One of the reasons a giant energy-related bill failed to pass the Illinois General Assembly last spring was because organized labor remained neutral. At least one union opposed the bill, but overall, the unions weren’t helping to move the ball forward — and they have a whole lot of much-needed legislative muscle.

That’s why the goal of the majority Democrats has always been to have support from unions and the major environmental groups when it comes to these big energy bills. And this one was big. A major electricity storage program and an amped-up energy efficiency component were just two of the items.

But last week, a top official with the Illinois AFL-CIO confirmed the organization is still neutral on language being circulated by negotiators.

Unions often tend to support their employ

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