Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » *** UPDATED x1 *** Despite IEA warnings, Illinois Policy Institute claims no plans to visit union members’ homes
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
*** UPDATED x1 *** Despite IEA warnings, Illinois Policy Institute claims no plans to visit union members’ homes

Wednesday, Sep 5, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Interesting…


* Has the Illinois Policy Institute started knocking on union members’ doors to convince them to drop their memberships? I asked the IEA’s spokesperson to explain…

So far we have no confirmed reports from our members, but we are expecting they’ll be hearing from IPI soon. We know that some of our locals have been hit with not one but two mailers from IPI encouraging them to drop their union memberships. We are arming our members with window clings to deter door knockers from IPI and other anti-union organizations.

* I asked the Illinois Policy Institute if it had any plans for a door-to-door canvass. A spokesperson issued a one-word response: “No.”

That makes sense. Teachers aren’t confined to one precinct, after all. It would be very difficult to canvass them one-by-one.

* I assume the IEA is just ginning up the base. It’s tweeted out some responses by members to Policy Institute mailers…



* The Chicago Teachers Union is doing the same

CTU has responded by urging its teachers to Tweet pictures of their IPI mailers in defiance with the hashtag #solidarity. Erika Wozniak, a CTU member and a candidate for 46th Ward alderman in Chicago, tweeted that the IPI flier had actually prompted her and her husband to increase their contribution to the union’s Political Action Committee.

The union’s Acting President Jesse Sharkey added a statement Thursday, saying, “Bruce Rauner’s front group is asking CTU members to walk away from our power, and our members have an answer: no way, not now, not ever.”

Charging that the IPI “serves the union-busting agenda of this failed governor,” Sharkey said, “It won’t work. Our members are too smart, organized, and committed to fall for this toxic ploy to undermine our rights and our dignity.”

*** UPDATE *** Bridget Shanahan with the IEA…

Our state affiliates out west have been targeted by anti-union, State Policy Network affiliate groups going door to door. Those groups have also said they’ve hired additional staff just for the purpose of going to door to door.

In a subsequent e-mail, she pointed me to this June 27th Bloomberg story

Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that millions of public sector workers can stop paying union fees, a group tied to Republican billionaires long opposed to organized labor and its support of the Democratic Party has pledged to build on the landmark ruling to further marginalize employee representation.

The conservative nonprofit Freedom Foundation said that starting Wednesday, it will deploy 80 people to a trio of West Coast union bastions: California, Oregon and its home state of Washington. The canvassers were hired in March and trained this month, according to internal documents reviewed by Bloomberg News. The goal of the multi-pronged campaign is to shrink union ranks in the three states by 127,000 members—and to offer an example for similar efforts targeting unions around the country.

       

20 Comments
  1. - Texas Red - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:08 pm:

    See Black Sabbath second album


  2. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:19 pm:

    ==That makes sense. Teachers aren’t confined to one precinct, after all. It would be very difficult to canvass them one-by-one.==

    In some cases it actually might be easier because you wouldn’t be turfing people to political lines that may or may not make much sense.


  3. - Anon - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:28 pm:

    Will the post office actually return these to IPI without postage affixed? Or is this just to get the social media pop?


  4. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:28 pm:

    The huperbole on both sides makes sense. Plays to their respective bases and interests.


  5. - Hahahahahahahah - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:34 pm:

    Good to see the crew that came up with Squeezy are still finding work.


  6. - Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:55 pm:

    The IPI has a Chicago address. I think we should have a moment of pity for the IPI, Rauner, Trib editorial board, Hurricane, etc. They’ve had it horrible in Chicago all these years. Almost unbearable poverty and suffering because of Chicago Democrats.

    If they were only being strong enough to follow their own advice they would have left Chicago a long time ago for the prosperity of an Indiana or Tennessee.


  7. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 4:58 pm:

    If they come to my house, I will make them regret it. I’ll eat an onion and then sing to them.


  8. - kitty - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 5:02 pm:

    The new IPI radio ads encouraging employees to drop union membership are incredibly condescending. I doubt the IPI would engage in a door knocking campaign. If it chooses to do so it will certainly energize working class Illinoisans whom oppose efforts to reduce their standard of living.


  9. - Century Club - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 5:06 pm:

    IPI (or the Koch Brothers group, or whoever) could easily hire people to house visit union members. The amount of money they have is bonkers and they are all in for using Janus to do as much damage to the unions as possible.

    And, as far as density is concerned, they wouldn’t just visit IEA members, they’d visit every public union member in an area.


  10. - btowntruth from forgottonia - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 5:28 pm:

    If that were true and they were showing up my door I would tell them they have five seconds to turn and walk away before I call the police and have them arrested for trespassing.


  11. - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 5:54 pm:

    Going door to door would require them to leave the basement and tell mom where they’re going


  12. - Huh? - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 6:22 pm:

    “Will the post office actually return these to IPI without postage affixed?”

    Yes and IPI pays regular postage rate for the return.

    Now if IPI had addressed the letter to “Sam Smith or Current Resident” The USPS will simply give it back to “Current Resident” even if current resident is Sam Smith.


  13. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 6:32 pm:

    They would be afraid to walk down my block.

    #BlockBoss


  14. - former teacher - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 6:33 pm:

    As a former teacher I am embarrassed that teachers would send back something like this. Throw it away……be professional.


  15. - Captain Obvious - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 7:38 pm:

    What is wrong with a door to door campaign to encourage people to drop their union membership? If the AFSCME reps can come to my house to try to convince me to join, and they did, there can be no reasonable objection to the opposite situation.


  16. - Rabid - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 7:42 pm:

    Wrap a brick in a brown paper sack, glue the letter on with a return to sender stamp


  17. - They have no morals - Wednesday, Sep 5, 18 @ 9:10 pm:

    A golf clap to the IPI . I recently moved and haven’t changed my address with CMS. I did change my address at the Drivers License Bureau. Yet the IPI went to great lengths to mail me a package to decertify out of the Union at my new address. I feel violated and want to contact the ACLU. This is borderline invasion of privacy.


  18. - Perrid - Thursday, Sep 6, 18 @ 8:26 am:

    @Captain Obvious , “Can be no reasonable objection…” what are you talking about? Like legally there can’t be an objection, but anyone can complain about being bothered or ask IPI to please take a hike. It would be a very aggressive move, and anyone could take offense at that aggression and complain about it.

    On a more personal/subjective note, if you don’t see a qualitative difference between a group saying “Stand with us and let’s all work together for our common interests” and another group saying “Abandon all of your friends, colleagues, and peers to all fight for yourselves alone” then I got nothing for ya…


  19. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Sep 6, 18 @ 8:34 am:

    ==What is wrong with a door to door campaign to encourage people to drop their union membership? If the AFSCME reps can come to my house to try to convince me to join, and they did, there can be no reasonable objection to the opposite situation.==

    So if you skip church on Sunday, it’s OK if atheists show up at your door, telling you to stop attending church?

    AFSCME was at your door because you have a job protected by them and salaried higher than you’d normally get because of them, and get benefits thanks to them. They were there because they wanted to affirm your benefits and listen to you.

    IPI doesn’t want you to have any of those things. They want you to lose your job, benefits and pay.

    How could you even compare them?
    Use your brain and hold onto what you have.
    Don’t be a volunteer putz.


  20. - Travel Guy - Thursday, Sep 6, 18 @ 8:40 am:

    “As a former teacher I am embarrassed that teachers would send back something like this. Throw it away……be professional.”

    Former teacher, there’s probably a reason you are a former educator. I’m sure you were the most beloved faculty member around the office if you believe that these IPI folks are trying to strengthen the teaching profession in any way. There is nothing more professional than unions fighting for teachers’ rights to have a say in their workplace.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Reader comments closed for the weekend
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* The Waukegan City Clerk was railroaded
* Whatever happened, the city has a $40 million budget hole it didn't disclose until now
* Manar gives state agencies budget guidance: Cut, cut, cut
* Roundup: Ex-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis testifies in Madigan corruption trial
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller