Campaign notebook
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Darren Bailey on Facebook yesterday…
And then finally as your children are off to school again today in public schools all across Illinois, unfortunately, they’re being taught woke ideology. They’re being taught CRT, they’re being taught sex education, and these curriculums have been elevated. That’s all that’s been talked about over the last couple of years instead of the math, the science, the reading, all of the history. History. We have got to start teaching our children how to live, how to work, how to thrive. History is very important, the real history because history repeats itself. History is repeating itself right now. History will repeat itself in a dangerous way if we allow it, but we can stop this.
* Vanity Fair interviewed Gov. Pritzker early last month, when people were talking about runs for president and stuff like this…
“I think it is disgusting,” outgoing Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the January 6 committee, told CNN in late July of the strategy [by Democrats to help nominate far-right Republicans in primaries].
Pritzker brushed off the criticism.
An overwhelming majority of voters in the Illinois Republican primary selected Bailey of their own volition, and it’s insulting to their intelligence to suggest they were tricked into it, he told me. What’s more, “the ads that were run in the primaries were all ads that I could run today in the general election,” he said.
The GOP was fighting to “transform the state of Illinois into what Donald Trump wants the country to be transformed into.” What was he supposed to do?
“I was being attacked,” he said. “Don’t tell me I’m not allowed to attack back.”
* Kelly Bauer and Colin Boyle at Block Club Chicago report that US Rep. Chuy Garcia will soon announce a decision about a mayoral bid…
Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García is considering a run for mayor, he said Wednesday.
García — a longtime local politician and community organizer — would be entering an already crowded field, but he could pose a significant challenge to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In the 2015 elections, when he last ran for mayor, he forced then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel into a runoff. […]
“I don’t want to pressure myself,” García said at a news conference where he and other leaders announced who they’re endorsing in various races. “I want to be as deliberate and as understanding of all of the issues that are facing the city of Chicago. The public safety challenges, the promise of new endeavors, and the area of public safety … .” […]
“In all seriousness, I am conflicted because of the responsibility that I have to help save and protect our democracy and our republic,” García said. “The threat against our democracy remains so violent. We’ve been hanging by a thread for the past year now or so. So I’m conflicted.”
* Speaking of which, here’s Mary Ann Ahern…
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is already facing a large field of challengers in the upcoming mayoral election, but a familiar face may join that crowd as former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he is mulling a run.
Quinn, who served as governor after the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich and who was defeated by Republican Bruce Rauner in 2014, says that he will make his final decision within a matter of weeks as petitions begin to circulate for candidates.
“I think Chicago needs someone who can step in and rescue our city,” he said.
Quinn says that polling data shows a strong performance if he were to jump into the race.
“I did a poll earlier, just recently, and I had 42% and I think the incumbent mayor had 31%,” he said.
* Yesterday…
Today, the Illinois AFL-CIO criticized Regan Deering, Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, for her tone-deaf and anti-worker comments in her interview with WCIA’s Cole Henke on Labor Day.
Deering said that she “doesn’t believe we need to enshrine union power” when asked if she supports the Workers’ Rights Amendment on the ballot in Illinois this year. Deering, who is worth up to over $142 million was asked if she supports a minimum wage – after previously complaining about having to pay workers $10 per hour – said that she would look at the “$10 to $13” – which would be a decrease from Illinois’ $15 dollar minimum wage that fully goes into effect in less than three years.
“When you’re worth up to $142 million, you probably don’t need to worry about enshrining the right to bargain collectively and fight for fair wages and safe working conditions,” said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “For the rest of us, we do. That’s why organized labor exists – to stand up for the worker against people like Regan that would exploit them.
“Regan left no room for doubt – she is anti-labor and anti-worker. She is advocating to pay workers less than the Illinois minimum wage.”
* Today…
Candidate for the 13th Congressional District in Illinois Nikki Budzinski has spent her career championing policies that cause tax increases, higher gas prices, and inflation, all of which are the triple threat faced by working families today all across Illinois. Now, Budzinski wants to take her attack on middle-class families a step further, and repeal the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
According to Budzinski’s policy agenda, her top economic priority is repealing the 2017 tax cuts legislation that save Illinois families over $1,000 a year.
“This is the absolute worst time to raise taxes on Illinois families,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “As families across our state grapple with Gov. JB Pritzker’s high taxes and President Joe Biden’s inflation, the last thing we need in Congress is another tax-and-spend-happy politician. Whether working for Pritzker or Biden, one thing is consistent about Nikki Budzinski - she’s made a career out of championing policies that have caused pain at the pump, higher taxes, and the generationally high inflation that we’re facing today. She will do even more damage if elected to Congress.”
In 2019, while Nikki Budzinski was serving as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor, JB Pritzker signed a $45 million package of bills that doubled the gas tax, while indexing annual gas tax increases to inflation. She was also in a senior role in advocating for Pritzker’s failed tax referendum that would have changed the Illinois Constitution to give politicians more opportunities to raise income taxes.
In 2021, Budzinski joined the Biden Administration as Chief of Staff to the Office of Management and Budget to - you guessed it - advance higher taxes and higher inflation while turning a blind eye to skyrocketing energy costs. Budzinski led the office that was in charge of implementing Biden’s vision for America that included canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, which eliminated more than 1,000 great jobs and cut Americans off from much-needed additional energy resources. Budzinski continues to champion the American Rescue Plan, despite dire warnings from respected Democrat economists that it would cause the severe inflation that we are now seeing.
“Nikki Budzinski’s solution to solving the inflation problem she helped create is implementing higher taxes on working families. Central Illinois families cannot afford Nikki Budzinski,” said Chairman Tracy.
* 3rd Supreme Court District…
Justice Mary Kay O’Brien, candidate for Illinois Supreme Court, 3rd District receives the strong backing of the Coalition of Frontline Police Officers. The coalition comprises Illinois Police Benevolent & Protective Association (“PBPA”), Metropolitan Alliance of Police (“MAP”), Illinois Council of Police and Sheriffs (“ICOPS”), and Association of Professional Police Officers (“APPO”), representing over 20,000 active and retired law enforcement officers across Illinois.
“Judge Mary Kay O’Brien earned our support because she has made the safety and advocacy of law enforcement officers in the line of duty a priority,” said Sean M. Smoot, Chairman of the Coalition and the Director and Chief Counsel of PBPA. “Judge O’Brien’s extensive career serving Illinoisians over the last 25 years as a State Representative and Appellate Court Justice is the experience we need on the highest court in Illinois.”
“I am honored to have the support of the Police Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois,” said Justice Mary Kay O’Brien. “As an association who protects the rights of our working men and women in law enforcement, I am proud to have the support of law enforcement across the Third District.”
“Accordingly, the Coalition strongly endorses Justice Mary Kay O’Brien to the Supreme Court of Illinois.”
The Coalition of Frontline Police Officers was established in 2022 to provide a voice for frontline officers who serve and protect our communities across Illinois.
* Equality Illinois…
In an unprecedented move, Equality Illinois, the state’s LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, endorsed Judge Elizabeth Rochford and Judge Mary Kay O’Brien for election to the Illinois Supreme Court in the 2022 General Election.
“Equality Illinois has not traditionally engaged in judicial races but the alarm bells are ringing loudly for our democracy and our rights. That’s why we today are proud to endorse Judge Elizabeth Rochford and Judge Mary Kay O’Brien for Justices on the Illinois Supreme Court,” said Justin DeJong, Chair of the Equality Illinois Board of Directors. “We are confident Judge Rochford and Judge O’Brien will ensure every person receives equal protection and due process under the law and that they will also protect the tenets of democracy.”
This fall, two newly-redistricted seats on the Illinois Supreme Court are up for election: the 2nd Judicial District (DeKalb, Lake, Kane, Kendall and McHenry Counties) and the 3rd Judicial District (Bureau, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle and Will Counties). Rochford is in the 2nd Judicial District and O’Brien is in the 3rd Judicial District.
With the United States Supreme Court controlled by justices opposed to the foundational rights underpinning reproductive freedoms and marriage equality, the Illinois Supreme Court is the last line of defense to protect the rights grounded in Illinois law. If anti-equality and anti-family forces take over the Illinois Supreme Court, many hard-won freedoms will be in jeopardy. In Illinois, the non-discrimination protections in the Illinois Human Rights Act, the marriage equality law, the conversion therapy ban, and the requirement to teach LGBTQ+ contributions in public schools are examples of laws that could be annihilated. We are also gravely concerned about judicial attacks on free and fair elections, access to justice, voting rights, reproductive rights, workers rights, and criminal justice reforms.
“For voters in the 2nd and 3rd Judicial Districts, we urge all who care about LGBTQ+ equality and justice to vote for Rochford and O’Brien,” said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. “Vote like your rights depend on this election. Because they do.”
* AFFI…
Today, the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) announced its endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford in her campaign for Illinois Supreme Court in the Second District. The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois is the state’s foremost authority on, and advocate for, issues related to professional union firefighters and EMS providers. The AFFI does not base its political endorsements on party affiliation, but on support of issues important to firefighters in general and to their members in particular.
“The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois recently met to consider the candidates in this race, and it was clear that Judge Elizabeth Rochford is the most qualified to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court in the Second District,” said AFFI President Chuck Sullivan. “Judge Rochford’s extensive experience and qualifications in and around the court system has positioned her to be an excellent Justice, and we are proud to support her campaign.”
This endorsement builds on Judge Rochford’s strong support in both the primary and general elections, including the Illinois State AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Personal PAC, Secretary of State Jesse White, Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Iris Martinez, and multiple pro-choice legislative leaders.
“Our firefighters are an incredibly important part of the fabric of our communities, risking their lives everyday to keep us safe,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois in my campaign, and am committed to bringing equity and justice to the Illinois Supreme Court.”
* DuPage County…
Dear Honorable Deb Conroy:
The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 is a proud labor union with a long history of representing the interests of working men and women on the job, at the bargaining table, and in the halls of government. In addition to workers’ rights, we value commitment to a strong and reliable infrastructure that supports Illinois’ economy and creates job opportunities in every industry.
I am proud to inform you that IUOE Local 150 has endorsed your candidacy for DuPage County Chair in the General Election, and this endorsement will be communicated to our membership.
Hardworking Illinoisans are counting on determined leaders to stand up for their rights and ensure that we have a safe infrastructure that is a strength rather than a weakness when it comes to economic activity and job creation.
Good luck in the upcoming election.
In Solidarity,
James M. Sweeney
President-Business Manager
…Adding… Press release…
Today, three Mayors- Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles, Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti, and Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo- announced their decision to join the “Mayors for Raja” coalition, endorsing Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s re-election campaign to continue to represent Illinois’ 8th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
“I have been in contact with the Congressman on a regular basis to discuss and address our local issues and needs,” said Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles. “I am confident our community will be well served by Raj.”
“Congressman Raja reached out to me when I was sworn in as Village President and maintained communication since,” said Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti. “Being able to pick up the phone when I have questions or concerns means a lot to me.”
“Congressman Krishnamoorthi and his office have been instrumental assisting residents of Rolling Meadows through the immigration process and a path towards citizenship,” said Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo.
“I humbly accept these endorsements,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The new Illinois 8th Congressional District spans across the West and Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, from the 41st Ward in the City of Chicago to St. Charles, Illinois. Having the support of the many bipartisan local leaders who represent these communities is absolutely instrumental, and it speaks to my track record of working collaboratively and in a bipartisan fashion on the pressing economic and social issues impacting working families in Illinois.”
The growing list of 14 Mayors now includes:
• Addison Mayor Richard Veenstra
• Carol Stream Village Mayor Frank Saverino
• Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain
• Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson
• Gilberts Village President Guy Zambetti
• Hanover Park Village President Rod Craig
• Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod
• Inverness Mayor Jack Tatooles
• Itsasca Village President Jeff Pruyn
• Oak Brook Village President Gopal Lalmalani
• Schaumburg Village President Tom Dailly
• Rolling Meadows Mayor Joe Gallo
• Roselle Mayor David Pileski
• Villa Park President Nick Cuzzone
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Open thread
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My uncle was in good spirits after his surgery yesterday. He’s looking at several weeks of recovery, but he’s one of the toughest people I know (along with having one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve ever met), so he should eventually be OK.
Anyway, how are you doing?
…Adding… My brother found these photos in my late grandfather’s wallet while he was visiting my uncle before I got there. My granddad was my uncle’s father…
Granddad was born in 1904.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Sep 6, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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The intolerable mess at Choate
Friday, Sep 2, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Beth Hunsdorfer of Capitol News Illinois and Molly Parker of Lee Enterprises Midwest have some ProPublica Illinois stories up today about Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. First, a bit of background on the center…
People from across Illinois come to live at the 270-bed facility on the outskirts of the small town of Anna, Illinois. It serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illnesses or a combination of disorders. Patients can enter voluntarily or be placed there by a guardian, or a judge may order them to Choate for treatment after finding they’re at risk of harming themselves or others. Many end up living at Choate for years.
Nearly 15% of Choate residents with developmental disabilities have diagnoses in the severe or profound range; about 10% are nonverbal.
“In essence, many of these individuals can be ‘the perfect victim’ for a crime because it is easy to cast doubt on someone who has mental challenges or can’t give a statement due to their mental health status,” said Tyler Tripp, the state’s attorney in Union County.
Choate houses the state’s only forensic unit for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have been accused of a crime and found either unfit to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity. That’s the unit where Reichard, who had been arrested for attacks on his family, police and medical personnel, initially lived; he was moved to the less restrictive “step-down” unit in 2014. Though Choate includes a small psychiatric unit, a review of records shows that most of the alleged mistreatment has involved patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
* Much of the story contains graphic descriptions of beatings by employees. But here are some numbers…
Using court records and Illinois State Police case files, reporters found that at least 26 Choate employees were arrested on felony charges over roughly the same time period, including four who were connected to the Reichard case. Employees have since been accused of whipping, choking, punching and raping residents.
Among the more recent arrestees are four employees who were accused of choking and beating another Choate patient in 2020, leading to felony battery charges. Two have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery charges in exchange for probation sentences and two cases are still pending.
In 2020, an employee was charged with felony battery, for allegedly taking off his belt and using it to repeatedly whip a resident. Then, earlier this year, an employee was charged with criminal sexual assault of an intellectually disabled person who lived at the facility. And in another 2022 case, an employee was charged for allegedly grabbing a nonverbal patient with the mental capacity of a 15-month-old by the neck and punching him in the back of the head as a security officer watched, according to court records. These three cases are still pending.
Over the years, advocates have called for the facility to be closed. “It’s a purely political decision to keep Choate open,” said civil rights attorney Thomas Kennedy, who has provided legal services to Choate patients on and off for decades. “It’s not about helping people. It’s not about habilitating or rehabilitating people. It’s about keeping jobs in the community. Period. They have failed miserably at any other mission.”
* And then there’s this…
IDHS’ inspector general recommended the installation of cameras in the course of 21 investigations into abuse and neglect allegations at Choate between fiscal years 2015 and 2021, according to a review of internal records by the news organizations. Each time, Choate officials responded to the inspector general that it was “not an option due to budget concerns.”
This summer, advocates and insiders praised Hou’s announcement that IDHS would finally install cameras.
But in response to reporters’ questions, Kollias, the agency spokesperson, clarified that the cameras would go outside the facility.
One former investigator with the inspector general’s office, when told of the plan to put cameras outside, called it “a waste of money and time.” Almost all abuse and neglect allegations stem from incidents that occur inside.
Unbelievable. What the actual heck?
…Adding… I’m told this letter sent to stakeholders yesterday by IDHS Director Grace Hou indicates that the department is moving away from its decision to keep the cameras outside…
Adding approximately 10 surveillance cameras to public areas (in process).
UPDATE: A contract for camera purchase, plus related equipment and installation is being finalized. The vendor has assessed wiring needs for installation on campus. Work is underway to install cameras in public locations where there is a low, or no reasonable expectation for privacy. Guardians who wish to install cameras in their loved ones’ rooms may also do so– and have done so in several facilities.
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Workers’ Rights Amendment opinion roundup
Friday, Sep 2, 2022 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea…
This election season, we have a historic opportunity to enshrine our right to organize and bargain collectively with coworkers in our state constitution when we vote yes on the Workers’ Rights Amendment. Doing so would send a powerful message that Illinois is and always will be a workers’ rights state while protecting Illinoisans from the whims of any anti-worker politician that may come along in the future.
Protecting collective bargaining has benefits for everyone in our state. When we protect the right to organize, we’re putting more money into the pockets of working people. A recent study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that union construction workers, emergency responders like firefighters and registered nurses, and teachers earn anywhere from 5 to 35 percent more in Illinois compared to anti-worker states.
And those middle-class jobs are available to working people of all backgrounds across our state, no college degree necessary. Plus, collective bargaining raises wages for all workers, union or not. When pay goes up for union workers, non-union workers often see the benefits, as well as employers, compete with one another in a tight labor market.
For our first responders like firefighters, police officers, and nurses, the Workers’ Rights Amendment will protect their ability to collectively fight for better training and equipment on the job, keeping them safe while they keep our communities safe. These heroes know how to protect our communities, and when we strengthen their ability to collectively bargain, we protect their right to fight for the tools they need to get the job done.
* Illinois Policy Institute Executive Vice President Amy Korte…
Business owners will pay a high price if they vote for a proposed law at the top of the ballot on Election Day.
Amendment 1 is a potential change to the Illinois Constitution up for a vote Nov. 8. Proponents disingenuously refer to Amendment 1 as a “Workers’ Rights Amendment,” yet no Illinois worker would lose their rights if the amendment fails. Business owners would face hefty costs if it passes, though. […]
Uncertainty is a business person’s enemy, and here, too, the amendment presents a threat. The language is so broad that it attempts to regulate union bargaining powers in the private sector, but the federal government already regulates private-sector union workers. This could entangle private business owners in costly and time-consuming litigation, as the employers may need to go to court to determine which laws and protections apply to their businesses and unions.
More tax dollars for government unions and potential legal costs for private businesses translate into less money to hire workers or pay general operating expenditures. Amendment 1 wouldn’t just cut into Illinois businesses’ bottom lines: it could hinder operations as well.
* Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting opinion by Marc Poulos…
Instead, ever since Congress first passed national legislation allowing workers to form unions and bargain collectively, we’ve seen a steady and successful effort to erode these same rights in the courts and in dozens of states. Over the past 60 years, this has led to a historic low in the share of American workers represented by labor unions, even as unions enjoy historic highs in public opinion polling. […]
This has not been a good trend for workers or our economy. Research has shown that states where politicians have weakened unions and collective bargaining suffer from slower economic growth and lower levels of workforce productivity. Indeed, recent research from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign revealed that workers in these states earned lower wages; faced higher rates of poverty and income inequality; and were less likely to have health insurance, more likely to rely on government welfare programs and significantly more likely to be injured or killed on the job. […]
The Workers’ Rights Amendment to the Illinois Constitution offers a similar check on the structural power imbalance that has long existed at the workplaces where we spend so much of our lives.
Importantly, it will finally guarantee rights that have long proven to deliver higher job quality, better safety outcomes and a stronger overall economy.
* Adrienne Alexander and Father Clete Kiley writing for Chicago Catholic say support for the amendment is “not in doubt” in Catholic teachings …
The purpose of this article is to highlight relevant principles of Catholic social teaching that faithful citizens should take into consideration as they decide how to vote.
First, the right of workers to organize in unions is one of the oldest principles of modern Catholic social teaching. It was first articulated by Pope Leo XIII in 1891.
Observing the exploitation and abuse of the working classes during the early industrial revolution, the Holy Father observed in his encyclical “Rerum Novarum” that “workingmen’s unions” were helping redress cruel and inequitable conditions in the workplace and wished “that they should become more numerous and more efficient” (49).
This teaching has been repeatedly reaffirmed by the church ever since. “Among the basic rights of the human person is to be numbered the right of freely founding unions for working people,” according to the Second Vatican Council’s “Gaudium et Spes.” “Included is the right of freely taking part in the activity of these unions without risk of reprisal” (68).
* Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon…
Supporters of Amendment 1, the so-called Workers’ Rights Amendment, are all over the place with contradictory, outlandish claims about what the amendment would do if approved by voters in November.
The latest is their first TV ad featuring a private-sector health care worker at a children’s facility. He says, “These kids are fighters. We work with them so they can make it to their next birthday. We see these kids as family, but hospitals see them as dollar signs. They cut corners. Fewer nurses, longer shifts. It’s not safe for these kids. When we speak up, we risk being fired. But the Workers’ Rights Amendment will protect us as we stand up for our patients. I shouldn’t lose my job for putting them first. That is my job.”
But hold on. Applying the amendment to the private sector flatly contradicts what the lead sponsor of the resolution for the amendment told the Illinois Senate. In discussion on the Senate floor, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said, “as federal labor law stands today, the amendment could not apply to the private sector.”
Which is it?
* Lake County News-Sun Managing Editor Charles Selle…
A vote in favor of Amendment 1, also called the benign Workers’ Rights Amendment, establishes a state constitutional right for Illinois employees to bargain collectively to negotiate wages, hours and working conditions. While Illinois is not a right-to-work state, there is nothing in the state’s Constitution to ensure it never becomes one.
The proposal is opposed by business interests and conservative organizations who maintain, if adopted, it will give too much power to unions and result in higher taxes. Opponents also claim the amendment is quite vague and tip the negotiating scale in favor of organized labor.
Less than a handful of states have similar amendments protecting collective bargaining in their constitutions. More than 30 states have right-to-work laws, despite studies showing the relationship between union membership, and higher salaries and benefits.
Currently, about 11.2% of U.S. workers belong to unions. A few years ago, it was 13%. The figure is even worse in the private sector, where just one in 15 employees is a union member.
…Adding… Illinois Family Action’s John Lopez…
Billed as the “Workers Rights Amendment” by its proponents, particularly within the publication from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign titled “The Workers’ Rights Amendment and Its Impact on Protecting Quality Jobs and Essential Industries in Illinois” published on August 11, this response will urge a “NO” vote on Amendment 1.
The reason for the “NO” vote is simple, and 3-fold.
It is the honest opinion of the author of this response Amendment 1 should not pass for the following reasons:
-Current Illinois law already guarantees the freedoms the proponents say are needed through passage of Amendment 1
-The proponents present their case focusing heavily on labor unions and not the workers across Illinois or the changing economy for workers choices and entrepreneurships which no longer need representation through a labor union
-With the current organized labor movement within Illinois, other states and within the current Administration and the United States Congress, the risks for all workers under the current Amendment outweigh the benefits proponents claim
Finally, all workers freedoms can be protected through a holistic approach to reforming current labor law at the national level and within the state of Illinois without the need for a constitutional amendment. As witnessed at the Port of Oakland in July where 1099 independent contractors and rank-and-file union members stood side-by-side, so can all stakeholders work respectfully together to build the long-term solution to ensure workers rights, while protecting the American workers’ freedoms within and outside of a labor union.
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Live coverage
Friday, Sep 2, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Texas governor expels migrants to Chicago
Thursday, Sep 1, 2022 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WBEZ…
The City of Chicago and nonprofit organizations are mobilizing to provide temporary shelter and other services to dozens of migrants who arrived by bus Wednesday from Texas, according to city officials.
For weeks, there had been rumors that migrants arriving at the Texas border would be sent on charter buses to Chicago, as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” border security initiative. […]
The mayor’s office released a statement on Wednesday evening, saying about 60 migrants arrived in Chicago.
“Chicago is a welcoming city and as such has collaborated across various departments and agencies to ensure we greeted [the migrants] with dignity and respect,” the statement read.
* Sun Times…
The migrants, mostly from Venezuela, faced long, treacherous journeys trying to reach the United States. Some migrants said they traveled for nearly 30 days, others almost 40 days, to reach Texas, crossing jungles, deserts and small towns, meeting up with other migrants along the way.
“We crossed the jungle, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and then got here,” said Cesar Rodriguez, 21, adding that he originally wanted to go to New York but was told that they wouldn’t be able to send him there. So when they offered Chicago instead, he immediately accepted. […]
As city officials welcome incoming immigrants, various city agencies are working to provide social services in response to Abbott’s actions.
“We understand that many are fleeing violent, traumatic or otherwise unstable environments,” said a spokesperson from Lightfoot’s office. “We will respond with essential services while these individuals navigate the next steps of their journey, and our community partners have been working diligently to provide a safety net.”
* The Tribune reported 75 migrants were dropped off at Chicago’s Union Station…
”We are tired and hungry, like any other human being,” one said. “Can you help me?” he asked a Tribune reporter.
Many of the migrants waiting carried a clear plastic bag with their documents and small possessions. Few had cell phones and most had a piece of paper where they had written phone numbers of people who might be able to help them.
”We just want a place to sleep tonight,” said Jose Rios, 40, as other Venezuelan men surrounded him. They all met on their journey from Texas to Chicago, they said.
“We are so hungry but have no idea where to go or what to do,” said Rios, who left his three children and wife back in his native country. He said he migrated because the poverty in Venezuela is extreme. ”We just want to work now — have a dignified life,” he said.
* Statement from Abbott…
Governor Greg Abbott today announced the arrival of the first group of migrants bused to Chicago, Illinois from Texas. The migrants were dropped off at Union Station tonight. In addition to Washington, D.C. and New York City, Chicago will now be a drop-off location for the busing strategy as part of the Governor’s response to President Biden’s open border policies overwhelming border communities in Texas.
“President Biden’s inaction at our southern border continues putting the lives of Texans—and Americans—at risk and is overwhelming our communities,” said Governor Abbott. “To continue providing much-needed relief to our small, overrun border towns, Chicago will join fellow sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City as an additional drop-off location. Mayor Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status, and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action as these migrants receive resources from a sanctuary city with the capacity to serve them.”
In April, Governor Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to charter buses to transport migrants from Texas to Washington, D.C. Earlier this month, the Governor added New York City as second drop-off location. Since beginning this busing strategy in the spring, thousands of migrants have been transported to these sanctuary cities while providing much-needed relief to Texas’ overwhelmed border communities. With its “Welcoming City Ordinance” making it a sanctuary city, Chicago will not deny city services to individuals based on their immigration status. The city also does not require local police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
* Pritzker’s response via ABC…
Illinois’ Democratic chief executive took the unusual step of releasing a late-night statement pledging asylum seekers and migrants arriving Wednesday evening in Chicago will be treated safely and with respect.
“Illinois welcomes refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and we are working with federal and city officials to ensure that these individuals are treated with respect and safety as they look to connect with their family and friends,” said Pritzker.
“My great-grandfather came to this country as an immigrant fleeing Ukraine in 1881. Immigrants just like my family seeking freedom and opportunity built this country,” Pritzker said.
“Illinois is and has always been a welcoming state,” he added.
* Twitter coverage…
…Adding… Texas Tribune…
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and top state lawmakers shifted around roughly $1 billion in federal coronavirus aid to help pay for their campaign to arrest migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, exposing gaps in a law meant to bolster the country’s response to the ongoing pandemic.
Relying on the availability of generous federal relief funds, Texas repeatedly in recent months rerouted state money toward its controversial immigration crackdown — all without leaving a massive hole in its budget. But critics say the money would have been put to better use tending to a public health crisis that has killed more than 86,000 people in the state.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Sep 1, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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