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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

I’m wearing black to Springfield as union leadership waves white flag. « Fred Klonsky

I’m wearing black to Springfield as union leadership waves white flag. « Fred Klonsky:


I’m wearing black to Springfield as union leadership waves white flag.

“See you in Springfield on Friday. Wearing black?,” asked a retired friend.
Yes. Black in mourning at the unions representing state employees and retirees who are waving the white flag of surrender.

With lawmakers about to return to Springfield for a one-day session on government employee pension reform, a coalition of unions on Monday for the first time publicly said workers would consider paying more toward their retirement.

But the unions’ plan also would require the state to guarantee it will make its full 




Dear Governor Quinn. Illinois is broke. Morally and Ethically.

Dear Governor Quinn:
Recently you announced a special session of the Illinois General Assembly on August 17th. In calling for this special session, you urged lawmakers to push forward with “pension reform.” Governor Quinn, you keep using that word “reform.” I do not think it means what you think it means. You see, “reform” is defined as making changes in something to make it better. Asking a grandmother who dedicated 30+ years to Illinois’ children to accept less in her pension check next year in order to keep her health insurance does not make it better. Shifting the tax burden caused