Posts tagged Illinois Constitution
Illinois General Assembly passes 3 bills boosting government union power
June 24, 2025 // Illinois law already requires school districts to provide their local unions the personal information of all teachers and other education employees represented by those unions. That includes the employee’s name, worksite location, home address, home telephone number, mobile numbers and personal email address. Currently, that information must be turned over to the local union, even if the employee is not a union member. HB 3309 takes it farther.
Government Unions are Down — But Not Out
September 10, 2024 // For nearly a decade, the Commonwealth Foundation has tracked state-by-state changes in labor laws. Every two years, the Commonwealth Foundation releases its research on the ever-changing legal landscape for public sector unions, assessing each state’s efforts to promote public employees’ rights or cave to unions’ entrenched influence. This fourth edition examines government unions’ attempts, following Janus, to hold onto and expand special legal privileges under state laws. The research also highlights the states reining in government unions’ power and influence by empowering workers.
Report shows Illinois union participation declining despite growth in new petitions
September 5, 2024 // While private sector unionization rates have fallen by 1.7 percentage points since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Janus decision in 2018, public sector unionization rates fell by 4.1 points in that span. Public sector unionization remains near 50 percent. (Capitol News Illinois graphic by Andrew Adams)
SPEAKER WELCH GOT UNION POWER INTO ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION, NOW HIS WORKERS USE IT AGAINST HIM
June 5, 2024 // Now, members of Welch’s own staff are suing him for refusing to recognize their chosen union. According to the Illinois Legislative Staff Association, Welch has failed to deal with his staff in good faith and is “stonewalling” the process. After 18 months of being “rebuffed” by Welch in their quest for unionization, the association and a member of Welch’s staff filed suit May 31 in Cook County.
PRITZKER SIGNS BILL ALLOWING CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRINCIPALS TO UNIONIZE
February 13, 2023 // Chicago Public Schools principals already make nearly 30% more than their peers in the rest of the state. A newly signed law allows them to unionize and push for even more. Gov. J.B. Pritzker just signed a bill allowing principals within Chicago Public Schools to unionize and bargain. While supervisory employees have not traditionally had a right to unionize, House Bill 5107 redefines who constitutes a “managerial employee” within CPS. Under the new language, only those who negotiate with unions or formulate district-wide policies are prohibited from unionizing.
ILLINOIS: WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMENDMENT 1?
January 6, 2023 // Now that the Illinois Constitution has been amended to expand government union power, residents can expect to see costly government union demands, increased taxes and litigation to clarify its vague language.
AMENDMENT 1 COULD LET ILLINOIS POLICE UNIONS UNDO SAFE-T ACT MANDATES
December 2, 2022 // In fact, government unions could override more than 350 state laws through their collective bargaining agreements. That includes at least 11 provisions related to DCFS workers and 38 provisions in the School Code aimed at protecting children. With nearly 30 state contracts expiring in 2023 – and more than 6,000 units of government in Illinois that could also negotiate union contracts in the next few years – Illinoisans could soon find out just how much power government unions have been granted. And they could see it thousands of times over.
Illinois: UNIONS SPEND NEARLY $5M TO PUSH PROPERTY TAX HIKES THROUGH AMENDMENT 1
June 29, 2022 // Illinoisans already suffer under the highest state and local tax burden in the Midwest, thanks to generous contracts and retirements won by powerful public unions from the elected leaders they helped bankroll. If Illinois becomes the only state to enshrine union powers in its constitution, taxpayers will face ever greater demands. progressive tax, fair tax, Mike Madigan, Boeing, Caterpillar, Citadel, constitutional amendment
Illinois: AMENDMENT 1 WOULD CEMENT STRIKES AS GO-TO WEAPON FOR CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION
March 10, 2022 // The Chicago Teachers Union has gone on strike five times and walked out on students at least three other times since it got the right to strike in 1984. Gaining greater power through Amendment 1 would embolden militant union tactics.
CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT QUITTING AFTER 3RD STRIKE IN 27 MONTHS
February 4, 2022 // Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey announced he’s returning to the classroom once his term expires in June. Sharkey has led CTU since 2014 through three work stoppages.