SPRINGFIELD - A day after agreeing to support Gov. Rod Blagojevich's massive tax increase proposal, the state's largest employee union said it wants to see 2,000 new workers added to the state payroll.

In a report released Wednesday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 said understaffing continues to be a major problem in eight of the state's largest agencies.

The report, highlighted in a series of news conferences held around the state Wednesday, said job cuts of more than 6,000 frontline workers in the past six years have compromised security at prisons and resulted in staggering overtime costs at other agencies.

Unionized state workers said working conditions have deteriorated.

"These public servants have gone above and beyond. They've gone beyond the breaking point," said Carlene Hawkins of East Moline, who is an employee of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services office in Rock Island.

"We continue to see a drop in staff," added Tod Williams, a guard at a state's prison for juveniles in Kewanee, the site of a recent spate of violent attacks.

The call for more workers comes after AFSCME agreed to lend its lobbying muscle to Blagojevich's plan to raise an estimated $8 billion by overhauling the way Illinois taxes businesses.

While the governor and AFSCME agree new dollars are needed, they are at odds over how the added cash should be spent.

Blagojevich wants to use the money for health care, education and pension costs. His budget proposal doesn't include money for the jobs that AFSCME wants.

"We believe our staffing levels are appropriate," said Justin DeJong, spokesman for the governor's budget office.

The governor's spending plan calls for a total of 58,832 employees throughout state government, which is a decrease of 102 positions from what was approved in the current fiscal year budget.

"There are areas where we agree and areas where we disagree with AFSCME," said DeJong.

Illinois lawmakers and business groups have expressed skepticism and outright opposition to the governor's tax hike plan, which would affect businesses making more than $2 million in annual sales.

Lawmakers could take up the tax hike when they return from spring break next week.