Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn knows a stall when he sees it.

After 11 months of bargaining and three contract extensions, he understands that AFSCME, the union that represents 40,000 state employees, isn't trying to compromise. It would rather delay and maintain the status quo. And so Quinn has finally taken a serious negotiating step by terminating their contract.

The union's response: This could be bad for morale and create instability. Right, like Illinois being billions of dollars in debt, primarily because of underfunded pensions, isn't creating instability. Guess the risk of the pensions defaulting isn't bad for morale?

AFSCME either can't or won't face up to fiscal realities. It still wants millions of dollars in pay and benefit increases (don't we all). But if the state were Hostess, it would go belly up and sell Chicago to Wisconsin.

It's time to get serious about a contract that includes pay and benefits concessions. Maybe Quinn has the union's attention now.