Rauner shoring up anti-union agenda in legislature

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Herald Review

KURT ERICKSON

During his successful bid for governor last year, Bruce Rauner campaigned on a theme of shaking up Springfield.

When it comes to putting his imprint on who represents Springfield in the Illinois General Assembly, he's accomplished his goal.

Of three Republican lawmakers who represented the Springfield area when he took office, he's found jobs within his administration for each of them.

Former state Rep. Wayne Rosenthal of Morrisonville is director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Rich Brauer of Petersburg took a job as a top Rauner lieutenant at the Department of Transportation. Raymond Poe of Springfield was just named director of the Department of Agriculture.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://herald-review.com/blogs/capitol_ideas/rauner-shoring-up-anti-union-agenda-in-legislature/article_b4b69e34-60d2-5099-b074-5d83b126808f.html

[murielm99]

1. Nah. He's stymied.

The powerful Democrats here are keeping him from doing what he wants. He has not signed a budget. Government has stopped working since the ruiner took office. Our credit is in the toilet. His approval rates are at about 17%.

[Omaha Steve]

2. Pranks at meeting highlight tough road for Rauner's anti-union push

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/pranks-at-meeting-highlight-tough-road-for-rauner-s-anti/article_5f7a04bf-5b59-5a17-b785-752d09eaa1d7.html

Kurt Erickson Lee Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD | A special panel of state lawmakers and local officials is in the final stages of drafting a report designed to reduce the number of local governments spread across the Land of Lincoln.

But, as the clock ticks down on a December deadline, the task force is running into opposition from Democrats and labor unions who are fighting the committee's call to give local governments the ability to opt out of collective bargaining on certain issues when they negotiate contracts with employees.

On Thursday, during a two-hour session of the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force, members were interrupted twice by pranksters who had tapped into a conference call of the meeting.

While panel members were voting on a proposal to make collective bargaining permissive instead of mandatory, a caller played a recording of the song "Solidarity Forever" — a pro-worker song popularized by folk singer Pete Seeger.

FULL story at link.