Illinois House Fails to Override Veto of Collective Bargaining Bill

The Illinois House on Wednesday failed to override Governor Bruce Rauner's veto of a bill to send collective bargaining impasses to arbitration, leaving open the possibility of a future strike or lockout of state workers.

The Democrat-contolled House fell three votes short of the 71 needed to make the bill law after the Senate, which also has a Democrat majority, overrode Rauner's veto last month.

Democrat lawmakers and the Republican governor have been locked in a struggle over a state budget and an agenda pushed by Rauner that includes legislative term limits and collective bargaining curbs. Illinois this week entered its third month without a budget for the fiscal year that started July 1.

House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters after the vote that the bill was meant to buy labor peace by prohibiting strikes or lockouts. He also noted Rauner "did talk in terms of the possibility of a government shutdown in order to achieve his goals."

Rauner had condemned the bill as an attempt to take away his power to negotiate worker contracts at a time the state is strapped for cash.

The governor said after the vote, "I hope (today's) action marks the beginning of serious negotiations over how we can deliver needed structural reforms and a balanced budget."