SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Members of Illinois’ largest public-employee union are voting on whether to authorize a strike as contract talks with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration remain stalled.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 vote is being held from Monday through Feb. 19.
The vote doesn’t guarantee a strike, but will indicate whether union members want to give their bargaining committee power to walk off the job.
State labor regulators have declared the 2-year-old talks at “impasse.” That allows the Republican governor to impose a contract and the union to strike.
Earlier this month AFSCME offered a compromise that included forgoing general wage increases for four years. A Rauner spokeswoman called it “superficial.”
Rauner’s administration says it seeking “commonsense changes,” such as requiring a 40-hour work week.
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