Category: Corrections

“My two biggest hopes are that when they get out, the inmates don’t come back. And that all our officers go home safe at the end of the day.”

Diego Andrade-Cabrera, son of AFSCME Local 2854 member Doris Andrade and recipient of a 2019 AFSCME Family Scholarship, describes how his mother's union job changed their lives for the better.

A year after the Supreme Court ruling eliminating union fair-share fees, things haven’t turned out as Janus, Rauner or the IPI had planned. Instead, public employee unions have continued to grow all across the country.

A day after AFSCME Local 3433 member Troy Chisum was killed in the line of duty, Illinois doubles death benefits for law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty.

The new contract comes after months of negotiations between AFSCME and the Pritzker administration—and nearly four years of conflict with former governor Bruce Rauner, who walked out on contract talks in January 2016.

Early this morning, Governor JB Pritzker’s administration and AFSCME Council 31 reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. Terms will be released after union members have the opportunity to review and vote on the tentative agreement.

AFSCME members in the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice successfully used their union contract to enforce health and safety standards.

AFSCME members never gave up battling for justice since ousted governor Bruce Rauner illegally froze employee step increases in 2015. Finally, thousands of state employees are receiving paychecks reflecting their proper step placement.

Chuck Mattmiller, member of AFSCME Local 203 and correctional officer at Centralia Correctional Center, was awarded the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run’s Special Olympics Illinois Flame of Hope: “It gives me a joy and honor.”

The Pritzker administration has told state agencies to put employees on their rightful steps no later than April 1.