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.

The 4th District Appellate Court heard oral arguments on June 13 in AFSCME Council 31’s appeal of the Labor Board’s decision backing Gov. Bruce Rauner’s claim that the parties were at impasse in negotiations between the state of Illinois and AFSCME.

Get the facts about the lawsuit that aims to take away the freedom of working people to join together in strong unions, Janus v. AFSCME Council 31.

For the first time since taking office, Gov. Rauner signed a full budget, on time, on June 4 after the General Assembly adopted it with strong bipartisan support on May 31.

HB 4290, the bill providing funding for wages owed to state employees since 2011, passed out of the Illinois House of Representatives with a veto-proof majority on May 24 and out of the Senate with unanimous support on May 30.

AFSCME-backed candidate Steven Rock was elected trustee in the recent State Universities Retirement System (SURS) Trustee Election.

“Illinois needs a leader like JB who will bring people together and who cares about working families,” AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said.

Sen. Bill Brady introduced Senate Amendment 1 to SB 2680, which would amend the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act to provide that the design, implementation, and administration of a health insurance plan shall not be the subject of negotiations.

On April 2-4, AFSCME, COGIC, and civil, human and workers’ rights leaders gathered in Memphis for a series of events to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy and the courage and sacrifice of Memphis sanitation workers who went on strike in 1968.

In the March 20 Illinois Primary Election, voters chose candidates best able to carry forward the fight in defense of workers’ rights in the November General Election. Union members made a big difference in these critical races!