News
Sep 25, 2023
New! St. Charles Public Library workers win first contract

For the 54 AFSCME members at the St. Charles Public Library, their first contract ticks all the boxes—and then some.

Sep 25, 2023
New! Push is on to improve Tier 2 pensions

AFSCME members and Council 31 legislative and policy staff made their voices heard before the state House Personnel and Pensions Committee at a hearing on improvements to Tier 2 pensions.

Aug 15, 2023
Art Institute of Chicago, School of the Art Institute Chicago employees ratify union contract

More than 500 employees of the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) have ratified their first union contract.

Sep 25, 2023
New! Spread the Word: Public Service Matters!

AFSCME members like us know how important the work we do is. And we know how important it is to have adequate staffing levels to be able to fulfill our mission. So we need to spread the word: There are good union jobs available serving the public good!

Jul 28, 2023
Museum of Science and Industry workers join AFSCME

Workers at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry officially formed their union, Museum of Science and Industry Workers United, with AFSCME Council 31.

Jul 28, 2023
Local 1275 brings politics into play

Local 1275 recruited and campaigned for school board candidates who were more sympathetic to their problems. They all won—and the result was a contract extension that properly values the work they do.

Jul 28, 2023
AFSCME offers roadmap to reopen Chicago’s closed mental health clinics

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s commitment to reopen previously closed mental health clinics and begin building a new and better system of public mental health services can be kept in the mayor’s first term, according to a new report from Council 31.

Jul 07, 2023
We Did It! New state contract ratified

The new contract for AFSCME members in state government was ratified by a resounding 99% vote.

Jun 21, 2023
Waukegan Public Library workers win stronger rights in first contract

For the new AFSCME members at the Waukegan Public Library, the first chapter in the story of their union ends on a high note: They’ve won a first contract guaranteeing them a strong voice on the job and fair wages.

May 30, 2023
Peggy Notabaert Nature Museum workers win union election with AFSCME

In the sixth big win in the past year and a half for Chicago-area cultural workers organizing with AFSCME, employees of the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and its off-site collections facility won their union election.

May 30, 2023
Whiteside Co. health workers determined to win fair contract

The 90 employees of the public health department who formed their union with AFSCME in December 2021 have been at the bargaining table for more than a year.

May 30, 2023
SIUE workers find solidarity in contract fight

The administrative staff of AFSCME Local 2887 and the building service workers of Local 2232 are spreading solidarity across campus, standing arm in arm to support each other’s fights for better working conditions.

May 26, 2023
AFSCME park district workers across Illinois welcome summer

The frost of winter has given way to a sea of green—the grass is growing, the trees have sprouted new leaves. In park districts across the state, AFSCME members are there to help shepherd the summer season in.

Apr 05, 2023
New! 2023 Election Results for AFSCME-Recommended Candidates

In communities across Illinois, candidates endorsed by AFSCME PEOPLE won their elections on April 4.

Mar 16, 2023
Chicago City Council passes labor peace ordinance

The Chicago City Council passed the AFSCME-sponsored Human Service Workforce Advancement (HSWA) ordinance by a veto-proof majority of 42-2 on March 15.

Mar 10, 2023
Field Museum employees win union with AFSCME

Nearly 300 employees of the Field Museum have won their union with AFSCME Council 31.

Feb 10, 2023
DSP wage increase campaign set to kick into high gear

AFSCME members who care for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in community agencies are ramping up for a wide-ranging, concerted effort to get wage increases through the state budgeting process.

Dec 14, 2022
Logan County Health Department wins healthy new contract

They battled through a pandemic. Now, workers at the Logan County Health Department have won a new contract that rewards them for the good work they've done throughout the public health crisis.

Dec 13, 2022
New! SAIC adjunct professors, lecturers vote to join AFSCME

More than 600 non-tenure-track faculty of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) have voted overwhelmingly to form their union with AFSCME. 92% of ballots cast were in favor of the union.

Dec 13, 2022
Local 3328 makes big improvements in wages

Members of Local 3328 in the DuPage County Probation Department won a great contract where the smallest increase for each employee was $7,000, and the average increase for all members was 25% over the three-year life of the contract.

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