Bruce Rauner visited a campus of Western Illinois University—where hundreds of AFSCME Local 417 members work—on June 14. He failed to mention the damage he did to the WIU over the last three years.

Chicago Federation of Labor President Jorge Ramirez counters the Chicago Tribune's faulty arguments about Cook County employees and the vital public services they provide to residents in a Dec. 16 letter to the editor.

Due to a lawsuit brought by Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy Evans, all layoffs slated for his office are halted—for now.

A vigorous grassroots lobbying effort helped reduce number of AFSCME members who will lose their jobs after Cook CountyBoard unanimously passed a budget that included 321 layoffs.

AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch and local union leaders issued this statement on Tuesday, Nov. 14, blasting planned Cook County layoffs.

The Cook County board voted to repeal the tax on sweetened beverages, which was essential to filling the county’s gaping budget hole. Without new revenue, the county will look to service cuts and layoffs.

Awaiting a court decision on the legality of a new tax on sugary beverages, Cook County issued layoff notices to hundreds of employees in July, including more than 100 AFSCME members.

Union members protest Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis as funding cuts threaten long-term damage to our state’s public higher education.

More than 100 community members filled the West Branch of the Aurora Public Library on August 8 to protest the Library Board's planned cuts to staff and services. Many in the standing room only crowd wore stickers demanding "No cuts!"

The Preckwinkle Administration’s proposed FY17 Cook County budget has a $133 million shortfall. Without new revenue to fill the hole, the administration projects up to 500 layoffs.