Additional information from Members Meeting March 18 and after:
• AFSCME Retirees Subchapter 161 encourages all members to participate in “No Kings” demonstrations on March 28.
Click here or scan the QR code below for a message from former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
• Click here or scan QR code below for details on Chicago event
• In Evanston the demonstration will occur at Dawes Park, 1700 Sheridan Road, starting at 10:30. Members of Subchapter 161 will assemble near the table sponsored by our partner, the Alliance for Community Services.
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Additional information from Members Meeting February 18 and after:
• Your union has done the research and reviewed the records. Here are the candidates in the March Primary Election that are AFSCME-recommended:
P.S. You can find your early voting or Election Day polling places at the same link.
https://afscme31.org/news/afscme-people-endorsements-march-17-primary-election
• Our national union, along with the national AFL-CIO, the AFT, the SEIU, and other unions, has joined in a broad-based coalition under the rubric “No Kings,” drawing a connection between our country’s founders, who rebelled against the tyranny of the British crown and those of us today who are standing up against Donald Trump’s efforts to rule by fiat—tearing up union contracts, withholding funding that Congress has allocated for the states, acting unilaterally to take our country into war—and much, much more. Tens of thousands of folks from all across Chicago will come together in Grant Park on March 28 at 1:30 pm. We are planning for AFSCME members to meet up with other unions under the banner of the Chicago Federation of Labor at a Loop location near the park and march over to the rally together to demonstrate our commitment, our unity, and our determination. Details are still being worked out.
• Through the Alliance for Comunity Services, Retirees Subchapter 161 works with disability, comunity, labor, and other groups. Below are some of the activities retirees are encouraged to support, with links for more information or actions.
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Humanize Long Term Care Statewide Day of Action – March 12
People with disabilities, retirees, seniors, and unions are working to “Humanize Long Term Care” so when we get older or become disabled, we can get person-centered care, including options at home or in community-based alternatives to nursing facilities.
HB4827 / HB5212 / SB 3931
Provide $40 million per year for affordable/accessible housing in the community for senior and disabled folks that would otherwise be stuck in a facility.
Scan QR or use link to send a letter.
More info: campaign@HumanizeLTC.org
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Democracy & Accountability in Community Colleges
Across Illinois, voters elect the Boards of their community college – except in Chicago.
Help AFSCME Local 3506 and the Alliance for Community Services improve democracy at City Colleges of Chicago, with an elected Board.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/democracy-in-community-colleges-and-il-senate?source=direct_link&–
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Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Prescriptions drug costs are out of control, and BigPharma rakes in billions.
Illinois could save about $190 million per year by enacting a Prescription Drug Affordability Board.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/prescription-drus-affordability?source=161
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• Legislative and political activities related to Subchapter 161:
AFSCME Council 31 2026 Legislative Agenda
AFSCME PEOPLE endorsements, March 17 Primary Election
March 28 No Kings demonstration in Evanston
Robert Reich on how to resist Trump’s thugs.
Humanize Long Term Care – dignity & community–Pillars
(Click here to write a letter to your state reps)
• Video of our speaker in January, Willie Shaw from Evanston NAACP,
has now been posted on YouTube and may be viewed by clicking here.
Ms. Shaw was introduced by Iris Johnson from Subchapter 161. The Evanston
branch of NAACP can be reached at: https://www.evanstonnaacp.org/ Ms. Shaw
can be reached at: willieshaw@sbcglobal.net.
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Information from Members Meeting January 21 and after:
• Click here for information about Willie Shaw, our speaker at the meeting January 21.
• Click here for information about the Prescription Drug Affordability Board
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Information from Members Meeting November 19 and after:
- Tom Suhrbur, our speaker for the November Members Meeting, has made available the slides from his presentation. They may be viewed by clicking here. His book, Public Education and Social Reform: A History of the Illinois Education Association, can also be ordered online here.
- IMRF members are encouraged to vote for David Delrose (click here for further information).
- Members are encouraged to support workers action against Starbucks by joining a picket line or by boycotting Starbucks.
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Information from Members Meeting August 20 and after:
• On August 20, members of Subchapter 161 joined workers from Evanston Public Library in opposition to proposed reorganization of the Library:
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Information from Members Meeting June 18 and after:
• Handout from Members Meeting (with links)
• Alliance for Community Services Fundraiser July 31
• Protest Darin LaHood: Tu e s d a y, June 24, in Peoria
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Information from Members Meeting May 21 and after:
• Talking points from AFSCME: No Cuts to Medicaid and Public Services
• Call for action from Maria Britton-Sipe, Council 31 Retiree Coordinator
• Health care for all information (Click here to support Action Network)
• May 31 Single Payer National Call to Action Day
• “No Kings” National Day of Defiance
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Information from Members Meeting April 16 and after:
• Announcements from Alliance for Community Services (links not hot)
• Announcement from Diane Stokes (links not hot)
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Members Meeting March 19 and after:
From Diane Stokes:
Provided information from Progress Center on Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). [To talk to a SHIP counselor call or email at 708-388-5011 or SHIP@progresscil.org.]
Suggested members support VA workers and veterans.
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Information from the Members Meeting:
• Our speaker at the Members Meeting was Lenny Lamkin who spoke on Union organizing and actions and the upcoming municipal election in Evanston. He also urged members to:
1. Attend UNITE HERE local 1 picket lines against Compass/Northwestern every day 6 AM to 8 PM at multiple locations. [Update from Diane Stokes: Picket lines are paused since Northwestern University has agreed to a bargaining session.]
2. Support Starbucks workers union organizing efforts when you order at Starbucks by saying, “Union Strong”! [For further information, Diane Stokes recommends: Sun-Times article; Starbucks Workers United; Crusader article.]
3. Support the Chicago Teachers union at a rally Thursday, March 20, at 2 PM at Board of Education (42 W. Madison).
4. Support the postal workers union at a rally on Sunday March 23th at 11 AM (230 S. Dearborn).
• Mary Rothschild from the Illinois Education Association for Retired Educators shared some information about the hacking of student data (names, addresses, Medicaid numbers, social security numbers and other). There have been four major hacks on testing vendors in the past 8 years that store student information. These are vendors that the state of Illinois uses for testing our students in public schools. HB 2696 would amend the school code so student data would not be for sale or vulnerable to hacking. The present Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) does not include what is known as a “private right of action”. The new Bill will strengthen the original law. It will allow parents to sue testing vendors that sell student data or left insecure. The Bill will add protections to include in their contracts that will not allow selling of student data and provide sufficient protection against hacking. She urged members to call their legislators. Representatives sponsoring the Bill are Anne Stava-Murray, John Olickal and Linsey LaPointe.
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• Our speaker (by Zoom) was Krystle Able from the Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans. Her presentation may be viewed by clicking here.
• Member Walter Esler discussed some issues with Social Security at the January Members Meeting. His comments can be heard by clicking here (audio only).
• President Diane Stokes
• Maria Britton-Sipe, retiree coordinator for AFSCME Illinois Retiree Chapter 31:
• Reported on a number of legislative issues, including:
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• President Diane Stokes reported on People meeting
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• Fran Tobin, Alliance for CommunityServices
Town Hall on the call for an elected Board of Trustees at Chicago City Colleges
March 26, 4pm Click on this link to register
• Samantha McClain, from the Workers’ Rights Campaign
Click here to view a presentation on the Workers’ Rights Amendment.
Click here for information on mobilizing to get the Workers’ Rights referendum on the ballot.
• Dave Rolston, Subchapter 161 Vice-president
Invited members to join a “Welcoming & Entertainment Club” within Subchapter161.
Past and/or ongoing causes:
• Supporting the call for an elected board of trustees at Chicago City Colleges (CCC);
• Supporting The Alliance for Community Services in their campaign to “Say No to Privatize Medicare”; Click here for further information.
• Supporting the Illinois Family Caregiver Act;
• Encouraging our members to call the AFSCME hotline at 877-890-2056 to tell their lawmakers to support Governor Pritzker’s plan to protect our pensions;
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From Members Meeting, February 16, 2022
Information from Louis Goseland:
ARA ZOOM TRAININGThe Alliance will be hosting a Zoom training Thursday, February 24th at 3CST that will cover the basics, best practices, and tips and tricks for using Zoom. This training is open to all, so please share the invite email going out next week with your members and anyone who is interested. Click here to register in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
PRITZKER’S BUDGET & PENSIONS Chicago Sun Times Article on Pritker’s budget and pension proposal
REPEAL OF WEP/GPO
Click here to view the ARA’s position on a piece of legislation introduced in 2021 to repeal WEP/GPO. Linked here is the latest effort to raise the income cap eligible for Social Security tax.
IL FAMILY CAREGIVER ACT
Click here to view a one page summary of the family caregiver act that I mentioned.
WORKERS RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Click here to view a presentation on the Workers’ Rights Amendment. Please contact me if you would be interested in arranging for a presentation to educate and mobilize your members on this.
PRIORITY IL STATE SUPREME COURT RACES: IL Supreme 2: Dekalb, Kane, McHenry, Lake, Kendall
IL Supreme 3: Dupage, Will, LaSalle, Bureau, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee
Please contact me if you would like me to arrange a presentation on what is at stake in these two races and what people can do to get involved.
Information from Diane Stokes:
Click here to view the Video by former Labor Secretary Robert Reich on efforts to unionize Starbuck’s.
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afscmeretirees161.com (version 0320) 