 The "We are One Coalition," which represents the state's major public
employee unions, alerted members this week about "emergency call-in
days" next week and on Dec. 2-3.
Members were being asked to call lawmakers and urge them to vote
against pension bills that don't have union support.
The coalition also said that members plan to visit the offices of
"persuadable" lawmakers across the state for "a vigorous grassroots
lobbying effort" with as many union members and retirees in
attendance as possible.
Legislative leaders spoke via conference call Thursday to firm up a
plan that could save close to $150 billion over 30 years. They said
they had made progress and plan to meet at least once more before a
possible special legislative session that would likely start Dec. 3.
"Points of agreement have progressed to the stage that we are
consulting our caucus," said Rikeesha Phelon, the spokeswoman for
Democratic Senate President John Cullerton.
The legislative leaders' work builds off a framework developed by a
bipartisan pension committee that would have saved $138 billion over
30 years.
Among other things, that plan would have replaced the current 3
percent annual compounded cost-of-living increase that retirees
receive with one that is equal to half the inflation rate, with a
minimum increase of 1 percent and maximum of 4 percent. The U.S.
inflation rate stood at 1 percent last month, according to the
Federal Reserve.
The plan also would have reduced employee contributions by 1 percent
— a concession to state employees for other sacrifices that
proponents say would allow it to better withstand a certain
constitutional challenge.
Cost-cutting elements that will affect the overall savings number
are being negotiated, including the structuring of the
cost-of-living increase, Phelon said.
Patti Schuh, the spokeswoman for House Republican Leader Christine
Radogno, described Thursday's meeting as "continued productive
discussions," but cautioned that "these are difficult and
complicated issues we don't just gloss over."
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The unions adamantly oppose the unfinished deal. They say they
weren't consulted about the plan and that they think elements of it
are unconstitutional. Illinois pension problem, deemed the nation's
worst, comes from years of lawmakers shorting or skipping required
payments to its pension systems.
"With the leaders behind this scheme, it will take everything we've
got to stop it," the coalition tells union members in its email,
which was provided to The Associated Press. "It's also likely that
leaders will unveil their scheme quickly and try to jam it through
the House and Senate without enough time for open hearings or public
review."
A top aide to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan told Illinois
lawmakers last week to be ready for a special session in Springfield
beginning Dec. 3. Chief of Staff Tim Mapes also asked them to "keep
other days that week available." Alerts to other caucuses followed.
But Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Thursday that a special
session wasn't definite. "We just want to make people aware so they
could ask to return and plan accordingly," he said.
Charlie McBarron of the Illinois Education Association told the AP
that lawmakers "will be hearing from us very strongly between now
and when they convene and well after that. Our members are highly
focused on this."
[Associated
Press; KERRY LESTER]
Follow Kerry Lester on
Twitter at
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