AFSCME – the largest government worker union in the state – may pull off one of the most insulting waiting games in state history. The payoff? More than $3 billion, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

State records show AFSCME Council 31 funnels membership dues into its political action committee, which just gave a record-breaking $767,800 donation to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

The union’s own reporting shows only 20 percent of its overall spending is on “representational activities,” which should cause members to question what they are paying for.

State workers previously paying “fair share” fees no longer have money deducted from their paychecks on behalf of a union.

A bill freeing government unions from representing nonmember workers has been filed multiple times in recent years. But rather than rally around it, government unions stand in the way.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME means state workers previously paying “fair share” fees will no longer see any money deducted from their paychecks on behalf of a union.

The state will stop deducting agency fees from workers who have opted out of the union, effective immediately.