Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has officially abandoned his hope of shutting down prisons by Friday.
A letter from the Corrections Department instructs employees at targeted prisons to keep reporting to work. In it, Director ``Tony'' Godinez announces a ``temporary delay for the layoffs and closures'' that were scheduled for August 31st.
Governor Quinn wants to empty the Tamms supermax prison and the women's prison at Dwight to save money.
But the prison workers' union filed a lawsuit. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees claims Corrections must negotiate conditions, particularly on handling the Tamms population.
Union spokesman Anders Lindall says arbitration hearings will take place through Thursday of this week.
Meanwhile there are no new developments in AFSCME's attempt to prevent the closures of state prisons, youth centers and adult transition centers.
This includes the Tamms Correctional Center, the Illinois Youth Center in Murphysboro and the Glass House adult transition center in Carbondale.
Judge Charles Cavaness held a status call Monday morning with the union and the state of Illinois. The state's commitment to transfer no inmates related to facility closures in corrections and juvenile justice remains in place.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled daily through Thursday of this week. The arbitration proceeding is dealing with AFSCME's request for an injunction to prevent the closures and to resolve grievances regarding employee health and safety and the withholding of negotiated pay raises.
Judge Cavaness will hold another status call on Wednesday morning.
