Rock Island County Chairman Stalls Negotiations

East Moline, IL- Ongoing negotiations between Rock Island County and Hope Creek Care Center are stalled again. Rock Island County Management proposed their last and final offer on September 23^rd, 2013. The contract is currently scheduled to go to arbitration. AFSCME Council #31 is responding to County Board Chairman Phil Banaszek's inaccurate statement in the Rock Island Argus on November 23^rd, 2013. Chairman Banaszek shamefully mislead the public by insinuating that the Union refused to accept a proposal from the County that would keep the Center county operated. No such proposal was ever made. On December 4^th, 2013, the Union has responded to the employer's last and final offer through a Federal mediation proposal. The Union's proposal offered the County hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings. In fact, the Union's proposal offered more savings to Rock Island County taxpayers and Hope Creek than the last and final offer by the County. It is obvious to the Union that the main problem with Hope Creek is the Chairman himself, who is intentionally and purposefully getting in the way of the Center becoming more financially secure. For more details or comments, call Dino Leone, AFSCME Council #31 Staff Representative, at 309-738-3193.