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Local GOP wariness over anti-union proposals

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Illinois

* Phil Kadner writes about local reaction to the governor’s “Turnaround Agenda,” which includes several anti-union provisions, including so-called “right to work zones.” As you already know, the governor wants local governments to pass resolutions in support of his agenda…

Like all of the [Republican] mayors I have spoken with, [Frankfort Mayor Jim Holland] is under the impression that the governor’s turnaround agenda is a “take it or leave it” proposition.

“My understanding is that the language is non-negotiable,” he said. “The governor didn’t use those exact words, but that’s definitely the impression we’ve all gotten.”

Einhorn has not met personally with the governor, but he said the executive committee of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, which did meet with Rauner, also communicated to him that the governor’s turnaround resolution was to be adopted as written by his office staff.

“That’s simply not realistic and I doubt the governor meant it that way,” Einhorn said. “You can’t dictate to other government entities. No one does that. Everything is negotiable. And I would think that if the governor wants our support, if he wants a letter he can take to legislators to Springfield that says we support his goals, he would be happy to accept whatever we pass that demonstrates that sort of support.” […]

[New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann], who met with the governor along with other Will County mayors, said he also was under the impression that the items in the turnaround agenda were non-negotiable.

“We have no plan to vote on this right now,” Baldermann said.

* But things may be changing. Last week, for example, the Republican-dominated Winnebago County Board passed a heavily edited Rauner resolution…

(T)he board’s resolution excluded Rauner’s anti-union items, such as “fair share” dues for workers who don’t join a government union, and ending prevailing wage provisions for construction projects.

“We just felt that items like fair share and prevailing wage have to be settled on a higher level. We don’t feel it’s realistic to expect much is going to be done on those items,” Christiansen said.

The Winnebago resolution is here.

* The governor, though, appears highly optimistic…

[Rauner] said he would pitch the “huge, huge” savings cities could get if they could push and benefit from the turnaround agenda, including “local control of collective bargaining and unionization, local control of prevailing wage and project labor agreements.”

“A number of mayors have said to me, ‘Bruce, you deliver those two things for me, I’m not that worried,’ ” he said, adding, “Now, not every mayor has said that, but many have.”

The administration is expecting lots more municipalities will climb on board in the next few weeks. We’ll see.

The obvious idea here is to try and leverage the powers of local officials to prod legislators to do the governor’s bidding and gives him some PR backing. That’s a good plan in and of itself, but this is such a huge mountain to climb that even if he and his staff manages to convince lots of municipalities to sign on (and that’s still a big if), it won’t necessarily pass a bill.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:36 am

Comments

Someone should tell the Governor that politically there is no such thing as “take it or leave it”. Everything is negotiable.

Basic politics 101. Inexperience is showing big time.

Comment by Stones Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:41 am
Attention “local” GOPers;

Rauner cares about Raunerite agendas, not GOP wins or Republican ideals.

Do NOT be fooled. Rauner cares about Rauner, not the GOP.

You’re welcome.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:41 am
The mayors need to beware of buying a pig in a poke. Budget cuts now while you wait for the possibility of bills passing that may give you some unknown savings in the future.

P.S. Don’t forget that you have voters to face as well. Can you apply for the slush money.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:52 am
Classic Machiavelli. Take the money away then promise to give it back for cooperation.

Comment by Anon Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:53 am
Steal my wallet then sell it back to me at a price.

Comment by John A Logan Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:58 am
For some reason, George W. Bush’s “Coalition of the Willing” comes to mind.

He’ll get some municipalities to pass it, but they will be the equivalent of Micronesia and Palau.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:01 am
Rauner thinks people are too dumb to realize that “savings”=”lower wages” and “higher poverty”. See how it’s turning out for Indiana-
http://www.indystar.com/story/money/2015/04/11/economic-gaps-growing-among-hoosiers/25639787/

Comment by chi Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:02 am
Hilarious. Rauner is grabbing money intended for locals with both hands, but he wants their help, non-negotiable?

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:03 am
It is said in Mormon mythology that Brigham Young stood overlooking the Salt Lake Valley and declared, “This is the place!”. We’ve seen black and white video recordings of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. stand before the Abraham Lincoln monument and declare, “I have a dream…” We’ve seen leaders leading Americans into the future by presenting them with a vision of a better life.

Today, we see Bruce Rauner trying to lead Illinoisans into believing that their state sucks so bad, that businesses loath Illinois so much they would rather open a tabernacle in Damascus, that a brighter future can only be achieved by abandoning what unites us and has given us one of the largest state economies throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Governor Rauner points an accusatory finger towards the people who have managed the state, denounces them as the cause of our economic distress, and demands that voters elected him to fix it. His prescriptions are right out of the medieval times when every man and woman was at the mercy of whoever bought their products, services and labors. He wants to make Illinois attractive to businesses relocating to Bangladesh, Surinam and Angola where folks live on $10 a week when they are healthy enough to work.

The smart leaders showed a brighter future which fit the passions and beliefs of the people they led. This governor is telling us that we have to turn Chicago into Chengdu so that Chicagoans can make Dollar General “tidy whities”, selling for $5 for a pack of three.

Funny how folks just aren’t lining up for this offer!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:13 am
==[Rauner] said he would pitch the “huge, huge” savings cities could get if they could push and benefit from the turnaround agenda, including “local control of collective bargaining and unionization, local control of prevailing wage and project labor agreements.”==

Rauner brings this message from big business: “Pay your workers less and pocket the rest!” What he does not understand is that these local leader need to actually live with the folks impacted by these policies.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:50 am
Any local government with a strong union presence is just inviting unneeded trouble here. The State Senate is never going to pass RTWFL or alter prevailing wage in a meaningful way. You can even argue that Senate Dems are wrong to think that way, but functionally, it doesn’t matter. They just won’t do it.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:53 am
Rauner loves the camera and keeping his name in the news.

Comment by Mama Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 10:59 am
Well, he’s got Makanda and Clinton!

Comment by Dirty Red Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:10 am
===Well, he’s got Makanda and Clinton!===

Don’t forget Fayetteville and Bluford. It’s a tidal wave of municipal support.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:11 am
This probably will result in no significant change in law or practices, but let’s not underestimate its political power.

It doesn’t matter if something is not true, or unachievable, to move funders and voters. Rauner Team clearly knows that. They are playing the long political game frighteningly well.

Comment by walker Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:26 am
Walk, you’re a voice in the wilderness here. But a very wise one.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:40 am
There is a Right To Work proposal before the Mundelein Village Board tonight. Apparently, Ed Sullivan, Sr. a village trustee is leading the charge there.

Comment by Springfieldish Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:44 am
Guy, so we’ll put you down as in favor of a governor devoting his time to the “not true, or unachievable” for perceived personal political gain.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:55 am
Sling, I’m more optimistic than that. But put me down in any manner you wish. Like I could prevent that. lol. I’m on the record for suggesting that there’s more cooperation in general than what meets the eye. When I read threads like this, I can only wonder what folks think in terms of how many alternatives there are after years of poor government. I’ve simply chosen not to sit around and gripe. Just make some progress every day. Everything this governor proposes is going to have a constituency of naysayers. They like things the way they are. What’s that tell you?

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:10 pm
===Everything this governor proposes is going to have a constituency of naysayers. They like things the way they are. What’s that tell you?===

Tells me reading the law or the Constitution, or the governmental or political realities isn’t something the Governor prefers to do, rather, the Governor would rather be unrealistic or look towards unrealistic or unconstitutional ways to lead people on?

Got it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:15 pm
Guy, you don’t understand what Walker wrote. Try it again.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:18 pm
“They are playing the long political game frighteningly well.”

I see little evidence that this is either a long term plan, or that it’s so far being executed very well. In fact, given Rauner’s long history of a pathetic preoccupation with unions, there’s strong evidence that this isn’t much a deliberate plan at all- just the action of someone who pathologically can’t avoid lashing out at unions.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:23 pm
” Everything this governor proposes is going to have a constituency of naysayers. They like things the way they are.”

Everything anyone proposes is going to have people who disagree with it, and the second sentence does not logically follow from the first. I know you really need “opposing Rauner” to be synonymous with “opposing any change to the status quo”, but it just ain’t so.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:26 pm
Local control - translation - pay poverty level wages and you can get a lot of work done so that elite have nice roads to drive on while tossing cake out their windows

Comment by Ghost Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:43 pm
==Wordslinger - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:18 pm:

Guy, you don’t understand what Walker wrote. Try it again.===

Actually, I do. I’m more hopeful than he is, but I admire that he’s looking through a wider lens than most people do. He usually does.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:34 pm
- I’m more hopeful than he is -

For crying out loud, Guy, walker’s comment has nothing to do with hope.

He’s saying that Rauner is a fraud, a snake oil salesman, and a good one.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:44 pm
There seems to be a major miscommunication between the governor and some of his supposed allies.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:11 pm
At this time Rauner has one personal significant achievement, he beat Quinn. With typical Illinois Republican tunnel vision, they believed the state was now on the road to being another surrounding midwestern state; totally ignoring that the party did not pick up a single seat in either legislative chamber. However, reality has begun to establish itself and now many of those election night celebrants are finding that the trickle down expectations of that victory may well result in their own political demise.

Comment by Buzzie Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:56 pm
@Arsenal - PATHOLOGICAL indeed. He disregards the law, manipulates, lies, brags about what an enemy he can be, bullies, buys and threatens to buy or withhold. Agrees to protect organizations and then cuts their funding as if to say to the General Assembly, “I am doing it because I can, because I am in charge.” Real lives were put at risk on the Good Friday Massacre. But then, he put lives at risk as a CEO. I wonder at what point some members of the GOP will have the courage to say enough is enough? This all is very troubling.

Comment by Anon Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:58 pm
So probably the most amazing thing in Governor Rauner’s “Illinois Turnaround” document appears on page headed “local employee empowerment zones.”

It reads: “Joining a union should be a choice - workers should be free to join or not join a union as they see fit. States that have embraced employee empowerment and moved away from forced unionization have seen significant economic development. A study by the Fraser Institute examined findings from an econometric model of state gross product and total employment for 49 states from 1977-2010. The study found that employee empowerment laws increase economic output by 1.8 percent and increased employment by 1 percent for the average state.”

So for this great turnaround plan yields a 1 percent increase in employment for the whole state? Really that is the goal here, pretty sad.

Comment by Rod Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:29 pm
=== Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:44 pm:

- I’m more hopeful than he is -

For crying out loud, Guy, walker’s comment has nothing to do with hope.====

Shift to decaf friend. I didn’t interpret any hope from Walk’s post. Only some sage thought. I am more hopeful. I’m sure he doesn’t see things that way. I applauded the wideness of his perspective. No more, no less.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:23 pm
TeamRauner’s playing field for this RTW political game appears to be national. Illinois standards and expectations might not apply, when trying to evaluate its effectiveness.

Rauner could become a GOP hero if his is the case that goes up the Federal Court ladder, and helps other Republican states do as they please with unions, even if it never happens in Illinois due to our GA.

Comment by walker Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:32 pm
- applauded the wideness -

Sure thing, guy. Someone points out your man is a huckster, and you appreciate his perspective.

In reality your reading comprehension doesn’t allow you to understand what folks are saying.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 8:06 pm