Current lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly have received $60.2 million in contributions from unions since 2010. Most of that cash went to Democrats.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Illinois state worker Mark Janus in 2018 gave government workers the ability to stop funding government union politics. Chastened unions could have reformed. Instead, they got extreme.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson handed parental leave to his former employers at the Chicago Teachers Union with no negotiation. Now the city’s police union wants it.

It’s a simple choice for Illinois’ top legislative leaders this fall: listen to the over $1 million each got in campaign cash from teachers unions, or back the futures of 9,600 low-income students with a tax credit that is barely a blip in the $50 billion state budget.

Illinois lawmakers passed a bill giving teachers 10 paid days off for union advocacy if elected to union leadership positions.

Illinois labor leaders claimed their push to enshrine public union supremacy in the Illinois Constitution was the “blueprint” for other states. Now both California and Pennsylvania are following Illinois’ lead.

The Chicago Teachers Union pours money into political campaigns, but that isn’t all. It also pressures lawmakers to abide by its legislative agenda. It’s a one-two political punch: helping elect lawmakers and then telling them what to do.