How Blago and public-sector unions ruined Illinois

Illinois SEIU member

Former Illinois state representative Jim Nolwan, who served as an advisor to three Republican governors, explains in a Quad Cities Online op-ed how Rod Blagojevich and public-sector unions ruined Illinois' personnel system. And Illinois as a whole, of course.

Blago came to office in 2003, fired everybody he could, trashed state employees publicly, and struck fear into the hearts of many upper-level state employees that they were next on the chopping block. He brought in political appointees of a mediocre quality overall. He froze pay for civil service employees and gave union employees a 17 percent increase. Many union employees now earn much more than their non-union supervisors.

After a while, civil service employees saw the writing on the wall and began, in droves, to seek the protection of union membership.

With unions now basically in control, along with their fetish for promotion on the basis of seniority rather than merit, managers have lost their capacity to reward and sanction their employees. Long-time professionals who used to work unpaid extra hours alongside union employees see no benefit in the longer hours while the union employees earn overtime.

Soon, the motivation to excel among public and senior public service administrators wilted; many joined the unions as the only way to benefit from the "system."

More union members means more dues money which means more campaign contributions for Democrats. It's a wonderful system--except for taxpayers, of course.

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