And in Illinois, rocketing toward the implosion...

[Scout26]

First, we have an attempt to solve the state's pension problems... 

http://news.yahoo.com/illinois-governor-backs-democratic-state-pension-cost-plan-193636097--business.html

Second, we have the state attempting to save the Chicago Public Schools...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-republican-cps-bankruptcy-met-20160120-story.html


In both instances the unions don't care or can't see that by giving a little they can save themselves and their members.  Instead, they are going to drive the state, and the City of Chicago over the brink and their pensioners will be lucky to get pennies on the dollar.   I hope they get it good and hard...

[AJ Dual]

[Kingcreek]

Illinois (and more specifically city of Chicago and county of Cook) hasn't had another credit rating downgrade for what? a couple weeks now?
I figured that was a sign things were turning around.

[Monkeyleg]

In both instances the unions don't care or can't see that by giving a little they can save themselves and their members.  Instead, they are going to drive the state, and the City of Chicago over the brink and their pensioners will be lucky to get pennies on the dollar.   I hope they get it good and hard...

That's an all-too-familiar pattern with unions: hold out for everything even though the employer just can't afford it, and assume that it's the more junior workers who will lose their jobs. When it's backfired, it's been really ugly.

[Scout26]

Illinois (and more specifically city of Chicago and county of Cook) hasn't had another credit rating downgrade for what? a couple weeks now?
I figured that was a sign things were turning around.

There was a downgrade earlier this week, it was either the city or CPS.   There was something I saw about a new bond sale.  Nothing like borrowing money to pay off currents debts. 

Paying a dollar to borrow a penny is about where they are at...

[markdido]

That's an all-too-familiar pattern with unions: hold out for everything even though the employer just can't afford it, and assume that it's the more junior workers who will lose their jobs. When it's backfired, it's been really ugly.

Eastern Airlines can testify to that fact.

[Scout26]

Layoff at CPS begin today.  Mostly Central Office Staff.  Teachers will probably start later.  And the President of Teachers Union has backed off the "We're gonna strike" rhetoric.  I guess they might be seeing the writing on the wall., but I think it's too late.  She's not backing off on the "We want ridiculous pay increases."  So the death spiral will continue...

https://news.yahoo.com/chicago-school-district-announces-layoffs-central-office-223519005.html

[AJ Dual]

That's an all-too-familiar pattern with unions: hold out for everything even though the employer just can't afford it, and assume that it's the more junior workers who will lose their jobs. When it's backfired, it's been really ugly.

Which is always kind of funny, because in essence, what the upper union stewards and officials are doing to their members is what the union overall is doing to the employer...

[lee n. field]

They will whine.  Let them.

[Mannlicher]

politics will rear it's head, and the can will be kicked down the road for another few years.

[Scout26]

politics will rear it's head, and the can will be kicked down the road for another few years.

Doubtful.  Gov. Rauner is standing his ground, as he knows his plan is the only way forward that even has a remote chance of saving the state.  Madigan gave speech here recently that he thinks we're not taxed enough.  Both liberal dailies here (Sun-Times and Tribune) stated that Madigan is woefully out of touch with the state's problems and that no one is going to support a tax increase after they got that last temporary increase and failed to fix the budget problems.  They got much, much worse actually.     

[Perd Hapley]

So if Illinois can manage to keep its current governor out of slam, there may be hope?   

[Hawkmoon]

Layoff at CPS begin today.  Mostly Central Office Staff.  Teachers will probably start later.  And the President of Teachers Union has backed off the "We're gonna strike" rhetoric.  I guess they might be seeing the writing on the wall., but I think it's too late.  She's not backing off on the "We want ridiculous pay increases."  So the death spiral will continue...

https://news.yahoo.com/chicago-school-district-announces-layoffs-central-office-223519005.html

Teachers are always happy to see support staff axed to leave more money for teachers' salaries.

[Kingcreek]

My daughter taught in a Chicago public school for 5 years before moving to WA. She said it was a totally dysfunctional system mired in Union politics.
Let it fail and let the failure be very public.

Eta she should have received combat pay bonus

[Grebnaws]

I am an SEIU member in Illinois. My union bosses and coworkers have been blaming Rauner for our problems since before he took office. They curse his name daily. It doesn't matter if you look at a history of bad management. It's always those evil Republicans. If we just let them do whatever they wanted we wouldn't be in this mess! Even when the Republicans aren't in power they're preventing the Democrats from doing all that they can! The Democrats and the union can literally do no harm in their mind. It's a black and white, good vs. evil relationship to them.

The union is a farce. They get their dues and send my money up the chain to politicians and lobbyists, fill buses with protesters on their way to the capitol, and then use the rest of it to elect their cronies to local office. They seem to be wielding power everywhere but things only seem to get worse from where I'm sitting.

[Andiron]

I am an SEIU member in Illinois. My union bosses and coworkers have been blaming Rauner for our problems since before he took office. They curse his name daily. It doesn't matter if you look at a history of bad management. It's always those evil Republicans. If we just let them do whatever they wanted we wouldn't be in this mess! Even when the Republicans aren't in power they're preventing the Democrats from doing all that they can! The Democrats and the union can literally do no harm in their mind. It's a black and white, good vs. evil relationship to them.

Biggest town in our county is the same way.  Republicans haven't held any office that mattered since the late 50's,  but it's definitely their fault.

[AJ Dual]

I am an SEIU member in Illinois. My union bosses and coworkers have been blaming Rauner for our problems since before he took office. They curse his name daily. It doesn't matter if you look at a history of bad management. It's always those evil Republicans. If we just let them do whatever they wanted we wouldn't be in this mess! Even when the Republicans aren't in power they're preventing the Democrats from doing all that they can! The Democrats and the union can literally do no harm in their mind. It's a black and white, good vs. evil relationship to them.

The union is a farce. They get their dues and send my money up the chain to politicians and lobbyists, fill buses with protesters on their way to the capitol, and then use the rest of it to elect their cronies to local office. They seem to be wielding power everywhere but things only seem to get worse from where I'm sitting.

What happened in WI has got to make them stain their pants... 

Busting the .gov unions, and then right-to-work...

[Grebnaws]

Oh, we sent more than a few protesters up to Wisconsin for the circus. At my expense.

If they kept it local and worked for bottom up solutions instead of top down delegation they may just hold my attention for a few moments.

[Strings]

Discussion about teachers' union politics?

Paging Bedlamite: Bedlamite to the red courtesy phone

[K Frame]

I'm confused...

are we talking about Chicago schools, or Greece?

[HankB]

. . . The union is a farce. They get their dues and send my money up the chain to politicians and lobbyists, fill buses with protesters on their way to the capitol, and then use the rest of it to elect their cronies to local office. They seem to be wielding power everywhere but things only seem to get worse from where I'm sitting.

The union is a problem, but it's not the ONLY problem - Chicago's public school administration has been fiscally incompetent corrupt for decades. When I still lived there, I got to see a few things myself.

Example 1: When I was in high school, the graduating senior class wanted to convert an open but inaccessible atrium area to a "senior lounge."  They determined that simply replacing a few windows with doors (opening up the non-load-bearing part of the wall below the window sill) and installing stairs would do it, and they sought bids from local licensed contractors. Total cost was UNDER $2000. They then presented their proposal to the school board.

School board studied it and told the kids they didn't know what they were talking about - it would cost a minimum of $43,750, which at that time would pay for a respectable house. They then told the kids not to talk to anyone else about this.

Needless to say, having already been taught about little things like the 1st Amendment (don't know if they still teach it) the seniors went directly to the media. Big brouhaha ensued - and the school got the senior lounge, paid for by the senior class. (No word on where the extra > $40k was slated to go. Duh.) 

Example 2: When the school got a new gym and lunchroom just a few years later, the cost to move the steam tables from the old to the new was over $200,000. Note, this was NOT the cost to build the infrastructure (wiring, plumbing, etc.) - this was the cost to MOVE the tables from one room to another. Maybe some hookup costs were involved, but still . . .

Multiply this kind of crap dozens or hundreds (thousands?) of times across the entire Chicago Public Schools system, and, well, there's your problem.   

[Scout26]

Gov Rauner gives his State of the State address tonight.

"We're F'd."


The state has over $6 BILLION in unpaid bills.  And accumulates another $450 million each month.   At some point one of the creditors is going to say "Enough" and sue the state.  And hopefully the entire rotting edifice comes crashing down.   The D's and their Union partners look to what has happened in Wisconsin and it scares the hell out of them.  The R's look to Wisconsin as an example of how to pull out of the death spiral.   Unfortunately, I don't think we'll pull out in time to avoid the impact.   Even the Librune thinks it's about over:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-cps-rauner-madigan-cullerton-emanuel-edit-0124-20160122-story.html

[K Frame]

"I am an SEIU member in Illinois."

Can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am to hear that.

I have a deep and abiding hatred for SEIU.

[AJ Dual]

Gov Rauner gives his State of the State address tonight.

"We're F'd."


The state has over $6 BILLION in unpaid bills.  And accumulates another $450 million each month.   At some point one of the creditors is going to say "Enough" and sue the state.  And hopefully the entire rotting edifice comes crashing down.   The D's and their Union partners look to what has happened in Wisconsin and it scares the hell out of them.  The R's look to Wisconsin as an example of how to pull out of the death spiral.   Unfortunately, I don't think we'll pull out in time to avoid the impact.   Even the Librune thinks it's about over:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-cps-rauner-madigan-cullerton-emanuel-edit-0124-20160122-story.html

My dream scenario is that instead of collapsing now, while Obama is still in office, IL band-aids things along for another year, and then it all falls apart, the state goes bankrupt, and Prez. Cruz tells them to FOAD.

[lee n. field]

and then it all falls apart, the state goes bankrupt, and Prez. Cruz tells them to FOAD.

Made me think of...