Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker has passed two amendments to the state’s Labor Dispute Act (ILDA), which allows lawful picketing on the “public right-of-way,” such as sidewalks, portions of the street, or the area between the street and adjacent property lines.
The first amendment, HB 2907, sets the condition that employers cannot receive monetary damages in any case involving or stemming from a labor dispute. The only exception is if their property is damaged as a result of illegal conduct. The bill amends Section 1 of the Act, which mandates that employers cannot receive a restraining order or injunction in any case involving or stemming from a labor dispute.
With another amendment, HB 3396, the act of placing an object in the public way with intent to interfere with, obstruct, or impede a picket or other demonstration or protest is now classified as a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $500. This bill amends Section 1.4 of the ILDA, which prohibits picketers from blocking, preventing, or interfering with the “public right-of-way.”
These amendments will go into effect on January 1, 2024.
