June Newsletter – Summer heats up as the Illinois General Assembly adjourns
Dear friends:
The General Assembly adjourned in the early hours of June 1 without passing a number of labor’s priorities, most prominently fixing Tier 2 pensions or addressing the transit fiscal cliff. Despite tireless advocacy from the We are One Illinois Coalition and the Labor Alliance for Public Transit, the General Assembly failed to act on both of labor’s negotiated proposals.
Our efforts on both issues sought not only to better the lives and security of union members, but also to improve services across our state that every person relies on. The failure of the General Assembly to find solutions to our state’s biggest problems fails not only union members, but everyone across Illinois who relies on our roads, trains, schools, fire departments, and other essential services.
While threats by the Trump administration to cut federal funds for our state are concerning, it is no excuse for inaction. If anything, attacks on our state from Washington, D.C. make it more urgent for our leaders here in Illinois to showcase the benefits to our communities that come from government putting the lives of working families above the demands of corporations.
While we are disappointed by the failure of the General Assembly to act on these urgent issues, we recognize the fight continues. The dates for the fall Veto Session have not been released, and there is discussion of a possible special session this summer depending on the impact of the federal budget.
As we continue to advocate on these issues, we want to recognize the hard work of all of the labor unions involved in both the Labor Alliance for Public Transit and We Are One Illinois coalitions.
Additionally, these efforts showcased the solidarity of the labor movement. The Labor Alliance for Public Transit was supported by union members from Actors Equity, SAG-AFTRA, UNITE HERE, Workers United, Painters District Council 14, Chicago Federation of Musicians, SEIU HCII, among many other unions, and we thank them for their advocacy as well.
Together, we must continue to fight to ensure that the General Assembly puts workers and communities over corporations.
In solidarity,
Tim Drea and Pat Devaney
