Thousands of public service workers—members of AFSCME and our allied unions in the We Are One Illinois coalition—gathered in Springfield on Nov. 13 to demand lawmakers fix the broken and unfair Tier 2 pension system.

For too long, low wages had been the norm at ISBE. The Local 2811 bargaining committee vowed to change that.

Members of AFSCME Local 1787 at the Quincy Veterans Home took to the picket line on Sept. 4 to call out CMS for not taking the necessary steps to foster hiring at the facility. Victory followed soon after.

Now, after Council 31 prevailed in statewide arbitration, those temporary staff are being converted into permanent state employees and joining the ranks of our union—and they’re already reaping the benefits of union membership.

When confronted with management inaction in the wake of serious assaults on staff at their facilities, AFSCME members at Menard Correctional Center and Ludeman Developmental Center both took their fight for safe working conditions to the picket line.

The upcoming Fix Tier 2 Town Halls are an opportunity to drive our message home with lawmakers. To do that, we'll need to pack the rooms. Find a Town Hall near you and register today!

Understanding the unfairness of Tier 2 and the challenges of fixing it

How to find out if you're on a Tier 2 pension, why lawmakers are so reluctant to address pensions, and more.

These three candidates gathered enough signatures from fund participants to get on the ballot and to defend retirement security for state employees on the SERS pension board. All three have been declared the winners of the races.

On April 28 we observe Workers Memorial Day, a day to remember workers who have been killed on the job and to recommit ourselves to fighting for safer working conditions for all.