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Lock-out bill signed

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Illinois

New law today:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed legislation Monday extending unemployment insurance benefits to locked out workers, a move that businesses claim could cost them up to $14 million a year more in contributions to unemployment insurance. […]

The signing of the legislation is considered a victory for organized labor in the state. The legislation cleared the General Assembly during the final hours of 2004 session after the bill appeared to have stalled earlier in the session.

Business groups argued that the bill moves unemployment insurance away from its primary purpose of compensating workers who loose their jobs through no fault of their own, such as an plant closing or because of layoffs.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 4:01 pm

Comments

This is a great way to bring new business to Illinois. Great job Gov. and the democratic party of Illinois. Go ahead and raise a few more fees to balance the budget again. Business love the great enviroment in Illinois, the only new business in Illinois are all the out of state contractors that have given contributions to the GOV.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 7:47 pm
Actually, this may be one of the few good things that the Governor has done to try to balance the power between workers and employers.

I don’t think this bill will have much of an effect on attracting business to Illinois. I don’t buy into the whole argument that businesses choose where to locate solely on the basis of low taxes. Ridiculously high taxes do drive away business; but Illinois’ taxes on businesses are not that out of line with the rest of the country.

Surveys and anecdotes confirm that businesses will locate wherever there’s a competent work force and good quality of life. That means good schools, low crime, efficient government services. After deciding where to locate, corporations will play the tax credit/rebate/incentive game for all they’re worth.

Wouldn’t it truly be refreshing to have a Governor who says he’ll hold the line on broad-based taxes, stop giving incentives to individual companies, and work on creating a state where corporations want to locate, regardless of the tax rate? That would be a truly worthy accomplishment.

Comment by The Other Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 7:54 pm
Good move Governor. Its hard to believe that some in the business world believe that a person would rather collect a fraction of their pay through unemployment insurance, rather than go to work and earn an honest buck for an honest days work. Regardless of what business would have you believe, people still find honor in work. Its too bad that the greedy corporations favor the bottom line over the wekfare of the workers. They would like nothing more than to bring the workers to their knees and take away all of their rights.

Im a union man who sees a democratic governor standing up for my rights. I dont buy the hype that his pension plan will rob me of my retirement. It wont affect me, but it will save the state a boat load of money.

Its good to have a governor who stands up for labor, while being an honorable steward of the taxpayers money.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 7, 05 @ 10:46 pm
I think the above post offers a pretty good composite of the ordinary Illinois voter; a hard-working employee of the private sector, who wants to be treated fairly by their employer, but doesn’t want to pay more taxes to the public sector trough-slurpers.

And that is why Blago will be re-elected.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 8, 05 @ 1:10 am
Illinois is losing private sector jobs all the time.

Blago has raised fees on everything

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Mar 12, 05 @ 4:11 pm