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Illinois Forces Homecare Workers Into Union Training

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Illinois home care workers who wish to withdraw from their unions may not be free just yet.

Homecare workers are obligated to attend state-funded training sessions put on by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), despite the Supreme Court case Harris v. Quinn allowing these workers to opt out of being a part of the union. The reason for this is because of a contract signed between the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the SEIU which specified these sessions are mandatory for members of the same bargaining unit.

During the session, the union devotes a half-hour to pitch itself and distribute membership sign-up cards Watchdog Illinois reports.

Critics of these mandatory union training sessions say they are obvious “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” deals between the SEIU and the elected officials they generously support.

The state is obligated to pay up to $2 million annually to the union for the training sessions, according to documents obtained by Watchdog.

Patrick Semmens, the director for legal information at the National Right to Work Committee, describes this as a way to get around the court’s decision.

The Daily Caller News Foundation was unable to reach the SEIU for comment.

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