Chicago City Wire

AM 560 The Answer radio station recently called out Gov. J.B. Pritzker for lavishing raises on public sector employees through their union American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31.

“The The Wall Street Journal calls out Gov. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats for putting the interests of public sector unions ahead of the interests of Illinois citizens,” AM 560 The Answer said on Facebook.

In the piece, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board calls Pritzker a “union boss” for handing out nearly 20% in raises over the next four years to the state’s over 35,000 state workers represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

“Unions are running the table in Illinois because Mr. Pritzker and state Democrats essentially work for the unions that provide the cash for re-election campaigns. Big raises for union workers mean more union dues payments, which means more campaign donations for the politicians who provide the raises. This is why allowing collective bargaining for government workers is so destructive to a state’s fiscal and economic health,” the Wall Street Journal writes.

The newspaper also warned Illinoisans and the federal government that the state’s public pension program is untenable and that in the future the state will need to ask for a federal bailout.

Pritzker and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31 announced the ratification of a new AFSCME contract, featuring significant pay raises over four years, with an average yearly increase of 4.51% per year. The contract also includes stipends of $1,200 for employees who ratified the agreement and minimal increases in their share of health insurance premiums, according to the Illinois Policy.

“This is AFSCME’s largest contract to date and while Pritzker said the contract was taken into account in the current state budget, taxpayers are going to be on the hook for big increases in costs in coming years,” Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research at the Illinois Policy Institute, said. “The state already underfunded its pension payment by contributing $4 billion less than the actuarially-required amount, which will bring the budget out of balance.”

However, the contract has raised concerns as the total raises are 61% higher than the previous AFSCME contract, and taxpayers are estimated to bear costs of $625 million over four years for wage increases and stipends.

Additionally, AFSCME has experienced a decline in membership and fee payers, raising questions about the union's spending and accountability.

“Despite hefty raises in the contract, workers represented by AFSCME aren’t happy with the union and are leaving,” Mailee Smith, senior director of labor policy and staff attorney at the Illinois Policy Institute, said. “Poor spending and lack of accountability could be one reason. But AFSCME workers are also taxpayers and they are likely experiencing first-hand how costly government contracts are leading to tax hikes in Illinois.”

Pritzker touts the agreement will uplift the state's workforce's morale which will result in a more productive and effective government.   

“Illinois is a pro-worker state through and through,” Pritzker said on Twitter of the deal. “Under my administration, we're ensuring every Illinoisan has access to good-paying opportunities including @AFSCME31. Thankful for our employees who make state government more efficient every day.”