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AFSCME files lawsuit to keep IDOT jobs in Springfield

BY KARTIKAY MEHROTRA, The Southern Springfield Bureau

Friday, June 6, 2008 5:40 PM CDT

SPRINGFIELD -- The labor union representing more than 100 of the state transportation employees Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to move to southern Illinois is prepared to taking formal action to prevent the move.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees plans to file an unfair labor practices charge Monday against the Illinois Department of Transportation. The union claims the agency is withholding details regarding the move that are necessary to protect the affected employees.

’’Basically the state has ignored this request,’’ said Erik Hostetter, a local union representative. ’’They have a duty under the contract and law to provide this information.’’

Blagojevich wants to shift the department of 148 jobs out of its current office in Springfield to a locale somewhere in southern Illinois. He claims the state must shed its expensive lease for a more affordable one in a part of the state that could use the jobs. Now, the office is next door to the department’s state headquarters.

Since then, the governor has discussed the plan publicly on a limited basis, but on one occasion claimed he had ’’just about’’ decided on a new home for the division.

An IDOT spokesman says no such decision has been made. When the agency gets close to deciding on the details, AFSCME and teamsters will be informed, thus complying with the contract.

’’We’ve informed them in writing that until we have an exact location and date, there isn’t much we can provide,’’ said Mike Claffey.

Claffey says the union is treating the situation as though IDOT is closing out a building and eliminiating jobs, which it is not.

"We’re going to fulfill our contractual obligations for a geographical move," Claffey said. "Obviously there’s a difference between closing a building and transferring jobs and we’re saying that’s the difference here."

Hostetter and AFSCME believe the state is hiding the information.

’’They have to know something, I would imagine that you don’t just launch a decision like this and throw hundreds of families across the state without planning it first,’’ Hostetter said.

’’If they haven’t made those plans, then that speaks even worse of this administration. It’s a striking statement to the taxpayers,’’ he added.

The union says it would drop the charge if details are provided.

Early on, the most commonly discussed destination for relocation was the hometown of Democratic state Sen. Gary Forby. Forby will be challenged by fellow Benton-resident Ken Burzynski in his bid for re-election in November.