Labor experts unsure of future if Illinois state government workers strike

SPRINGFIELD – It’s unclear whether people who might replace state employees in the event of a strike by Illinois’ largest public-employee union could end up with permanent jobs.

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has begun to collect names of people willing to work if the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees strikes, suggesting online that replacement positions could turn into permanent jobs, The State Journal-Register reported.

But whether those people would get a permanent state job could be another issue for the courts to decide.

“I don’t know what will be permissible and what won’t be permissible because we are in this territory that hasn’t been tested legally,” said Robert Bruno, an assistant professor of labor and industrial relations at the University of Illinois. “If AFSCME were to strike, the governor certainly would have a right to attempt to run these state government agencies, and he could hire people to do the work. There’s nothing impermissible about that.”

Read more: http://www.nwherald.com/2017/03/12/labor-experts-unsure-of-future-if-illinois-state-government-workers-strike/anhpqy3/