Organized Labor

With the fifth contract negotiation session failing on Wednesday, AFSCME Local 1110 is heading into day nine of its strike at Illinois State University. Picketers outside Bone Student Center said proposed contract terms are still not good enough.

AFSCME workers have been demonstrating outside Hovey Hall and at various points across campus where the university’s striking grounds, buildings and dining services workers would typically be on the job.

The union representing buildings, grounds, and dining services workers at Illinois State University said it will strike Wednesday if there is no contract agreement by then.

The newly elected head of the state’s largest union lives in Bloomington. Illinois Education Association members chose Karl Goeke who had been serving as interim president following the death of IEA president Al Llorens in September.

The union representing firefighters in the Town of Normal is giving up its request to add a fourth fire station. And the town is considering new traffic signal preemption technology that could cut 15-20 seconds off the average drive time to emergencies.

The union representing firefighters in the Town of Normal is continuing its campaign to keep the soon-to-close College Avenue fire station open — after a new station opens on the east side of town. The town insists there is no situation that needs to be addressed.

Student support workers at Illinois State University have filed a petition to form a union. Academic advisors, financial aid counselors, and other support workers want to be a chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois.

The senior member of the Normal Town Council says there's something missing in debate over closing the College Avenue fire station when a new east side station opens in a couple months.

The final tally of job cuts at the Bridgestone Firestone plant in Normal is less than first thought. And United Steelworkers Union Local 787 President Jason Beckett said it does not involve layoffs.

Union members with AFSCME said Monday that the GOP's tax and spending plan passed this summer will bring devastating cuts to the Illinois State University community and beyond.