(The Center Square) – A bill Democrats say will protect public employees during strikes is on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk, a signature away from becoming state law.
House Bill 2521, sponsored by state Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr., aims to help public sector employees in the event of a strike. If signed, the bill would prohibit employers from threatening to terminate employees if they go on strike.Gonzalez said the goal of the legislation is to give workers more leverage at the bargaining table in the event of a strike.”After speaking with some unions, I asked them is there anything I can do to help bring them more leverage when bargaining,” Gonzalez said. “I met with 4 different unions while drafting this legislation and the 5 of us came up with this bill to help employees.”State Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, opposed HB2521. He said that this bill is taking all of the power the employer has in the face of an economic strike.”Basically what this bill is doing, from an employer’s standpoint, is taking away all of our power in the face of an economic strike,” Reick said.Gonzalez said the bill will help employees.”I tend to look at this from the positive side and that is protecting employees when they feel they need to strike,” Gonzalez said.The bill would not allow for the termination of workers, but it does allow employers to hire temporary workers.Those in opposition include Republicans and the Illinois Association of School Boards. State Rep. Charles Meier, R-Highland, raised concerns about the legislation.”We have veterans in our hospitals that require special care, the care of a worker who knows front and back how to work with them and care for them,” Meier said. “Adding a temporary worker to a place like that could have horrible consequences.”If Pritzker signs the legislation, it will go into effect immediately.
