Board of Commissioners of Cook County - File #: 15-2543

• File #: 15-2543
• Version: 2
• Name: Right to Work
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Approved
• File created: 3/30/2015
• In control: Board of Commissioners
• On agenda: 4/1/2015
• Final action: 4/29/2015
• Sponsors: JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, LARRY SUFFREDIN, JOHN P. DALEY, DEBORAH SIMS

Date	Ver.	Action By	Motion	Result
4/29/2015	1	Board of Commissioners	approve	Pass
4/29/2015	1	Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee	accept as substituted	Pass
4/29/2015	1	Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee	approve as substituted	Pass
4/1/2015	1	Board of Commissioners	refer	Pass

PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION TO 15-2543

PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CREATION OFLOCAL RIGHT TO WORK ZONES IN COOK COUNTY

WHEREAS, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has repeatedly called for the creation of local right to work zones, in which voters could decide if workers in their communities employed in unionized industries can opt out of paying dues to labor organizations; and

WHEREAS, Governor Rauner has asked for local governments across Illinois to consider a resolution asking for voter referendums to allow local right to work zones; and

WHEREAS, such action has the potential to further dismantle unionized labor organizations, which have historically protected the rights of working and middle-class Illinoisans and could lead to lower wages, reduced benefits, and poor working conditions for employees whether they are union or non-union; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan released an opinion last week unequivocally declaring that the concept of local right to work zones presented by Governor Rauner would violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA); and

WHEREAS, the Attorney General opinion additionally states that "counties and municipalities, whether home rule or non-home-rule, as well as all other political subdivisions, units of local government, and school districts of this State, are precluded by federal law from enacting ordinances and resolutions that limit or restrict the use of union security agreements. Further, current law does not authorize the creation, through the passage of a referendum, of "right to work" zones or local areas wherein union security agreements will not be recognized."; and

WHEREAS, although Illinois courts have not had to address this matter previously, courts of other jurisdictions and other state Attorneys General that have opined on the matter have uniformly concluded that the NLRA preempts the prohibition of union security agreements by units of local govern...