AFL-CIO Leader Blasts Blagojevich
The longer the labor dispute for state contractors at the Illinois Department of Corrections drags on, the worse things get for Governor Blagojevich. Now, even AFL-CIO President John Sweeney is calling out Blagojevich:
The governor "should get involved, get busy and bring a resolution to the two-month strike," Sweeney said."Gateway Foundation has taken an extremely unreasonable position, refusing initially even to negotiate, then refusing to bargain fairly for eight long months," he said. "The state is responsible for the conduct of the vendors it hires."
The dispute centers around substance abuse treatment providers employed by Gateway Foundation, Inc. at the Sheridan Correctional Center in LaSalle County. Sheridan has earned accolades for it's substance treatment program, but the recently unionized employees there are paid 45% less than employees doing comparable work at other state facilities, according to the Sun-Times.
According to Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch, if a state contractor is screwing its workers, that's not the state's problem:Blagojevich still views the situation as a dispute between the company and its employees, said Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for the governor's office.Which is kind of interesting, since one of the first major bills Blagojevich signed was to make sure that home health care workers working through state contractors across the state had a union contract. Of course, that union contract was with SEIU, which has given Governor Blagojevich over $1.7 million, making them Rod's top supporter, I believe."We're not interfering in this dispute as long as the company performs" its obligations, she said. "If the company doesn't live up to its obligations, that's the point when it's in the taxpayers' best interests to intervene."
Gateway's workers were organized by AFSCME, which was battling with SEIU for the right to organize the home health care workers. AFSCME has been a frequent critic of Blagojevich, over pensions, state hiring practices, and mismanagement of government. AFSCME gave Blagojevich over $350,000 leading up to the 2002 elections. But since he started giving them the shaft on their issues, he's gotten two token checks for $500.
Meanwhile, Gateway Foundation CEO Michael Darcy has given Governor Blagojevich $6,500. Gateway's lobbyist is administration insider Conlon Public Strategies.
5 comments:
"Meanwhile, Gateway Foundation CEO Michael Darcy has given Governor Blagojevich $6,500. Gateway's lobbyist is administration insider Conlon Public Strategies."
True enough, but the other angle here is that AFSCME and SEIU are at war, and the gov has clearly chosen sides. Maybe he wants to give a public excuse for why he's not going to get AFSCME's endorsement this time around; now he'll claim it's because AFSCME's being petty about the Gateway situation and not because he cut a deal with SEIU over those home health care workers that both union's coveted. He really doesn't want to talk about those home health care workers.
This will be nothing compared to the brouhaha that erupts next week at Democrat Day (Governor’s Day) as the split between Alex Giannoulias' campaign and the speaker widens.
Supposedly, the speaker has phoned all the constitutionals asking them not to attend the DemDay rally. Apparently, all have rebuked his efforts except for Lisa, which means on Dem Day next week we’ll have neither the chairman of the party nor his daughter.
This would make for an interesting thread.
If that's true, the Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party should be ashamed, and maybe a little concerned. Dirty tricks have a way of coming back around.
I don’t normally speak ill of fellow D’s, but this is a little too much.
If MM causes, or attempts to cause a rift in the unity, he can take B Hicks off of his and Lisa’s mailing list.
I’m only one voice and one vote, but I’m not afraid to work.
I won’t punch one card, make one phone call, donate one dollar, knock on one door, organize for one parade, or post one blog comment for her in any future election. Trust me, I’m not the only one that feels this way. It’s one thing to lose a vote, but it’s not good to lose workers.
I can’t believe it. He’s mad because Alexi might be a future threat to Lisa.
I don’t get what AFSCME wants the Governor to do. If he cancels the contract with Gateway, doesn’t that leave the AFSCME drug counselors out of work?
I’m not a big fan of AFSCME, but I’ve visited Sheridan (the prison that Rod re-opened after it was shut down by the Republicans) and the drug counselors work hard. From what I understand, they want to be paid on the same scale as Correctional Counselors. Correctional Counselors make about $60,000 when stepped out; I don’t see Gateway giving them that much. I’m not sure what Gateway counselors are paid, but I can assure you that prison work is tough. One way or another, they should receive a fair wage.
However, it sounds to me like AFSCME wants the Governor to extort higher wages for them. Give more money, or I’ll bust our deal. Hmmm, don’t know the answer.
I have a feeling that he’ll step in.
So let me get this straight, madigan still has his panties in a bunch because the kid he didn't back beat the guy he barely backed. Now he wants the constitutional officers to skip Democrat Day at the fair, some chairman of the party he is, how would this look good for the D's.
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