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AFSCME: Rauner Administration Broke Off Contract Talks

Brian Mackey

Some 36,000 state employees in Illinois are represented by AFSCME, which is the state's largest public employee union. The organization has been negotiating a new contract with the state, but the union said Friday that Governor Bruce Rauner has walked away from contract talks.

It was clear early on that Rauner, a Republican, was no fan of the union, once dubbing it "AFSCammy."

The union returned the disdain, doing all it could to prevent Rauner from getting elected.

So it's not surprising Rauner and AFSCME were unable to reach a deal on a new contract before the last one expired in July.

Now it's reached a breaking point.

AFSCME said Rauner has done something that's never happened in Illinois by attempting to declare an impasse.

In a news release, AFSCME director Roberta Lynch said while there are serious disagreements, there is no impasse. She said if Rauner won't return to the table, AFSCME will take him to court.

Rauner's spokesperson said the governor is evaluating options and said there has been no meaningful progress after a year of talks.  

The governor is trying to freeze wages, increase health insurance premiums, and make it easier to privatize state services.