Metro East Sun

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has reached out directly to members of the state’s largest union to try to persuade them to lobby for an up-and-down vote on proposals for a new contract.

The governor’s main negotiator in talks with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has written to all its members, urging them to accept proposals put forward by the administration.

AFSCME and the governor's office have been locked in negotiations over a new contract for a year until talks broke down last month.

On Jan. 15, after weeks of what the administration said was no meaningful progress at the bargaining table, Rauner asked the Illinois Labor Relations Board (LRB) to determine whether the two sides are at an impasse.

If the LRB declares an impasse, it would strengthen the governor’s hand, as the union then has the choice of accepting his last, best offer or go on strike. The LRB can rule there is no impasse and tell the two sides to continue to negotiate.

Matt Dietrich, executive editor of Reboot Illinois, an online site that campaigns to improve the state’s jobs climate, schools, taxes and debt, said this fight is Rauner’s first big test of one of the planks of his campaign agenda.

“You are seeing the first big test of Bruce Rauner, of his campaign agenda to reduce the power of public employee unions,” Dietrich told the Metro East Sun. “In this case, he wants to bring union demands more in line with the financial conditions of the state. It’s really a collision of Bruce Rauner’s philosophy coming up against a union accustomed to more cordial relations in the past with both Democrats and Republicans.”

While the two sides wait for the LRB to decide whether to declare there is an impasse, Democratic legislators are trying to pass a bill allowing for an arbitration process to resolve contract disputes between the state and its workers.

This process is available to police, state troopers, correctional officers and first responders, but only in return for no-strike agreements.

House Bill 580 passed Feb. 16 by a 67-46 vote, with two representatives voting present. Those numbers are not veto-proof, however. The bill is now with the Senate’s Executive Committee, with a hearing planned for Wednesday.

“We came out against that bill,” Dietrich said. “One of the governor’s chief responsibilities is to negotiate the labor contracts. It’s one of his prime duties. The governor has been blocked on doing a lot of things, but this is one strictly within the executive branch.”

In a news release after the talks broke down, Rauner referred to the deals already negotiated with other unions, including five Teamster locals. These unions represent 5,000 workers, while AFSCME represents 38,000 state employees.

John Terranova, deputy director of labor relations in the governor’s office, who led the negotiating team, said in a letter sent directly to AFSCME workers that the governor wants an up-and-down vote on those proposals.

“Seventeen other unions ratified similar terms and conditions by wide margins - often over 80 percent of state employees in those unions approved - and we think if provided a fair vote, this proposal will be approved as well,” Terranova said.

The letter was accompanied by a point-by-point rebuttal of AFSCME claims about the contract negotiations.

Terranova said AFSCME claim that the state's proposal will give Illinois state workers the worst health insurance coverage in the nation is untrue because the state will still pay 92 percent of the total cost.

Terranova also denied that job security rights would be eliminated if the state's proposals are accepted.

He said that the LRB is not biased in favor of the administration, as claimed by opponents. A majority of the board was originally appointed by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

Terranova went on to say that, according to AFSCME, Senate Bill 1229, which is similar to HB 580,  was an opportunity to resolve outstanding contract disputes in a fair and rational manner.

“Make no mistake about it, SB 1229 was AFSCME's attempt to rewrite the state's labor laws as they have existed for over 30 years to saddle the state's taxpayers with a multibillion dollar cost of AFSCME's unreasonable contract proposal,” Terranova said.