A Cook County Circuit Court judge ruled Thursday that Illinois must set aside money for a possible order that it must pay union workers whose raises were canceled last year.
Judge Richard Billik, Jr., said the State must submit vouchers to the Comptroller’s Office for unspent salary money in some agency budgets. The total exceeds $18 million, according to figures provided by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents thousands of state workers. Gov. Pat Quinn canceled about $60 million worth of raises last year, saying lawmakers did not include enough money for them in the approved budget. Officials later came up with the money to pay raises within six state agencies.
“The Quinn administration is doing everything possible to avoid honoring its contract with front-line state employees,” AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer said in a statement. “If the end of August passed without this order, the state would claim it ran out the clock and couldn’t be held accountable.”
Quinn spokeswoman Kelly Kraft emphasised the State isn't paying the raises yet. “Vouchers will not be finalized or paid out until, at the very least, there is a final order from the trial court as to what payments … can be paid and are owed by the state,” she said.
You can read Jayette's report in: http://watchdog.org/54027/il-week-in-review-labor-at-forefront-of-news-in-springfield-last-week/
1 comment:
AH, the problem as always is unions. Abolish unions and the state and taxpayers would have all the money they need.
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