CHICAGO-- The Quinn administration has terminated the state’s contract with its largest public employee union – AFSCME. The termination comes after 11 months of bargaining between the state and the union.
Assistant Budget Director Abdon Pallasch (AB-dun PAL-lish) said Tuesday there will be no additional extensions of the contract which expired in June and covered 40,000 workers.
AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer says the state’s action is unprecedented and the termination will make it harder to reach an agreement with the state.
Pallasch says the state extended the contract three times but union negotiators still have not made proposals to deal with retiree health benefits and they’ve continue to demand a pay hike despite the state’s precarious financial health.
Despite the termination, both sides agree the action will not have an immediate impact because the contract terms remain in effect while bargaining continues.
