Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Governor JB Pritzker has signed a series of bills into law he says will protect Illinois workers from attacks by the Trump administration.
They preserve pay standards and other worker protections Pritzker claims Trump wants to do away with.
“With my signature, we are restoring hard-fought worker protections that Trump and Congress are trying to destroy,” said Pritzker, “protections that were established under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Coal Mine Safety Act. This new state law means Trump can’t take these rights away from Illinois workers.”
Pritzker was backed by union leaders and laborers during the signing at the AFL-CIO headquarters downtown, as Republicans weren’t far away having their day at the Illinois State Fair.
He claims the previous Bruce Rauner administration along with Republicans in the legislature also waged a war on the state’s workers that Trump allegedly is continuing.
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton — also one of several candidates running for U.S. Senate — didn’t mince words when also claiming Trump is trying to do harm to Illinois.
“The President of the United States — a man notorious for abusing and manipulating workers — is actively using his office to attack the rights of all workers and labor unions,” said Stratton. “Whether he knows it or not, in doing so, he’s highlighting why Illinois’ work is so crucial.”
Pritzker was asked a question by a reporter that suggested signing such protections into law would actually harm the state’s economy, and hold the state’s small businesses back.
“Paying our workers properly does not hold Illinois back. It advances the cause of Illinois,” said Pritzker. “I have worked very hard to stand up for our small businesses. In fact, we’ve reduced…the franchise tax in the State of Illinois. We’ve made it easier for them to do business in the State of Illinois. We continue to look at how we can advance small businesses.”
The bills signed were SB1976 and HB1189. Another bill, HB2488, was signed into law June 30.
