Governor Bruce Rauner on his inauguration day/WJEZ file photo

By Mike Spaulding and Dave Dahl–Illinois Radio News

Gov. Bruce Rauner says one of his priorities for his first year in office will be creating so-called “right to work zones.”

He spoke to students Tuesday at Richland Community College in Decatur. He says the speech previews some policies he’ll propose in his State of the State speech on Feb. 4.

Rauner supports creating “employee empowerment zones” where local communities could decide whether workers may be required to join a union as a condition of employment. He says the zones would help improve both competition and job growth.

In collective bargaining now, employees vote whether to have a union. If a majority vote for it, then the workers negotiate a contract with the employer. The union will typically ask that the contract require workers covered under the contract to join the union. If the employer agrees, then this provision is in force. In “right to work” jurisdictions, it is illegal for collective bargaining agreements to contain this provision.

Rauner says he's not advocating statewide “right to work” legislation like other Republican governors.

Many lawmakers in Springfield were less than impressed by Rauner's proposition.

State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) said she had not heard of the governor’s remarks in Decatur, but said, “I’m anxiously awaiting what he has to offer to share with us.”

“It’s probably the zones they did in – I believe – Ohio,” said another House Democratic leader, State Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley). “Since his (advisory) council is from Ohio, that makes sense. But I don’t think it will be met very well here.”

Under current law, if employees vote to form a union, the union may, in collective bargaining, ask that the contract require workers covered by the contract to be members of the union. If the employer agrees to those terms, then workers must join the union as a condition of employment. In “right to work” states, such provisions are illegal.

The State of the State speech is Feb. 4.