North Cook News

Contract negotiations between the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Gov. Bruce Rauner have been tumultuous at best, with little progress made toward a resolution.

Administrative Law Judge Sarah Kerley recently said  that while both parties have reached an impasse on some issues, they should go back to the bargaining table.

Mel Thillens | Contributed photo

The decision has frustrated many opponents who have questioned the AFSCME's demands. Mel Thillens, the Republican candidate for the District 28 state Senate seat, is one such vocal voice who is perplexed by the union's demands.

“AFSCME’s contract requests are unreasonable with the current financial situation facing Illinois,” Thillens said in a statement to North Cook News. “Their requests include pay raises of up to 29 percent over the next four years and overtime after 37.5 hours.”

Illinois state workers under AFSCME enjoy privileges rarely found anywhere else in the nation. They are currently the highest-paid state workers in the country, enjoy platinum-level health care benefits while paying bronze-level prices for them, receive overtime pay for training, receive pay for union work, and receive free lifetime health care after retirement. That benefit alone costs taxpayers $200,000 to $500,000 per employee.

AFSCME is now demanding higher pay, better pension benefits, shorter work hours and cheaper health care. Rauner estimated that their current demands would cost taxpayers an additional $3 billion in wage and benefit increases.

Thillens said the union’s demands are unfair to Illinois residents.

“It’s not right to keep asking taxpayers to pay higher taxes to finance state government employees that are already the highest paid in the nation when adjusted for cost of living,” Thillens said.

The AFSCME has many supporters, however, and one such proponent for the union is Thillens' opponent, Democratic state Sen. Laura Murphy. Thillens pointed out that AFSCME is a major financier for Murphy’s campaign and said Murphy acted on behalf of the union when she voted to remove Rauner from the negotiation table.

“My opponent voted to take Gov. Rauner out of the contract negotiations with AFSCME and put them in the hands of an unelected panel of arbitrators (HB 580),” Thillens said. “The panel would all but guarantee AFSCME’s requests were granted…Our local communities voted overwhelmingly for Gov. Rauner in 2014. It is disturbing that Sen. Murphy would vote to take him out of the job we elected him to do. We deserve better.”

The notion that Illinois deserves better is what drives Thillens in his campaign. Thillens has been tirelessly talking and listening to District 28 residents about their struggles.

“I’m out talking to people in the community every day,” Thillens said. “People are rightfully frustrated with the current trajectory of our state. I’m talking to retirees who are planning to leave Illinois because of the skyrocketing property taxes. I’m talking to young people who are leaving Illinois for college due to the costs of higher education in Illinois. I’m talking to working people who are preparing to leave because there are better opportunities in surrounding states.”

Regardless of the turbulent present and past, Thillens still said he believes in a better future for the state, but it has to start with sending the right people to the capital and passing the right reforms.

“The path to a prosperous Illinois starts with sending good people down to Springfield,” Thillens said. “We can’t keep electing the same feckless, self-interested politicians and expect things to get better. As a state senator, I’ll fight for property-tax relief, business reforms, term limits and fair maps. These reforms are necessary steps toward getting Illinois back on track.”

Thillens' message seems to be resonating in some corners, as he was recently endorsed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is the largest business association in the state and serves businesses both big and small, as well as various industry sectors. Like Thillens, it seeks reforms such as reducing taxes and instituting workers' compensation reforms to make Illinois a more business-friendly state. 

The NFIB is America’s leading small-business association, promoting and protecting the rights of entrepreneurs to own, operate and grow businesses. It currently has more than 325,000 members.

Thillens is honored to get the group's support.

“I’d like to thank the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business for their endorsements of my candidacy for state Senate," Thillens said in a statement issued to North Cook News. "Springfield needs more legislators who understand the issues facing businesses in Illinois. It’s time we make Illinois an attractive place to start or expand a business.”