Quad-City Times Bureau Chief Dan Petrella quotes Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner as saying, “It’s a huge issue (referring to a recent Supreme Court ruling), this decision to force government employees, taxpayer employees, to pay union dues, and to be in a union that they may not agree with. I think that’s a fundamental loss of freedom of speech and freedom of political expression.”
This statement shows the Governor’s profound ignorance, or he is deliberately fabricating a lie for political purposes. I prefer to think it is ignorance.
- First of all, these objectors do not pay union dues. They must pay a “maintenance of contract fee,” which is usually slightly less than the dues.
- Second, they are not members of the union and have no right to vote for union officers.
- Finally–by law–the union has to represent these “non-union objectors” and process any grievance they might have with their employer, as well as police, and to negotiate their work contract–all at union expense.
Also, PAC (a political action committee to raise money from individuals for a political campaign) funds are a separate donation, which is optional for all employees.
Unfortunately, what these objectors really want is a “free lunch.” This is not free speech. It is freeloading. The Governor’s so-called Turn Around agenda amounts to freeloading for the wealthy, while the 99% [of Illinoisans] pay the bill. This is unfortunate for Illinois.