately deceive by claiming that we can cut our way out of Illinois’ fiscal crisis.
Action Needed: It is critical that AFSCME members stand up and speak out in support of raising desperately needed new revenues by raising the state’s income tax and expanding the sales tax base. Make sure you let your state senators and representatives know that you support raising taxes to avert cuts to vital services, pension underfunding and layoffs.

Quinn Backs Off Pension Increase for Current Employees—Still Pushing Big Health Care Cost Increases and Two-Tier Pension Benefits -- AFSCME members and retirees all across the state have been packing regional legislative forums to press legislators to oppose Gov. Quinn’s proposals to make current state and university employees pay more for their pensions and slash pension benefits for new hires—as well the Governor’s proposal to require employees and retirees to pay more for their health insurance. More than 2,000 union members and retirees have turned out for the forums thus far—and thousands more have called their legislators to make their voices heard. AFSCME has been joined in our opposition to these draconian benefit reductions by both teachers’ unions, the IFT and the IEA
Yesterday, union members won a partial victory in that battle. The Governor appeared at an IEA rally and announced that he would back off his proposal to require that current employees pay 2% more toward their pensions. Quinn is still pushing for both current employees and retirees to pay a lot more for their health insurance—and for drastically lower pension benefits for new hires.
Quinn’s two-tier pension proposal has now been put before the General Assembly in the form of SB 1292. AFSCME and our allies in the Illinois Retirement Security Initiative (IRSI) are gearing up for a full court press for next Tuesday, May 12, when SB 1292 will be up for a vote in the House Committee on Pensions. But even if the Union’s lobbyists are successful in preventing the bill from moving out of committee next week—and that will be a tall order—the threats to pension and health care benefits still remain.
Gov. Quinn and all four legislative leaders appear united in the effort to reduce benefits for new hires. So if SB 1292 goes down, we will almost certainly see some other variation of this legislation before the General Assembly adjourns.
They are also still planning to once again shortchange the pension system by failing to make the full share of the employer’s contribution—greatly increasing the risk that the pension funds could go broke in the near future.
Action Needed: We have to keep the pressure on our state senators and representatives so that they’ll make clear to their leadership that they won’t vote to cut pension or health care benefits or put the stability of the pension funds at risk. We have to make sure our legislators understand that Illinois pension benefits are modest and well-deserved. New hires should not have to do the same work for a much diminished retirement benefit. And remind legislators that state employees and retirees already pay a lot for our health insurance and can’t afford the kind of big increases Quinn is pushing.

State University Funding Also at Risk – Without a tax increase, state universities will likely lose even the modest funding increase included in the Governor’s proposed FY10 budget plan. While it’s not clear that this loss will result in layoffs, it certainly could have that consequence. And even if layoffs don’t occur, such funding limitations will heighten the pressure for employee concessions and givebacks.
Action Needed: AFSCME members at state universities should let their legislators know that they support an income tax increase—and expansion of the sales tax base—to raise sufficient revenues to keep state universities fully operational.

Oppose Reduction in State Aid to Local Governments – Governor Quinn is failing to take into account the increased financial woes besetting cities, counties, and other units of local government throughout Illinois. As a result his proposal to raise the state income tax increase revokes (for purposes of the increase only) the normal requirement that 10% of state income tax revenues be reallocated to local units of government. AFSCME believes that any state tax increase should be large enough to meet the state’s needs, while also maintaining the state’s commitment to aid local government.
Action Needed: AFSCME members who work for municipalities, counties and other units of local government should contact their state legislators and tell them to make sure that local governments are not left out of any new state income tax increase.

Rep. Franks Tries to Kill Forced Overtime Bill (SB1369) – AFSCME members have built broadbased support in the General Assembly for legislation to restrict mandatory overtime after legislators heard reports of the exhausting hours so many state employees are working and the terrible toll they take. That’s why SB 1369, AFSCME-backed legislation to ban mandatory overtime in IDOC, DJJ, DHS and DVA facilities, passed out of the Senate by an overwhelming margin last month. But at the behest of the Quinn Administration which opposes the legislation, Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) effectively hijacked the sponsorship of SB 1369 when it came over from the Senate, then refused to call it for a vote. AFSCME Position: Support. Status: SB1369 is effectively dead; AFSCME lobbyists are now looking for ways to amend the substance of this measure onto another bill that did get out of committee.
Action Needed: -- Rep. Franks is trying to kill a measure of immense importance to the health and well-being of thousands of state workers. AFSCME members should call Rep. Franks (217-782-1717) and tell him that if he doesn’t find a way to help revive this bill in this legislative session, we will hold him accountable for the dangerous amounts of mandatory overtime that employees are being forced to work.

Oppose Facility Closures/Support Needed Expansion – Governor Quinn’s proposed FY 10 budget would result in the closure of IYC-Pere Marquette and would put the brakes on the plan to fully open the Thomson Correctional Center. In addition, the budget does not include full funding for Howe Developmental Center or Tinley Park Mental Health Center, leaving these facilities still facing the threat of closure. AFSCME is working to convince legislators that Pere Marquette, Howe and Tinley Park should remain open—and that new beds should be opened at Thomson CC.
Action Needed: AFSCME members who work at Pere Marquette, Thomson, Howe or Tinley Park should be sure to contact their legislators and urge them to provide funding for these facilities.

Push on for COLA for workers in community disability agencies -- Employees in community-based agencies serving people with disabilities or others in need must depend on state funding. Last year, after vigorous grassroots lobbying by direct care workers, AFSCME succeeded in passing legislation for a 50ct./hr. pay increase for community disability workers. But the previous governor vetoed that funding. Unfortunately, Gov. Quinn did not include any funding for a pay raise for these workers in his proposed FY 10 budget, so AFSCME is once against gearing up an intensive lobbying effort to convince legislators to include such funding in any final budget that is enacted.
Action Needed: AFSCME members in community disability agencies should call their legislators to urge them to push for funding for a pay raise for direct care workers in the FY 10 budget. Members should also be sure to get as many signatures as possible on the “Campaign for Fairness” postcards which will be delivered to Governor Quinn.

Require legislative approval for closures (SB327/HB2376) -- Council 31 is working to enact legislation that will require greater legislative oversight of any proposed closure. SB327, sponsored by Sen. Crotty/Rep. Riley, and HB2367, sponsored by Rep. Gordon/Sen. Crotty, would amend the state’s Facility Closure Act to require that if a facility or site is funded in the budget enacted by the General Assembly, it cannot subsequently be closed without a joint resolution of the General Assembly approving the closure. This legislation is vigorously opposed by those forces that want to close down all state mental health and developmental centers. AFSCME Position: Support. Status: SB327 passed out of the Senate by a solid margin and is in House Executive Committee; HB2376 passed out of the House and is on Second Reading in the Senate.

Bring greater equity to the Unemployment Insurance program (HB2555 and SB1350) -- AFSCME is seeking to pass legislation (HB2555) that would expand UI benefits to those school district and university employees who are laid off in the summer months. However school districts and universities are vigorously opposing this measure because of the costs involved. In addition, Council 31 is seeking to enact legislation (SB1350) that would extend the time period for cut-off of UI benefits when an employer has locked out its employees. This measure is vehemently opposed by big business lobbyists. AFSCME Position: Support. Status: HB2555 was not called for a vote in the House; SB1350 passed out of the Senate and is on Second Reading in the House.

Improve health care quality for all AFSCME members/support nurse staffing ratios (SB224/HB485) --The American health care system is in crisis. The only real solution is a national program of universal health care—and Council 31 is participating in the AFL-CIO’s nationwide campaign to press for the development and enactment of major health care reform to meet that goal. At the same time, we will seek to address problems that can be tackled at the state level.
To that end, AFSCME is leading a statewide coalition that is seeking to enact legislation to establish required nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in Illinois hospitals and to provide for nurse input into staffing plans. SB224 and HB485 are being held in committee pending negotiations with the Illinois Hospital Association, which is fiercely opposing this measure.

Provide fairness for Corrections health care employees (SB1987/HB2375) – AFSCME-represented medical vendor employees in DOC and DJJ have made steady progress through their union toward achieving wage parity with state medical personnel in these departments. However, they still have to pay significantly more for their health coverage and do not have a defined benefit pension plan. AFSCME is pushing for passage of this legislation which would make employees of corrections medical vendors who are union-represented state employees and enable them to keep their union representation. This legislation is meeting very strong opposition from the vendors (HPL and Wexford), as well as from the Illinois Nurses Association. AFSCME position: Support. Status: HB2375 was not called for a vote in the House; SB1987 is in the Senate Assignments Committee.
Action Needed: It is very important that AFSCME members who work for an IDOC medical vendor immediately call their state senator and state representative to tell them that they want to become state employees represented by AFSCME—and that they want the legislator to support SB 1987.

Oppose efforts to reduce services for individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities (HJR 28/SJR30) -- There is growing pressure to close or downsize state-operated centers for persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities. HJR28and SJR30, as originally drafted would have put the General Assembly on record in support of a “blueprint” for the future of development disability services which calls for closing down five state developmental centers. Council 31 supports a comprehensive array of services for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities and opposes efforts to fund one type of service by cutting another. To that end, AFSCME lobbyists worked with sponsors of these measures to amend the language so that it did not explicitly support state facility closures.

Restore and expand union rights (HB2445) -- Council 31 is working with the Illinois AFL-CIO to pass this omnibus reform of the Illinois public sector labor relations law in order to address key problems that have arisen, such as lengthy delays in adjudicating Unfair Labor Practice charges. AFSCME Position: Support. Status: HB 2445 has passed the House and is on Second Reading in the Senate.

Establish fair mileage reimbursement rules (HB 480) – AFSCME has been pressing for several years now to bring state mileage reimbursement regulations in line with federal protocols which are fairer to employees. HB480, sponsored by Rep. Boland, would accomplish that goal.
AFSCME Position: Support. Status: HB 480 passed out of the House and is on Second Reading in the Senate.

Establish MRSA protections in law (SB105/HB185) – Since MRSA infections first emerged as a serious health threat, AFSCME has led the effort to force employers to institute appropriate protocols to prevent the occurrence of such infections. Council 31 is supporting this legislation to make sure that every workplace in Illinois state government has appropriate employee protections in place to prevent the spread of MRSA. AFSCME Position: Support. Status: HB185 passed out of the House and is on Second Reading in the Senate; SB105 passed out of the Senate and is in the House Executive Committee.

Preserve Tamms CC role as IDOC safety valve (HB2633) – HB 2633, as introduced, would make it more difficult to transfer dangerous inmates to Tamms, as well as preventing the incarceration of inmates with mental health problems at Tamms. It would also establish more clearly-defined procedures for inmates to be moved out of Tamms. AFSCME opposed the measures as originally introduced because it could greatly increase the danger at other correctional facilities throughout the system by making it more difficult to swiftly move an inmate who presents an immediate danger to Tamms. IDOC also opposed the bill. Currently, the sponsor, Rep. Hamos, is seeking to bring together concerned parties—including AFSCME—to see if a compromise can be reached.

Dozens of bills impact AFSCME members – There are literally dozens of other bills that the AFSCME lobbying team is working to support or defeat that would affect AFSCME members—in some cases as few as a dozen employees. Whatever the number of employees involved, if a bill could hurt or help them—and if it has a chance of moving forward in the General Assembly—Council 31 lobbyists are hard at work to make sure that the interests of union members are protected and advanced. If any of these bills emerge as a real threat to members’ well-being or as potential benefits to members, the local unions that are impacted will be notified so that they can assist in the lobbying effort.