Illinois’ largest public employees union has made an about-face in its attitude toward
Governor Pat Quinn. Over the weekend, AFSCME leaders endorsed him during a
meeting in Peoria. It’s a classic case of going with “the devil you know.”
AFSCME has spent the better part of the past several years upset at Gov. Quinn.
After all, it’s Quinn who made it his mission to sign a law that would strip many of the
union’s 100,000 active and retired members of some of their retirement benefits … a
law that’s now being contested in court.
But it’s not just pensions.
Quinn has fought with AFSCME over state employee’s salaries; the governor’s
attempt to deny workers back-pay they’d been promised in a contract also landed the
two sides in court. Things got bad enough that in 2012, AFCME members basically
hijacked governor’s day at the fair in protest of Quinn.
Even so, AFSCME leaders voted to back Quinn in his racer against Republican’s
nominee, Bruce Rauner, in this year’s governor’s race.
The endorsement can be viewed less about support of Quinn, and more about fear,
rejection, and even loathing of Rauner.
A statement issued by AFSCME, quoting its director, Roberta Lynch, is telling. There’s
no praise for Quinn, but heaps of criticism of Rauner. Lynch is quoted as saying, “We
won’t let our great state become the latest victim in this venture capitalist’s long line of
hostile takeovers.”
“Although we have had serious differences with Governor Quinn in recent years …he
acknowledges the right of workers to collective bargaining, advocates for the revenue
needed to provide public services, and has pushed to raise wages for the lowest paid
workers.The stark contrast between these two candidates—with Rauner so clearly
opposed to the interests of working families—impels our union to support Governor
Quinn’s re-election,” Lynch says.
Rauner has consistently pointed to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Indiana’s former
Gov. Mitch Daniels as political role models; both leaders oversaw making their states
“right to work” — a policy that diminishes unions’ strength. During the primary, Rauner
consistently blamed “government unions bosses” for Illinois’ financial troubles —
pointing to just these sort of scenarios: If Quinn does win, it would be thanks in part to
AFSCME and its large campaign apparatus; the next governor will have to negotiate
a new contract with the union.
After allegations that Quinn treated AFSCME favorably in a contact leading up to his
2010 race for governor against Republican state Sen. Bill Brady, of Bloomington,
Illinois passed a law that limits a contract to six months past a governor’s term,
therefore no longer holding a new governor to the bargaining agreement negotiated
by his predecessor.
A video circulated by a teachers’ union shows Rauner saying during a broader
speech that he would be willing to “shut down” government in order to get it on track.
Other labor organizations have already endorsed Gov. Quinn, including the AFL-
CIO’s state federation, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and Illinois’
three major teachers’ unions — the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the Illinois
Federation of Teachers (IFT) and, most recently, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).
AFSCME also announced endorsements of:
-Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (over state Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove)
-state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, for treasurer (over former House Minority
Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego)
-Judy Baar Topinka, the Republican nominee for comptroller (over Lt. Gov Sheila
Simon)
-Democratic Sec. of State Jesse White (over Repulican Mike Webster)
Tony Paulauski Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL)
Tony@www.thearcofil.org
