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Business-labor task force to study Illinois Bureau of Employment Security

A JOINT business-labor task force has been formed to examine management practices of the Illinois Bureau of Employment Security (1BES), Gov. James R. Thompson an-nounced October 21. The task force will re-view IBES' management of the state's debt-ridden unemployment insurance program which, because of years of high unemploy-ment in Illinois, owes the federal government SI.4 billion. Compromise legislation signed by the governor this June is aimed at correct-ing the situation by reducing benefits and in-creasing payroll taxes on employers. "But this legislation will not achieve its purpose if we don't lake steps now to examine and change the management practices of the Bureau of Unemployment Security," Thompson said.

The task force will also look at budgeting organizational and personnel practices and will assess IBES' benefit payment, claims ad-judication, job search and placement services. The task force hopes to have a preliminary report finished by early spring.

Thompson appointed Lester Brann, president of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, and Robert Gibson, president of the Illinois State AFL-CIO, as co-chairmen of the task force. The staff director is Michael Belletirc, on leave of absence as associate di-rector of the Department of Public Aid. Members of the task force include: Orville Bergren, president of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association; William Brogan, vice president of the International Union of Oper-aling Engineers of the AFL-CIO, local 399; Hugh Muncy, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association; Louis F. Peick, pres-idem of the Feamsters' Joint Countil #25; Bud Washburn, mayor of Morris; James Wright, director of Region 4 of the United Auto Workers.

Illinois recommendations to White House Conference on Aging

ECONOMIC security and health care topped the list of concerns and recommendations that 97 Illinois delegates took to the national White House Conference on Aging held November 30-December 3 in Washington, D.C.

The issues of top concern as adopted by the Illinois White House Conference on Aging in May were: economic security (25 percent); physical health and long-term care (24 per-cent); family care and social services (23 per-cent); housing and transportation (19 per-cent); use of older people as a resource (6 per-cent); research and education (3 percent).

The major recommendations were: medical costs should be reduced (24 percent); services to support independent living should be in creased (22 percent); social security benefits should be protected (21 percent); low-cost housing and transportation should be more accessible and abundant (19 percent); em-ployment opportunities and volunteerism should be increased (11 percent); more educa-tional opportunities are needed in later life (3 percent).

10/January 1982/lllinois Issues