An arbitrator decided Illinois Governor Pat Quinn can close the Tamms Supermax prison, the all-female Dwight prison, and other facilities.
Governor Quinn filed a petition in Cook County asking for authorization to proceed with the consolidations.
Arbitrator Steve Bierig said the state met its obligation to bargain with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, the union that represent prison workers.
Bierig also decided the closures would not present a “clear and present danger” to prison workers.
AFSCME regional director Eddie Caumiant says the arbitrator should not have used “the clear and present danger” test in his decision.
“A clear and present danger is not in fact a factor that’s referred to anywhere in the collective bargaining agreement, or in the safety and health standards that the employer is held to from a public policy standpoint,” Caumiant said.
AFSCME asked an Alexander County judge on Monday to keep in place an injunction to block the closures and requested the judge throw out the arbitrator’s award.
“You know, at this point it’s a waiting game to see what happens with the judges involved and how decision come down,” Caumiant said.
In a written statement, Illinois assistant budget director Abdon Pallasch said this was good news for Illinois taxpayers who want the state to move forward with its plans to save the state $100 million per year.