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Chicago Tribune: Case over home health care workers' union fees must be reconsidered, Supreme Court says
As many as 80,000 Illinois home health care workers will get a second shot at recovering $32 million in union fees, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision earlier this week in a case over payments to unions.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision last year in a case involving whether the home health care workers, paid with Medicaid dollars, should be able to recoup money the state took out of their paychecks for “fair share” union fees between 2008 and 2014. Those “fair share” fees covered the costs of collective bargaining even though those workers were not union members.
Crain's Chicago Business: Illinois government unions brought their defeat on themselves
Illinois and its well-known struggle with public employee pensions was on center stage June 27 as a legal dispute that originated here finally reached its resolution at the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a 5-4 decision that surprised virtually no one, the court’s conservative majority issued a ruling that complied with the view of Gov. Bruce Rauner, who was the original plaintiff in Janus v. AFSCME, a case that pitted an Illinois worker, Mark Janus, against the union that represented him and his colleagues in bargaining with the state. The justices effectively declared Janus can’t be compelled to contribute financially to what the union tries to accomplish at the bargaining table if those goals offend his views. An ebullient Rauner was on hand in Washington to laud the decision. “Illinois workers have been forced to pay partial union dues against their will,” Rauner said. “This practice infringed on the rights of public-sector workers.”
Champaign News-Gazette: Too big to fail
There’s nothing like a golden parachute.
Everyone knows the consequences of the great fall that Humpty Dumpty took — what a mess.
It’s just too bad he didn’t work for the state of Illinois and lacked the political clout that provides soft landings for the high and mighty who take a tumble.
Consider Tim Mapes, the clerk of the Illinois House and former chief of staff to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Chicago Tribune: Gut-check for CTU and CPS
Pick almost any education issue, and you’ll find Chicago Public Schools brass and Chicago Teachers Union leaders glaring across a chasm. The two groups rarely if ever agree. Or cooperate.
On Wednesday, CPS CEO Janice Jackson unveiled another district response to the scandal exposed by the Tribune’s “Betrayed” series: CPS is opening an expansive new internal clearinghouse for sexual abuse allegations brought against educators, other staffers, or students.
Chicago Sun-Times: Another O’Hare deal sees costs soar thanks to City Hall’s no-bid add-ons
In late 2011, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration gave a no-bid, five-year deal for $115 million to a politically connected partnership to operate and maintain O’Hare Airport’s in-house transit system — the People Mover.
Nearly seven years later, that partnership, called AOR Transit Joint Venture, is still on the job. That’s after being handed more duties, without competitive bidding, that have helped bring it an extra $58 million, records show.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago’s minimum wage set to jump to $12 per hour
Chicago’s minimum wage will jump up to $12 per hour on Sunday, the latest increase in a five-year plan that will see it rise to $13 in 2019.
This year’s increase will affect more than 400,000 workers, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office.
Daily Herald: District 211 teachers contract late, but both sides happy so far
Though Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 teachers’ current four-year contract expires Saturday without a new one approved, both union and district officials say there’s nothing unusual or worrisome about the current state of negotiations.
“I’m optimistic,” said John Braglia, president of Northwest Suburban Teachers Union Local 1211. “I’m not cautiously optimistic. I am optimistic.”
Bloomington Pantagraph: Term limits, property tax ballot questions considered
McLean County officials may ask local voters to sound off this fall on two state-level proposals — and a local one that may be irrelevant.
Questions on a new state-level property tax and term limits for state elected officials could appear on local ballots Nov. 6 after County Board members discuss them Monday. The board has the power to place advisory ballot questions that poll public opinion.
State Journal-Register: Springfield sales, telecom taxes increase Sunday
The city of Springfield’s decision earlier this year to raise local sales and telecommunication taxes will begin to hit shoppers and residents on Sunday.
In almost all areas of the capital city, shoppers will see the total sales tax rate go from 8.5 percent to 8.75 percent, with city government’s new share being 2.5 percent.