Rauner has stated he does not think employees should be forced to join unions. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC)
By Adam Studzinski
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed an executive order eliminating what he called unfair share dues for state employees who do not wish to fund government union activities and positions with which they may disagree.
The order comes after an extensive legal review of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year in Harris v. Quinn in which the court ruled the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act violated the First Amendment by forcing certain state employees to involuntarily pay fees to a labor union.
In light of that decision, Rauner's administration has concluded that the so-called “fair share” provisions of the current collective bargaining agreements are also unconstitutional.
"Forced union dues are a critical cog in the corrupt bargain that is crushing taxpayers. Government union bargaining and government union political activity are inexorably linked,” said Rauner in a news release. “An employee who is forced to pay unfair share dues is being forced to fund political activity with which they disagree. That is a clear violation of First Amendment rights – and something that, as governor, I am duty-bound to correct.”
The order allows state employees who wish not to support government unions’ activities to stop paying the forced fees. It doesn't impact employees who wish to remain paying members of the union and fund union activities out of their paychecks.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].
