LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (AP) — A village board has voted to make Lincolnshire one of Illinois’ first municipalities to bar private employers from requiring workers to join or pay dues to a labor organization.
WLS-TV reports that the board approved the plan Monday after listening to an hour of public comments. Only one trustee voted in dissent.
Twenty-five states have right-to-work laws including Illinois neighbors Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has barnstormed the state calling for local areas to opt out of unions, since union-friendly Illinois is unlikely to follow suit. Local governments in some unionized states such as Kentucky have tried that approach.
Supporters of right-to-work legislation have argued that it would help promote job growth. Opponents claim it would weaken unions and could lead to lower wages.