By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – On his first full day in office, Gov. J.B. Pritzker got off on the right “step,” as far as state workers and unions which represent them are concerned. The step increases, automatic raises, had stopped in 2015.

“We’re going to implement them Day One and then be involved in negotiations and discussions with the state workers to make sure we’re living up to the promises the state has made,” Pritzker said in a bill-signing ceremony Tuesday in his office at the Capitol. “It’s going forward.” The Pritzker administration says this does not address the back pay.

What’s more, “as long as I’m governor, state agencies will engage in project labor agreements.”

Also, the governor says state agencies will be prohibited from asking salary history of applicants. Pritzker says this is a first step toward a $15/hour minimum wage.

AFSCME Council 31 issued a statement from its executive director, Roberta Lynch:

“Governor Pritzker’s announcement represents important progress toward ending Bruce Rauner’s illegal four-year freeze on step progression for state employees. The process of placing employees on the appropriate step should be completed without delay. It’s critical that the state also move quickly to make employees whole for the wages they have been wrongfully denied since 2015.”

The Illinois Republican Party issued a statement from its executive director, Tim Schneider:

“Governor Pritzker has barely been in office for 24 hours, and he’s already signed an executive order spending an undefined amount of taxpayer dollars on state employee pay increases. Yesterday, we heard promises from Pritzker that he would work with Democrats and Republicans to balance the budget. Yet today, Pritzker unilaterally made reckless spending promises without specifying the costs, creating more budget uncertainty. It’s clear – the Pritzker agenda is the same agenda that has dragged our state down for decades – borrow, tax, spend, repeat.”

WJBC News can be reached at [email protected]