Clerical workers for one state agency say they want a fair contract

Posted on November 14, 2023
AFSCME Local 2811 president Shelley Hamlin, leading an informational picket in Springfield Monday evening, said her members want a living wage. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Clerical workers for the Illinois State Board of Education in Springfield and Chicago say they need a big raise to keep up. AFSCME Local 2811 president Shelley Hamlin, leading an informational picket in Springfield Monday evening, said her members want a living wage.

How does she define “living wage”?

“Anything that you make where you can have a little bit to set aside; enough money to get by,” Hamlin told reporters. “Just last month, after I paid my bills, I had to use my credit card to buy groceries.

“It’s a horrible cycle that a lot of us are going through.”

Hamlin said the current contract is three years old.

An ISBE spokeswoman said in an e-mailed statement, “ISBE continues to bargain in good faith with AFSCME as agency leadership seeks a contract that is fair and competitive, while also fiscally responsible.”

Hamlin said the most recent offer from ISBE was a raise of $400 per year.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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