Union Wins Court Decision Against Governor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – An independent arbitrator has ruled that Gov. Pat Quinn violated the union contract with 30,000 state workers by refusing to give them a pay raise due July 1.

Arbitrator Edwin Benn ordered Quinn to start paying the 2 percent increase within 30 days with back pay. That’s according to a copy of Benn’s opinion provided by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Quinn had said the Legislature did not appropriate the $75 million necessary to pay the employees in 14 state agencies. Benn noted in his order that AFSCME had agreed to concessions to help the state during a fiscal crisis. Those included delaying half of the 4 percent raise union workers were supposed to get July 1.

Quinn’s office says he will appeal.