Dupage Policy Journal

The Rauner administration said late last week that it has struck new four-year collective bargaining agreements with several labor unions, including Local 1 Chicago, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, among several others.

Rauner had promised to work with organized labor, and his administration so far has negotiated collective-bargaining pacts with 17 groups representing over 5,000 state employees.

Highlights of the most recent agreements include expansion of the existing state group health insurance program to offer employees a variety of new options; a new performance incentive program to award employees bonuses for spearheading cost-cutting measures and meeting or exceeding performance standards; a new program, managed by a collaborative, which allows management and unions to work together to provide low-cost alternatives to outsourcing; a reduction in payouts for accumulated unused vacation days from 75 to 45 days (for employees hired after Jan. 1, 2016); continuation of a 40-hour workweek with overtime available after 40 hours; a program for the State of Illinois to address low minority utilization in state government; and increased training and certification programs for employees.