Prosecutors from Cook county have formally petitioned to unionize after Illinois State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke missed a deadline to voluntarily recognize their proposed bargaining unit. The Teamsters, representing the prosecutors, argue that Burke previously pledged to support unionization but is now deferring to legal precedent that bars assistant state’s attorneys from forming a union. The state’s attorney’s office maintains that changes to Illinois law are needed before recognition is possible. In response, the Teamsters are pursuing legislative and constitutional avenues to secure union rights, signaling a potential legal battle ahead.
See "Cook County prosecutors file union petition after state’s attorney misses union deadline for voluntary recognition", Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, February 20, 2025