Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has funded a lot of campaigns – and his legal defense – with money from government unions. Even if unions still back him in the New Year, members have options.
Madigan already faced similar scandals alleging he asked powerful corporations to hire people at his recommendation.
Government unions and their PACs have spent more than $1 million pushing the progressive tax on the Nov. 3 ballot – and are using misleading information.
“When the most recent strike came around, I felt like I should be the one making the decision, so I said, ‘Forget it.’ I wasn’t going to strike.”
CTU members who don’t support the union’s violent rhetoric have another option: they can opt out of the union. But they must do so today if they want to stop paying dues this school year.
"My argument is they’re not fulfilling their contract because they’re more focused on politics and political activism than they are on benefits."
Teachers’ unions have provided lots of campaign cash to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who’s been implicated in a bribery scandal. Teachers who don’t want their money sent to a corrupt system can opt out of the union.
The state’s government unions have heavily funded the election committees run by longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – who then uses his influence to pass union-friendly bills.
"There’s no benefit to [being in the union.] As far as I’m concerned, union [leaders] seem to be out for themselves."
State workers represented by AFSCME Council 31 will see pay increases averaging $1,343 starting July 1. Total cost of the raises is $261 million as COVID-19 continues depleting state revenues.
Election Day 2020 would be a paid holiday for all government workers – at an unknown cost to already ailing local governments.
Tucked into sweeping vote-by-mail legislation is a holiday provision that would make Nov. 3, 2020, a holiday for all state and local government workers.
While members can opt out of CTU at any time, the union says they may only stop paying the union if they do so during a one-month period. A lawsuit filed against the union argues this violates teachers’ First Amendment rights.
With more than 755,000 Illinoisans out of work, state employees are still scheduled to get their automatic raises. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is treating those raises as non-negotiable. Governors in other states would disagree.