* IL AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan…

“The Bruce Rauner that managed to mask his true feelings about working families for most of last year showed his true agenda today. Much like his past proposal to cut the minimum wage, he is now going after workers on all fronts by supporting Right To Work, attacking Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation, as well as prevailing wage and Project Labor Agreements that benefit both workers and the taxpayers.

“A recent University of Illinois study points out that the net economic benefit of right to work in Illinois is negligible. The study points out that Right To Work seriously erodes wages, benefits and compounds racial and gender wage inequality. Right To Work will drop wages in Illinois between 5.7 to 7.3 percent. Prosperous economies are driven by good wages and a thriving middle class. Rauner’s proposals are not economic development, but middle class eradication.

“We suspected all along that Bruce Rauner would go back to his roots as a mega-wealthy corporate CEO and force the tired philosophy of increasing the bottom line on the backs of the workers. I haven’t seen any proposals from him on increasing Illinois’ low corporate income tax or closing big business loopholes. Where is his shared sacrifice?

“His attack on the middle class will be vigorously opposed by organized labor and community allies. He’s going to have to come up with something better than failed right-wing economic policy.”

The U of I study is here. The U of I also studied the possible repeal of the prevailing wage law, and that’s here.

…Adding… The governor’s presentation today in pdf format is here.