Tom Suhrbur
Illinois Education
Association (retired)
Special to the Fox
Valley Labor News
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Although he has been governor since 2015, Bruce Rauner has not been able to get his anti-union Turnaround Agenda enacted. Most of his proposals are aimed at the building trades workers and public employees — the most highly organized unions in the state. Here is a brief description of his Turnaround Agenda:

– Repeal the prevailing wage law: Lower wages for public construction projects undermining building trade unions
– “Reform” workers compensation: Lower benefits paid to workers injured at work — accidents often occur on construction sites
– Enact Open Shop (Right To Work) legislation: Undermine unions resulting in lower wages and benefits for all workers
– Cut unemployment benefits: Construction workers often face layoffs during the winter months
– Cut pension benefits for teachers and other public employees
– Privatize public services: Outsource public jobs to low wage private companies
– Restrict collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public employees
– Opposed raising the minimum wage

While his rhetoric is aimed at unions, the policies he is advocating would negatively impact non-union workers and their families. Weakening unions means lower wages and benefits for non-union employees. It is also important to understand how attorneys can help with a workers compensation case and attain justice against the big guys.

Currently, Democrats hold large majorities in both houses of the state legislature, blocking his plan to undermine worker rights and protections. But that could change if he gets re-elected in November.

Whoever wins the race for governor will have control over redistricting of the state legislative maps following the 2020 census. A Rauner win could result in gerrymandered maps that favor Republican Party candidates and enhance his ability to get his proposals enacted. These maps will determine election districts for the next 10 years.

Voter turnout decides elections. In 2014, only 40.2 percent of the voting age population cast ballots in Illinois. (About 20 percent of Illinois voting age population is not even registered to vote.)

Republican Rauner won 50.27 percent of the ballots that year; he was elected governor by just 20.2 percent of the eligible voting age population. The fact that about 1/5th of those eligible to vote are not even registered, coupled with a low turnout of registered voters in 2014, enabled Rauner to win with barely 20 percent.

Labor unions need to educate their members about Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda and organize their members to vote in November. Union members and their families need to be registered to vote.

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