Meet IL Governor Bruce Rauner -- Poster Boy for War on Middle Class

Rauner -- and other anti-union ideologues -- claim that workers should not be "forced" to join unions against their will. In fact no one is forced to join a union. The provisions in labor agreements with state unions -- in many states -- require that after state workers have democratically chosen a bargaining agent, that employees who do not wish to join the union should pay a "fair share" contribution to support the portions of the union's operations that negotiate and administer the provisions of the labor contract from which they are benefiting.

Note that they are not required to contribute to any of the political activities of the union.

This is the same principle we use at all levels of democratic government. Once an election is held for mayor and the city council, you can't refuse to pay taxes to support the functions of the government from which you benefit. City government produces what economists refer to a "public goods". They engage in activities that benefit everyone, even if you don't "pay" for the products and services. That's why we have taxes. Otherwise there would be perverse incentive for "free riders" who would benefit but don't contribute.

The same is true with unions.