“This thing started with me, my buddy and a paintbrush. It was all bootstrapped. We ran the businesses out of two garages and a den at our secretary’s house. Now we have anywhere from 20 to 40 guys working for us. I’m really proud of it. It’s what I’ve spent my entire adult life doing....
Chicago and Illinois have plenty of their own problems on the manufacturing front, with issues such as high property taxes and workers’ compensation costs driving production facilities to other states. But U.S. trade policy regarding sugar isn’t helping matters. For each one sugar growing and harvesting job saved through high U.S. sugar tariffs, nearly three confectionery manufacturing jobs are lost, according to the International Trade Administration.
AFSCME’S outrageous demands when negotiating for a new contract led to an impasse in negotiations. Now the union is suing to keep the state from implementing the contract – while ignoring that state workers will maintain many lavish perks unlike anything offered in the private sector.
November was a sad reminder of the corruption at various levels of Illinois government from retired House Speaker Denny Hastert to the small Village of Bellwood.
Although a new study by Northwestern University researchers shows ex-offenders can make good hires, obstacles such as negligent-hiring liability hinder employers willing to give ex-offenders a chance.
A group of state representatives has filed a lawsuit against Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger.
The proposed legislation would have hiked costs for taxpayers and undermined market forces, all to benefit special interests.
Lame-duck session allows lawmakers already ousted by voters to act with reckless abandon before leaving the Statehouse.
Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the $215 million bailout of Chicago Public Schools’ ailing teachers’ pension fund.
Illinois needs structural reforms to fix its fiscal problems, not a tax hike by lawmakers on their way out the door.
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s spokesman, Steve Brown, has repeatedly implied that Illinois insurance companies are hoarding cost savings. However, this couldn't be happening unless insurance companies were colluding in violation of the principle of antitrust laws, and there's no evidence they are. Illinois trial lawyers have echoed Brown's sentiments, but they don't seem to see evidence of antitrust violations either given that they haven't brought lawsuits against insurance companies for violating federal antitrust law.
AFSCME’s most recent ploy is a clear demonstration of its discard for the labor process. The union isn’t interested in fair negotiations and outcomes – it is only interested in skewing the process to serve its own goals.