Illinois State Workers Join AFSCME After Long Battle

May 25, 2007

Some 300 public service administrators (PSAs) have finally won their four-year-long battle to become members of AFSCME Council 31.

 These middle-management employees – who work in a variety of state agencies and carry the designations PSA Option-3 and Option-4 – first petitioned the state to recognize their union in 2003, demonstrating that a majority had expressed interest to join Council 31. But the Department of Central Management Services asserted that the PSAs were not eligible for union representation because of their supervisory, confidential and managerial duties. In March, the PSAs won preliminary victories from two administrative law judges. This month, the Illinois Labor Relations Board also supported AFSCME’s position. 

 Starting May 9, the PSAs are covered by provisions of Council 31’s master contract with the state. Bargaining over wages is their next goal.

 “It was a long time in coming,” said Gary Kroeschel, president of Local 2224, which will represent a number of the new members. “This was fantastic that the PSAs stuck with it and just didn’t give up.”

Their victory paves the way for other PSAs and “merit comp” employees (so-named for the manner in which they receive raises) to join Council 31, which represents more than 100,000 public service employees and retirees throughout Illinois.