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March Newsletter – Fighting like hell for Illinois’ working families

Dear friends:

We have heard from many of you trying to comprehend the news at the federal level and its impact on everyday, Illinois working people. In Springfield, we are working diligently to pass pro-worker legislation and build power by demonstrating that labor will not sit still while the federal government tries to rob us of our hard won gains.

Across the state, we are out in full force to win the April 1 consolidated election. Central Labor Council’s issued candidate endorsements that can be found here. We are fighting like hell to defend our postal workers, to protect our transportation workers, to ensure a fair retirement for all workers and to create more pathways to good, union jobs for the next generation. The labor movement is standing its ground and will not back down.

Despite our impact locally, Illinoisans are still directly impacted by the reality of decisions coming from the Trump administration, and its devastating toll on our families and communities.

Earlier this month, President Trump’s first economic report card came in: in February, the economy added just 151,000 new jobs. Bosses announced plans for another 172,017 layoffs, a 245% increase over January. More than 450,000 workers are settling for part-time work instead of the full-time jobs they need—reflecting a harsher job market than we’ve had in years.

Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were directly responsible for the thousands of jobs lost in February because this unelected billionaire fired experienced, skilled and dedicated federal workers across the country without cause. DOGE also cuts critical jobs support by government contracts and grants — like veteran-owned small businesses contracted to modernize VA services, grants to nonprofits that enforce anti-housing discrimination law, and cuts to university research centers working on treatments for cancer and Alzheimer’s.

We are also seeing Trump escalate his attempt to eliminate the federal government’s role in education — a move that most Americans do not want because it would diminish opportunities for students and the future of our workforce. If Trump’s proposal is to take effect, Illinois would see massive job cuts, worsened teacher shortages and resources would be stripped from students who need them most.

Our education professionals are overworked and underpaid due to years of chronic underfunding — the proposed cuts would be devastating for teachers, counselors, social workers and everyone who works so hard to provide for our children.

We will not back down from the attacks on working people by the Trump administration. Our team is on-the-ground from Springfield to Chicago to Southern Illinois to ensure that Illinois remains the pro-labor bastion of the Midwest. The road ahead may be long and windy, but we have the strength of the Illinois labor movement behind us.

In solidarity,

Tim Drea, President and Pat Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer

Read the rest of the updates in our March newsletter here

February Newsletter – The future of the labor movement is in our hands

Dear friends:

Working people are under attack nationwide, and Illinois is not immune from the Trump administration’s harmful actions.

In the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed an all-out assault on government workers and critical resources that we rely on. The labor movement is standing up to unelected, unchecked CEOs like Elon Musk who are trying to chop up our government and sell it for parts.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump are cutting workers and programs without any thought to their impact on the lives of Americans. By ignoring input from workers, they are creating chaos rather than efficiency. They’ve fired Illinois Environmental Protection Agency workers who ensure we have clean water to drink, Federal Aviation Administration engineers and maintenance staff who keep us safe while flying, and Veterans Affairs nurses, doctors and staff that help our brave soldiers get the care they need, including AFGE members who staff the Veterans Crisis Line, a suicide prevention hotline.

Musk and Trump tried to roll back all federal grant funding to states, putting many of our state and municipal workers represented by AFSCME and other unions at risk. As Governor Pritzker mentioned in his budget address, the Trump administration cut off funding for Illinois’ food safety inspectors – represented by IFT – for nearly a month, impacting more than 70 meat and poultry facilities. While some of these funds have been reinstated, the uncertainty of future funding harms our communities.

Because of Musk and Trump, our world-class, public education institutions like the University of Illinois are under siege, as well as early childhood and K-12 education. They are pushing to dismantle the  U.S. Department of Education,  which would eliminate funding for programs like individual aides and after-school programs for disabled students, reading and math instructional support staff for low-income and rural students, and even career and technical programs.

DEI policies promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people and equal pay for equal work. The policies reflect the core ethos of the labor movement, but are being vilified to justify cuts to the essential work of government. Disguised as an attack on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, Musk and Trump have led a slash-and-burn effort to unilaterally reduce funding for programs already authorized by U.S. Congress, such as the arts, public health, disaster relief, assistance for seniors, or services for children with disabilities.

In Illinois, many of our renowned institutions like the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago Symphony Orchestra are now facing funding losses and potential job cuts because of these policies. In these workplaces, there are often collective bargaining agreements in place that encourage a welcoming space for all workers and audience members. Yet due to changes in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) guidelines under the Trump administration, significant funding losses and potential job cuts are on the chopping block.

Our best bet for fighting back and beating the Trump agenda is a strong labor movement. Organized labor is on the frontlines, from suing the administration to  blocking Elon Musk from accessing your personal, private data and challenging the illegal firings of National Labor Relations Board members and much more.

If you have been impacted by the recent executive orders from the White House, share your story here. The AFL-CIO wants to hear from you, and how these policies impact your jobs, families and communities.

We also encourage you to sign up for the Department of People Who Work for a Living (DPWL) updates to stay aware of cuts coming from the White House and what you can do to take action.

The labor movement has weathered challenging times before, and together, we can come together in solidarity to support each other and ensure we stand strong.

Illinois has long been a beacon for freedom of expression and worker organizing — it is what our labor movement was built on. From the Haymarket Affair in 1886 spurred by the fight for the eight-hour day, to the Pullman railroad strike in 1894 over corporate greed and poverty, to the Memorial Day Massacre during the “Little Steel” strikes in 1937, our rich labor history has been built on the exchange of ideas, dedication and diversity of workers.

Unions are rallying to show that we are not scared and mobilizing to stand up for ALL workers. It’s going to take all of us fighting at every level, in every arena, to protect our rights, our contracts and our government.

In solidarity,

Tim Drea, President and Pat Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer

Read the rest of the updates from our February newsletter here

January Newsletter – New Year, New General Assembly

Dear friends:

February is underway and we are hard at work in Springfield.

The new legislature was sworn in last month, and this past week, returned for the first full week of the 104th General Assembly.

On Thursday, we awoke to heartbreaking news when we learned about the Washington D.C. plane crash and lives lost. Our hearts are with our transportation unions, the United Association and entire labor movement who has been impacted by the Flight 5342 and helicopter tragedy at DCA.

We have also faced challenging news for labor and the human rights of our members, coming out of the anti-labor, Trump administration in the White House.

President Trump’s recent firing of NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the board, is illegal and will have immediate consequences for working people. By leaving only two board members in their posts, the President effectively shut down the National Labor Relations Board’s operations, leaving the workers it defends on their own in the face of union-busting and retaliation by employers.

Alongside his firing of NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, Trump has made it easier for bosses to violate the law and trample on workers’ legal rights on the job and fundamental freedom to organize.

While our challenges grow at the federal level, the Illinois labor movement is united and will always put workers’ rights first. Illinoisans know that a strong union workforce makes for a stronger, more successful Illinois and nation.

The Illinois AFL-CIO is hard at work in Springfield, tackling issues like protecting members hard earned pensions and ensuring that Illinois’ public transit systems are fully funded in the face of a $750 million budget deficit.

If left unaddressed, Illinois’ transit systems could face dramatic cuts, including major lay-offs, route or line eliminations, service cuts, station closures, and cancellation of planned expansions and necessary repairs. These drastic measures would further damage the region’s transit systems, and cause massive disruptions to the Illinois economy and workforce.

The Illinois legislature must pass a sustainable funding solution by the end of its Spring session this May to avoid these catastrophic consequences.

The Illinois AFL-CIO and Chicago Federation of Labor are leading the Labor Alliance for Public Transit (LAPT) to ensure lawmakers in Springfield pass legislation that will address the needs of the millions of people who rely on public transit everyday, from the train operators to the workers getting to and from work.

Working people deserve to have a secure future, whether it is protecting their pension, or ensuring that they can get to and from work on public transit. We are with you every day in Springfield to deliver on these promises.

Lastly, while the human rights abuses and news coming out of the Trump-Vance administration are alarming, we are also seeing our union siblings come together to stand up for ALL workers.

On February 7, our friends at the Chicago Federation of Labor will lead a training on how you and your union can be ready to defend the rights of all workers if ICE appears in your workplace. Register here for this important webinar.

As one labor movement united, we continue to stand strong and work together to advance the rights of all working people. We look forward to seeing you in Springfield and hearing from you soon.
In solidarity,

Tim Drea & Pat Devaney
President, IL AFL-CIO and Secretary-Treasurer, IL AFL-CIO

See more of our newsletter here.