A Cook County judge has ruled that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn must pay the 2011 wage increases promised in a contract with most of the state's union workers.
Judge Richard Billik ruled that the state must pay what it can now of the $60 million still owed to members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The remainder can be paid later at 7% interest. AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer says the ruling is a strong affirmation of the union's position that employees must be paid for the wages they are owed.
A spokesman for Quinn said Friday that the administration plans an appeal. Judge Billik stuck with an earlier decree in Quinn's favor that he couldn't pay the raises because the Legislature didn't appropriate money. But he ruled that the state can't abandon the contract obligation and must pay up when it can. Biillik has ordered the Quinn Administration to work with the state Comptroller to place those funds in a trust that cannot be accessed except to pay employees what they are owed.
Affected employees are those who work for the Illinois Departments of Corrections, Human Services, Juvenile Justice, Natural Resources and Public Health as well as the Human Rights Commission.
