Governor And Senate Leader Cross Signals On Pensions

Republican Governor Bruce Rauner says he backs a top Democrat's proposed pension overhaul as long as it includes a union-weakening provision on collective bargaining. Rauner told reporters Thursday that he spoke to Senate President John Cullerton and they agreed to move forward. But Cullerton says Rauner misrepresented their conversations. Cullerton says he won't support Rauner's proposal to add the union clause because of a ``fundamental disagreement'' on the role of collective bargaining. Rauner wants to remove wage increases from the bargaining process. Cullerton's plan lets workers choose between keeping cost-of-living increases in retirement and counting future raises when figuring retirement benefits. Last year the Illinois Supreme Court rejected another overhaul, saying it violated a constitutional clause that said benefits can't be reduced. There's been little progress since because of budget gridlock.