Illinois to divert 'fair share' fees from unions

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

So, let me get this straight in my mind...

Governor Rauner is concerned about workers being "forced" to give part of their salary to the union that negotiated their pay raises and benefits...that it violates their "freedom of speech" rights?

Even though that union is required by law to defend those workers if there is a dispute over that pay or those working conditions?

But...

Bruce thinks it's just fine to force workers to give that "dues money" to the State of Illinois instead?

The State of Illinois that ain't gonna do a damn thing for those workers...

...except (if Rauner gets his wish) maybe create "right to work zones" so that other workers can come in a take their jobs away from them at lower wages and with fewer benefits?

And to top it all off...

...Governor Rauner has ordered Illinois agencies to "keep two sets of books"?!

Whoa, creative bookkeeping just doesn't pass "the smell test"...

...isn't the "two sets of books" thing something that businesses do when they are trying to cover up breaking the law?

Oh, that's right, Rauner is breaking the law, the law of the land!

You see...

...the United States Supreme Court ruled long ago that "fair share" was constitutional!

So, since the state and/or federal courts might well rule against Rauner's anti-union scheme/attack, we better have a back-up set of books - a legal set of books - so that if/when our anti-union attack is overturned, we can spend more millions of dollars (that IL doesn't have) to sort it all out!

Then again...

...hope springs eternal!

Since Republicans are in the majority on U.S. Supreme Court, it might reverse its previous position...

...allowing the rich to get richer while the middle class disappears and the poor get poorer.

Bears repeating:

It's sad, so sad, it's a sad, sad situation, getting more and more absurd...

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh...

...we extend this post to bring you breaking news!

The story above was actually posted online yesterday, but since I had already posted three stories and the weekend is usually slow, I save it for today.

After doing my editing thing, I hit the send button and began my wee-hour surfing for news of interest to curious CATs...

From WSIL TV Channel 3

Illinois AG: Rauner's Anti-Union Proposals Illegal

From the Southern Illinoisan

Attorney general nixes Rauner's right to work gambit

CAT Tracks Editor's Addendum:

Oops!