Rich Miller of Capitolfax.com is reporting that once again, Illinois’ state employee unions are licking the hand that slapped them.
Among those receiving an AFSCME AFL-CIO endorsement is Elaine Nekritz.
Ironically enough, Rep. Elaine Nekritz, who has played a key role in negotiating pension and health insurance changes for public employees and retirees, was endorsed by the AFL-CIO. Nekritz (D-Northbrook) is facing a fairly serious challenge this fall and she’s also in the process of becoming a top Madigan lieutenant.
That’s not much of a warning shot says Miller.
No Senate Republican incumbents or candidates were endorsed. But the more important Democratic challengers to sitting Republicans or in open seat contests were also given the nod.The bottom line is that the House Democrats barely got a slap on the wrist for what they did this past spring. It will take a much sterner rebuke from AFSCME and the teachers’ unions if the Democrats are to get any sort of “real” message.
Meanwhile teachers can find some good news in the war going on between state Republicans and Michael Madigan, Democratic Party Chairman and Speaker of the House.
The Springfield State Journal Register reports that the bad blood between Madigan and House and Senate Republicans that erupted during the pension battle has not cooled under the downstate summer sun.
State Republican Chairman Pat Brady said criticism isn’t personal and shouldn’t affect pension talks where, he said, Madigan is trying to stick suburban taxpayers with the bill for his own poor pension decisions.
“We’re just pointing out the facts,” Brady said. “It’s certainly not personal.”
At the Illinois Republican Party’s state convention last weekend, Brady said, “We are under the thumb of a controlling, vindictive, ethically challenged, self-serving leprechaun, and I mean no disrespect to leprechauns.”
Nah. Who would see that as personal? Your turn Mike. We all hope that this continues through the veto session.
And lastly, my friend Jerry asked a simple question of the ever-secretive IEA Communications Director Charlie McBarron. The IEA has claimed that they have done polling that shows the membership wants the leadership to bargain away our pension benefits. So Jerry asked McBarron to see the polling data.
He got no answer. For weeks and weeks.
This whole polling thing is a fraud anyway. There’s nothing in the rules, constitution or bylaws of the IEA that allows the leadership to sidestep the decision-making process, the legislative agenda-making process of the IEA. That’s what the Representative Assembly is for.
But Jerry, being the good guy that he is, asked to see the data.
After weeks of stalling, he got this reply from McBarron.
Hello Jerry:The IEA, in accordance with an Executive Committee decision, will not release polling data reports. However, IEA will continue to use relevant information when deemed necessary. If you have further questions please direct them to President Klickna.Thanks,Charlie McBarron
Fred Klonsky 
That’s why we keep losing these battles. AFL- CIO had no business endorsing Nekritz or half of the people they endorsed (but especially not Nekritz). The guy she’s running against doesn’t deserve an endorsement either, but what’s wrong with putting out a press release stating that you won’t endorse either candidate because they are both hostile to labor. It might also be the time to mention Nekritz just took $10,000 from Ty Fahner to do his bidding on pensions.