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Posted: Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:37AM
Hearing begins in union's bid to block layoffs
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VIENNA, Ill. -- A major union is in court seeking an order to block Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to lay off about 2,600 state employees.
A judge in Johnson County on Wednesday is considering a request from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for an injunction to prevent the layoffs.
The union filed a lawsuit last month claiming the layoffs would create serious safety hazards for Illinois prison workers and would be inappropriate until their impact is assessed.
Quinn calls the layoffs necessary to help balance the state budget, now billions of dollars in the red.
An AFSCME spokesman says the union wants to know how the prisons will operate safely after the cuts are made.
Meanwhile, Saline County Circuit Judge Todd Lambert is scheduled to consider the state's request to move the case to Sangamon County.
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Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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