Labor Board says NO to Rauner speed-up request

On July 7, the Illinois Labor Relations Board voted unanimously to deny the Rauner Administration’s motion to bypass a recommended decision from the Administrative Law Judge who presided over hearings into the Unfair Labor Practice charges filed by Gov. Rauner and by AFSCME.

This means that the board will now follow its established procedures of awaiting a recommended decision from the judge before making its final ruling. The Administration is asking the Board to affirm its refusal to negotiate with the union and to allow it to impose its own terms on state employees.

“The Board looked at the facts and made the right decision,” said Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch. “This ruling will maintain a process designed to allow for full consideration of the complex issues involved in this case.”

“However,” she added, “the fact that the Rauner Administration was pushing for this unprecedented short-circuiting of board procedures demonstrates just how fiercely determined the governor is to try to impose his own harsh terms on state employees. If he is truly concerned about a timely resolution of this dispute, then he should not have squandered the past six months by refusing to meet with the union bargaining committee. We have been and remain ready to return to the bargaining table, to do the hard work of compromise, and to reach an agreement that is fair to all."

Testimony before the Board indicated that a final ruling in the case will likely come in November.