Rauner to AFSCME: Pay up $2M per day

Posted on December 23, 2016
AFSCME Rally
AFSCME’s dispute over a new contract may end up in the Supreme Court. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office is looking for the state’s largest employee union to start paying $2 million a day to the administration because they haven’t accepted Rauner’s contract terms.

AFSCME and the governor are tied up in an unfair labor practice complaint. The state’s labor relations board ruled the two parties at an impasse and the administration could impose its last and best final offer. AFSCME then went to court and won an effort to block the contract from being imposed. The state says the cost to the state for not implementing the contract is $2 million a day.

The union says the filing is a disgraceful attempt to intimidate members from their legal rights. The administration’s statement notes the contract is similar to 18 others negotiated and agreed to by other state employee unions.

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