By Steve Rhodes
“Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday terminated the state’s contract covering members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union,” the Springfield State Journal-Register reports.
“In 40 years of collective bargaining, Pat Quinn is the first and only Illinois governor to terminate a union contract,” AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer said in a statement.
Well, Barack Obama promised he’d fight any effort to dismantle collective bargaining so I suppose he’ll be spending Thanksgiving back here in Illinois.
*
“During 11 months of bargaining, the state has extended the contract three times and made significant efforts to compromise,” Quinn budget spokesman Abdon Pallasch said in a statement. “But the government employees union, which has not offered a single proposal to deal with retirement health care, continues to seek millions of dollars in pay hikes the taxpayers can’t afford to give them. It has refused to recognize the extraordinary financial crisis squeezing the state.”
See, as a former reporter, Pallasch now gets paid twice as much to tell you half the story.
Father Fixation
“A Deerfield woman charged with stalking the Rev. Michael Pfleger told authorities that God told her that she was supposed to marry the priest, prosecutors said today.”
A piece of toast shaped like Jesus told her so.
Insane Surplus
Emanuel Has $4 Million After NATO Tab Settled.
Gee, that’s more than enough to open a few mental health clinics to keep our clergy safe.
Dysfunction Junction
Jesse Jackson Jr. canceled plans to speak to his staff today.
Or did he?
Rick Bryant, Jackson’s chief of staff, insisted Jackson had no plans to “break his silence” Wednesday.
“We’re not having a conference call tomorrow, no,” Bryant told the Chicago Sun-Times.
But Frank Watkins, Jackson’s spokesman, said his boss had planned to speak, but changed his mind.
Bryant and Watkins did agree that they’re both polishing up their resumes.
Broadcast News
“A Boston-based investor that specializes in broadcast and wireless towers has paid $70 million for the antennas atop the John Hancock Center, another step in a plan by the skyscraper’s owners to sell off the building’s parts piecemeal,” Crain’s reports.
When does the bidding begin on the EXIT signs?
*
Hancock History Lesson
–
Record Store Black Friday
Subverting the model, sort of.
Pass The PETA Bread
In QT.
The Pope’s Nose And Cutler
Is the Bears quarterback the most disappointing fantasy player this season?
Fenwick Teacher Wins Jeopardy! Tourney
Warns students: Haters will hate!
Like A Western Avenue
This time with video.
Programming Note
Posting will be sporadic through the long weekend, which begins about noon Wednesday at Beachwood HQ. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want you to check in often because we’ll still be here, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
–
The Beachwood Tip Line: Where every day is black.
Posted on November 21, 2012