Unions Take Rauner To Court

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Amanda Vinicky,

Amanda Vinicky

Published March 5, 2015 at 5:06 PM CST

Illnois unions fought unsuccessfully against a law that reduces workers' pensions -- that law will have its day in court next week. Now, they're trying to fend off an attempt by Gov. Bruce Rauner to eliminate fair-share fee collection, by taking him to court.

Unions are taking Gov. Bruce Rauner to court over his attempt to get rid of so-called "fair-share" dues.

Illinois law requires workers who are not members of unions to nonetheless pay a fee, for the benefits unions secure on their behalf.

Rauner had issued an executive order eliminating that requirement.

But labor leaders says that's a violation of the separation of powers; in other words, a governor can't unilaterally toss out a state law.

"Let's not kid ourselves, the governor - his intent her is to weaken unions, and to wipe us out entirely," AFL-CIO Presidnet Michael Carrigan says. Illinois' Attorney General has previously cast legal doubt on Rauner's move.

Rauner, a Republican, says forcing workers to pay money to unions is a violation of their First Amendment rights, because he says unions and their political activities are "inextricably linked.”

The governor's office says the lawsuit isn't unforeseen -- Rauner's spokesman says he'd "expected the government union bosses to fight to keep their stranglehold over Illinois taxpayers in place."

When he issued the executive order, Rauner also filed a federal lawsuit to strike fair-share dues. The AFL-CIO's Carrigan says unions will file another lawsuit, seeking to toss the governor's. Carrigan says state court -- not federal -- is the appropriate venue to address issues with state laws.