Rauner Wins Labor Battle As Madigan's Veto Override Fails
From Crain's Chicago Business
In a bizarre twist to a most unusual political day, the Illinois House has sustained Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a bill that would strip him of much of his control over collective bargaining with state employee unions.
Speaker Michael Madigan, the bill's main advocate, called it for a vote Wednesday evening even after it became clear that he lacked the votes to pass it due to the absence of one of his members, Near North Sider Ken Dunkin.
But with a Friday deadline approaching for final action on the override and signs that Dunkin would not be in Springfield at all this week, Madigan apparently decided to get on record “no votes” from several downstate Republicans who come from heavily unionized districts and may be vulnerable to Democratic challengers in the 2016 elections.
The final vote on the override was 68-34, with nine present. All but three Democrats—Dunkin and Jack Franks, who voted present, and Scott Drury, who voted no—voted yes, and all Republicans voted no or present. For the override to succeed, 71 votes were needed.
The Senate last month voted to override.
The bill involved had become a key test of wills between the Democratic speaker and the rookie Republican governor, but has big implications for budget and other issues in the larger political battle over Rauner's pro-business, anti-labor "turnaround agenda." It could be revived later, depending on Dunkin, but at least both labor groups and business groups now will know who stands where.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From Crain's Chicago Business
In a bizarre twist to a most unusual political day, the Illinois House has sustained Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a bill that would strip him of much of his control over collective bargaining with state employee unions.
Speaker Michael Madigan, the bill's main advocate, called it for a vote Wednesday evening even after it became clear that he lacked the votes to pass it due to the absence of one of his members, Near North Sider Ken Dunkin.
But with a Friday deadline approaching for final action on the override and signs that Dunkin would not be in Springfield at all this week, Madigan apparently decided to get on record “no votes” from several downstate Republicans who come from heavily unionized districts and may be vulnerable to Democratic challengers in the 2016 elections.
The final vote on the override was 68-34, with nine present. All but three Democrats—Dunkin and Jack Franks, who voted present, and Scott Drury, who voted no—voted yes, and all Republicans voted no or present. For the override to succeed, 71 votes were needed.
The Senate last month voted to override.
The bill involved had become a key test of wills between the Democratic speaker and the rookie Republican governor, but has big implications for budget and other issues in the larger political battle over Rauner's pro-business, anti-labor "turnaround agenda." It could be revived later, depending on Dunkin, but at least both labor groups and business groups now will know who stands where.
Read more in our daily News Update...