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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.
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