Why is the Illinois Policy Institute pushing union members to drop out?
The Illinois Policy Institute recently sent a mailing to AFSCME members, pushing us to drop out of our union. The IPI claims they just want to help us by making us aware of our rights.
In fact, this is the same group that has been relentlessly attacking our rights for years now. The only rights they’re interested in are those of the wealthy elite—like the Koch Brothers—who fund them.
Here’s the real Illinois Policy Institute:
- Bruce Rauner’s biggest cheerleaders—and unfailing opponents of fair wages and benefits for public employees.
- Wanted to force public employees to pay double or more for their health care.
- Argues for abolishing public employee pensions, stating that voters should “end the pension protection clause through a constitutional amendment.”
- Said that “a government shutdown might be exactly what Illinois needs.”
- Urges privatization of government services, praising one town because it privatized all government services except police and fire.
The IPI claims your current wages and benefits won't change if you drop out of the union. Not true. If members drop out, the union won’t have the resources or unity needed to stave off the forces that are trying to drive down our standard of living. That’s exactly what the IPI wants to happen.
Together we have improved and protected pensions, expanded rights on the job, made workplaces safer, blocked privatization, and so much more.
And it’s precisely those gains that the IPI wants to undermine. They want a system in which only the super-rich can contribute to candidates or lobby elected officials—silencing the voices of working people.
If you want to continue to have decent wages, affordable health care, sick and vacation time, benefits that improve your life, safe working conditions, protections against unfair treatment on the job, access to promotions, and all the other vital rights provided by your union contract and by the laws unions have helped to enact, put the IPI mailer right where it belongs—in your trash bin.
Then be sure you have signed an AFSCME Strong pledge card and make sure your co-workers have, too. Make sure they understand what the Illinois Policy Institute’s scheme—to darken the future for working families in our country—is really all about.