Illinois rescinds layoff notices for prison nurses

Posted on April 28, 2017
Tim Butler
State Rep. Tim Butler said the Rauner administration has decided to return to the bargaining table with the union and also rescind the plan to cut 124 unionized nurses and replace them with nurses managed by a private company. (Photo courtesy www.ilga.gov)

By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Republicans say the governor’s office is rescinding layoff notices for more than 120 nurses at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said the Rauner administration has decided to return to the bargaining table.

“I think those of us who represent a lot of these folds in the nursing union were very concerned when we heard about the layoffs,” Butler said. “We want to advocate for the people we represent and we think it’s the right thing to do to continue to negotiate and try to find a good settlement out of this”:

The only bill on the governor’s desk right now was in response to the layoff notices. The measure would require minimum staffing levels for nurses.

The layoffs were to be effective June 15 and would have saved the state $8 million per year.

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