By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois taxpayers will potentially save billions on a contract between the state’s largest employees’ union and the governor after the state’s labor board declared impasse on all terms.
The Illinois Labor Relations Board declared impasse on all terms Tuesday which means Gov. Bruce Rauner can impose his administration’s last, best and final offer. Rauner’s office says the ruling keeps taxpayers from having to pay $3 billion more in raises and benefit increase demanded by the union. Illinois Policy Institute Staff Attorney Mailee Smith said the ruling also saves taxpayer on potential overtime costs.
“The governor has been pushing for this standard 40-hour work week before overtime kicks in. Just that difference between a 37-hour work week and a 40-hour work week will save taxpayers $63 million over the course of the contract.”
Smith was at the hearing in Chicago. She said the labor board wasn’t willing to go into unchartered territory recommended by the Administrative Law Judge, which said in September there was impasse on some issues, but not on others.
“The board rejected that outright with actually very little discussion,” Smith said. None of them were interested in discussing that because it was really a more of a renegade approach to determining whether or not the two parties are at impasse.”
Rauner’s administration said they’re hopeful AFSCME will partner with the state on how to best implement the contract. AFSCME vowed to appeal the decision to the appellate court.
An appeal to the courts could take months, Smith said.
The Illinois Radio Network is an independent project of the Illinois Policy Institute.
