The Rauner
Administration announced this week that new four-year collective bargaining
agreements have been reached with a number of labor unions, including Service
Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1 Chicago, the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of
Carpenters, and several others.
Emphasizing the
Administration’s willingness to work with labor, Gov. Rauner has now negotiated
new collective bargaining contracts with 17 different bargaining units,
representing more than 5,000 state employees.
Terms
of the most recent agreements include:
The
state will expand the existing group health insurance program by offering
employees a variety of new options.
A
new performance incentive program to reward employees with bonuses for
cost-saving measures and meeting or exceeding performance standards.
A
new, collaborative managed competition program that allows management and the
unions to work together to provide low-cost alternatives to outsourcing.
A
reduction in the payout for accumulated unused vacation from 75 to 45 days for
employees hired after Jan. 1, 2016.
Continuation
of a 40-hour work week with overtime earned after 40 hours.
A
program to enable the State of Illinois to address minority underutilization in
state government.
Increased
training and certification opportunities for employees.
Continuation of the
prevailing rate system administered by the Illinois Department of Labor.