AFSCME members never gave up battling for justice since ousted governor Bruce Rauner illegally froze employee step increases in 2015. Finally, thousands of state employees are receiving paychecks reflecting their proper step placement.

The Pritzker administration has told state agencies to put employees on their rightful steps no later than April 1.

The Supreme Court entered an order granting "in part" the State's motion for an extension to decide whether to appeal the appellate court’s finding that Bruce Rauner had wrongly broken off state contract negotiations based on a false claim of impasse.

Administration asks for 60-day delay to appeal 'no impasse' finding as it heads out the door

After unanimously authorizing a strike, members of AFSCME Local 2464 at Jackson County in southern Illinois won a new union contract with fair pay and affordable health care.

"The court backs up what we've said all along, there never was an impasse," AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. "Bruce Rauner should come back to the bargaining table instead of wasting more taxpayer money on losing litigation."

AFSCME members voted overwhelmingly to approve a new contract that makes gains in city government.

Union members mobilized to win the right to use sick time to care for family members plus a pay increase retroactive to May 2017.

The nearly 5,000 county employees in 14 AFSCME local unions voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract, capping more than a year of very challenging negotiations.

“Nobody in this office chose this career to get rich. But we do want to be compensated fairly, to be able to feed our families and go home to live a comfortable life. We want to be able to make ends meet.”