A Message from Henry Bayer, AFSCME

Henry Bayer, executive director of AFSCME Council 31, addresses union members who work for the state of Illinois in response to Gov. Pat Quinn's announcement that he will not pay scheduled increases in violation of the AFSCME contract.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• AFSCME
• union
• Pat Quinn
• collective bargaining
• labor
• organized labor
• Illinois
• public employees
• governor

[ajd1211]

@ars62287 The only thing you know is what you see/read on the news. You can't see past your own nose. Facts don't mean anything to you once you've formed your opinion. Goodbye and God bless.

[ajd1211]

@ars62287 I've tried to be patient, I've tried to be nice, but you keep hurling insults at me, so this is the last time I will speak to you on this forum. You don't know a thing of what you're talking about. I don't care who you know in corrections. Our contract was negotiated with the Blagojevich administration in 2007-08. Quinn wasn't even governor until 2009. He did receive our endorsement, but he received it in July 2010, while the negotiations about layoffs were still going on.

[ars62287]

@ajd1211 and those raises were negotiated in the most disgusting closed door meetings with Quinn in IL history, followed by the union agreeing to support his campaign, you get in bed with a crook, you go down with him....

[ars62287]

@ajd1211 No. I did know the whole story about your contract. I'm from Lincoln, know plenty of guys in corrections. they start off at about 22.50/hr plus all the benefits. they almost all say they would do it for less and think greedy fucks like you give them a bad name. How can you expect raises at such a time when everyone else is taking cuts? you and your union friends should all be ashamed of yourselves. make more than average and demand more, shame on you, your greed is disgusting!

[ajd1211]

@ars62287 it. We gave concessions last year that saved the state at least $380 million. Gov. Quinn increased taxes from 3% to 5%, then what did he do? He increased spending by 10% (state employees not included because our spending didn't go up). That's why we're in so much debt. So don't blame state employees for wanting our raises. We were promised them, and we negotiated in good faith for them, plus we gave concessions for them. If you really want to cut spending, get rid of the CMS!

[ajd1211]

@ars62287 You and the rest of the public don't know the full story. These raises were negotiated into our contract in 2008, before this recession began. If you signed a mortgage that had an interest rate that increased by a certain percentage each year, and you told the bank one day "I can't afford the increased interest rate, so I'm not paying", they'd tell you to get out of their house. It's the same thing here. The state agreed to it, and they can't just break a contract if they can't afford

[ars62287]

@ajd1211 I'm not taking anything out on you, I think it's greedy you demand raises in a recession when you already make more than average. I'm happy with my salary/benefits, after all, I negotiated them, and if I was ever not satisfied, I'd find another job. Most of us have too much pride to be in a union, even if it means we make less, which I do, but I'm not greedy and get by. I guess my main point is don't expect the people to rally behind you in your quest for more and more.

[ajd1211]

who work for the state and fight for a decent living. Your anger is misplaced, and your reasons for being angry are flawed.

[ajd1211]

@ars62287 I told you. They're around convicted felons who can use their cosmetology tools as weapons at a moment' notice. I see from your insults that your intelligence level isn't that high. You could choose a better job for yourself. You could've chosen a job that would pay a better wage but you didn't. You could've chosen a career with a pension, but you didn't. And now you're mad at those of us who did. Rather than getting mad at millionaires who don't pay taxes, you're mad at those of us

[ars62287]

@ajd1211 Cat got that from your buddy Quinn when they threatened to leave due to the tax hike to pay for your raises. Funny thing is Quinn now is screwing you over, that's what happens when you get in bed with a Chicago union crook!