State Continues Contract Talks for Union Employees

Forty thousand state workers in Illinois will stay on the job under their current contract.

The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees says the move is only temporary.  The state's contract with AFSCME expires on Saturday. Union officials and Governor Pat Quinn's administration have failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. According to AFSCME, at a bargaining session in East Peoria Weednesday the two sides agreed to extend the existing contract until their next meeting.  A date for the next negotiation session has yet to be determined. AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall says the union's members deserve to be paid fairly, and have their rights respected: "AFSCME is committed to securing a contract agreement that's fair, that respect the important work that our members do despite very difficult and trying circumstances."

Lindall says the union and the administration also agreed to bring in an independent, third-party to mediate.
Quinn's office had no immediate comment.