Supreme Court denies Rauner request for direct appeal

The Illinois Supreme Court has denied the Rauner administration's request to bypass the Fourth District Appellate Court and hear a direct appeal of the state labor board's ruling on the question of whether AFSCME and the administration were at impasse when Rauner walked away from contract negotiations more than a year ago.

Rauner asked the Supreme Court to remove the case from the appellate level after Fourth District judges refused to allow Rauner to immediately impose his terms, including a 100% hike in employee costs for health care and an end to safeguards against irresponsible privatization schemes.

The appellate court's refusal to allow Rauner to impose his demands was predicated on what it called a "reasonable likelihood" that AFSCME will prevail on appeal.

"AFSCME members are public service workers who do their jobs every day, protecting kids, keeping us safe, helping veterans and the disabled and much more," Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. "Governor Rauner should stop wasting time and money on costly court fights and instead do his own job, working constructively to find common ground."

The union's appeal of the labor board ruling will now be heard in the Fourth District Appellate Court according to the schedule it has established.