Educators can join thousands of their colleagues and opt out of union membership — and retain all benefits provided in their contract.

A recent report by a pro-union Illinois organization claims nationwide support for unions is increasing, including in Illinois. The Illinois part is wrong, at least for government unions. Here are three things you need to know about Illinois unions.

Labor Day this year leaves Illinois government unions fewer members to celebrate with. It appears to be the unions’ own fault. Over 36,000 workers have distanced themselves since 2017.

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.

A former Alton labor union president pleaded guilty to transporting thousands of dollars in stolen member dues across state lines to gamble and pay for personal expenses.

AFSCME Council 31’s own federal reports show 18.5% of workers have chosen to break away since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME. It could be because less than 21% of the union’s spending is on representing its members.

The drop in union membership for Illinois workers follows a 33-year downward trend, moving from more than 1-in-5 workers being in a union, to nearly 1-in-8.

A constitutionally required pamphlet intended to inform voters about Amendment 1 includes misleading and inaccurate claims. It fails to alert voters what they are really voting on, which is a property tax increase.

Illinois government unions admit spending very little on representing workers – the core purpose of a union. Maybe that’s why so many government workers are leaving the unions. Now government union bosses want taxpayers to pay for union failures.

Membership in teachers unions has decreased nearly 10% since 2017, when public educators gained the right to stop handing their pay to unions.