Mayoral Candidate Fioretti Issues Statement on Rauner Budget Address

CHICAGO, IL – The following is a statement from mayoral candidate Bob Fioretti regarding Gov. Rauner’s budget address:

The time has never been more crucial to support working people in Chicago and across our state. Unions are the backbone of our workforce and have, for generations, given workers the power to build better lives for themselves. Chicagoans deserve a mayor who will best represent their interests, and as mayor, I will work closely with the hundreds of labor organizations that represent thousands of employees citywide.

As Alderman, I marched for a living wage with our workers. I sponsored an ordinance that would’ve brought working Chicagoans a $15 an hour minimum wage today, not $13 an hour by 2019. I firmly believe that city officials should work closely with organizations that fight for basic rights and better conditions for our workers. As mayor, I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with working people in Chicago to make sure they do not have to struggle to meet the most basic of needs.

Today, Governor Rauner gives his first budget address for our state. Last week, we saw the opening shot in what appears to be a war our governor has declared on working people in our state. Governor Rauner’s theft of ‘fair share’ fees undermines the collective bargaining power of unions, which represent thousands of working people in our city and state. His idea of “fair share” seems to be that our state favor the wealthy elite rather than rank and file workers.

We should pay close attention to Rauner’s budget address today. Will he try to work with agencies and organizations that help care for our state’s most vulnerable people?  Will he propose legislation that helps take financial burdens off working and middle class families like a progressive income tax? Or will he propose deep cuts to the people that can least afford it?

We know the mayor and the governor are close personal friends. We’ve seen Rahm’s attacks on unions these last four years. It’s clear to me the governor and the mayor have bonded over more than $100,000 bottles of wine. Chicago cannot afford another four years of a mayor who will allow the further degradation of workers rights.

Instead of trying to undermine labor, we need leadership that will partner with it in order to save jobs, ensure fairness in workplaces, and ultimately, create new economic opportunities where working families will thrive.