Local Constitution Changes

The second reading of proposed changes to the local 448 constitution will done at the in-person membership meeting on March 6, 2025 which well be held at Lost Nation Golf Course (6931 South Lost Nation Road, Dixon.) Once the changes have been read and questions have been answered we will vote on the proposed changes. If the membership approved the changes the next step will be to request approval from the International Union. This process can take a while. A copy of the proposed changes were emailed to all members we have home email addresses for. If you did not receive a copy via email please send and email to presidentafscmelocal448@gmail.com and one will be sent to you.

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2025 Legislative Agenda

​On January 25, 2025 AFSCME Leaders from across the State met to finalize our 2025 Legislative agenda. These items are our top legislative priorities for 2025.
 

■ Support responsible budget and adequate revenue for state and local governments
■ Stabilize pension funds and address inadequacies and inequities of Tier 2 pension benefits
■ Address staffing crisis in the public sector
■ Protest and expand workers’ rights
■ Support adequate funding for state universities/equity for employees
■ Fight privatization of public services and assets
■ Fight to improve wage levels in community disability agencies
and other AFSCME-represented nonprofit agencies
■ Fight for affordable prescription Drugs

 

We will be calling on members throughout the year to take action on any one of these items. When we do, please participate. It is going to take all of us to see these goals accomplished. The full agenda will be sent to you via email and it is also available here as a downloadable PDF. If you didn’t receive it via email, please send an email to presidentafscmeloca448@gmail.com so we can get your personal email address.

 

Welcome New Stewards!

We recently had several members become stewards by participating in the two-day Certified Steward Training offered by AFSCME Council 31. Thanks for stepping up and welcome aboard!
 

Rocio Alfaro - DHS Winnebago County
Gladys Boyt-Lopez - DCFS DeKalb
Levi Smith - DNR Rock Cut State Park
Mandy Dillard - Illinois Gaming Board
 

We have many worksites that do not have stewards. So if your office does not have a steward and you are interested in stepping up please let Alice Sutherland know.
The most important role of a steward is to be an advocate for members and ensure that the contract is being followed by everyone. Stewards are our first line of defense against managements often blatant disregard of our negotiated language.

 

Executive Board Changes

I would like to thank Marie Reck for her years of service to our local as not only a steward but as the Illinois Department of Revenue Chapter Chair. Marie will be retiring this year so she made the decision to step down from that position to allow some new blood to step up. So welcome Tim Janiak. Tim is no stranger to the State of IL or AFSCME. Tim came to IDOR a few years ago from the IL Department of Corrections and has been a Local 448 steward since February 2024. We look forward to working with Tim and I know he will be an asset to our board.
 

Another change to the board was in the position of Vice President. Our former VP, Robin Aebly, was contemplating retirement in the near future so she decided to take a pause from that role in order to let someone new learn the spot. Greg Duffy graciously agreed to step into that position. Greg started on our board several years ago as a trustee and then moved up to a member at large. He works for DCFS, is a member of the State Conference Board which negotiates our contracts, and a member of the DCFS 3rd level grievance committee. I have every faith that Greg will do an excellent job in his new role.
 

While Robin’s retirement plans may be on hold now since she was recently promoted to a Field Office Supervisor with the Department of Employment Security, we still have her valuable experience on the board as a member at large.
 

We have an excellent Executive Board and I look forward to continuing to work with each and every one of our members.

 

Let's Talk About Bereavement Leave

XXIII LEAVES OF ABSENCE
 

Section 15. Bereavement Leave
Upon request, employees shall be granted paid leave to attend the funeral or similar service, for related travel, and bereavement time, upon the death of a member of the employee’s immediate family. For the first instance in a calendar year, the employee shall be granted two scheduled work days. In the event there is a second in the calendar year, the employee shall be granted one scheduled work day. Leave shall be limited two instances per calendar year. Documentation of the relationship to the deceased may be required.
 

Immediate family is defined pursuant to this Section as: father, mother, sister, brother, spouse, children, grandparent and grand-children including relationships established by marriage.
 

Section 16. Sick Leave
A. ….... or death of a member of an employee’s immediate family or household. For purposes of definition, the “immediate family or household” shall be husband, wife, civil union partner, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother, sister, children, grandchildren or any relative or person living in the employee’s household for whom the employee has custodial responsibility or where such person is financially and emotionally dependent on the employee and where the presence of the employee is needed. Sick leave may also be used in the event of death of grand relations and parent-and child-in-laws and brother and sister-in-laws.……
 

So what does that mean? Bereavement leave was first added to our contract for all agencies in the 7-1-5 x 6-30-23 contract. At that time staff were allowed 2 days per year as bereavement per year. In the current contract were able to gain 1 additional day for another death in the family per year. While this isn't ideal, it is something we intend to continue building on in future contracts. You can still use sick leave in these instances as stated above.
 

If your agency has a different bereavement policy (such as IDES), that policy remains in effect.
 

Recently we have had issues with agencies demanding and then not accepting proof of the family members death and your attendance at the funeral. To be clear, the article states “Documentation of the relationship to the deceased may be required.” Which is fine but it also does not mandate that you attend the funeral to be
entitled to this leave.
 

As always, you need to comply with the directive of your manager or supervisor so that you are not disciplined for insubordination. But in these instances we should be filing a grievance.

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Larry Marquardt Scholarship

Children of AFSCME members who are high school seniors or college students under the age of 25 are eligible to apply for AFSCME Council 31's annual Larry Marquardt Scholarship, as well as members in good standing who plan to attend school full-time. 

 

Two winners will be awarded $2,000 each. The scholarship honors Larry Marquardt, the first executive director of Council 31 and a tireless union organizer who dedicated his life to improving the lives of working people. For a printable application, click here. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 18, 2025.

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Help Is Just A Call Away!

We wanted to take a moment to remind you that if you are experiencing excessive stress, depression or anxiety, help is available through the AFSCME Personal Support Program. It's now even easier to access the help you need as PSP services are available via Telehealth. You can call 1-800-647-8776 for assistance.

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Want To Receive Text and Email Updates?

In an effort to keep everyone up to date on what is going on, we are trying to gather personal email addresses and cell phone numbers so that this can be used as a method of contact when important things come up and we need to get the word out fast. If you would like to receive email and text updates, please send your PERSONAL email address and cell phone information to Alice Sutherland at presidentafscmelocal448@gmail.com. You can also do this by going to www.afscme31.org and entering your email address in the “Sign UP for Email” space, then completing the information asked for.

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Welcome To Our AFSCME 448 Website!

It is a pleasure to present our AFSCME 448 website to our members! The website launched publicly on December 6, 2019, and the primary purpose of the website is to communicate noteworthy news, events and information to our 600+ local 448 members. Like any well-planned and useful website, our website will never be “completed” or “finished”; we will make regular updates to it as new information and needs dictate.

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