By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – In another thumb in the eye of former Gov. Bruce Rauner, Gov. JB Pritzker Friday signed a bill outlawing local right-to-work zones.

“From the start,” the governor said, “right-to-work was an idea cooked up to lower wages, slash benefits, and hurt our working families. Right-to-work has always meant right-to-work-for-less-money.”

And – without mentioning names – House sponsor State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) drew a contrast between the governor and his predecessor:

“We are honored to have a large, bipartisan support,” he said, “and we are thrilled to have a governor that sees the value of unions and all workers in this state. He will support us with his signature.”

One of Rauner’s key goals was trying to enable cities and counties to declare themselves “right-to-work” zones in the name of attracting business and saving taxpayers money. It only worked in Lincolnshire, a wealthy suburb of Chicago, and the courts threw its law out.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]