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Menard nurses receive layoff notices

Posted March 20, 2017 11:00 pm

By Staff Report

Thirteen union nurses working at Menard Correctional Center in Chester have recently received layoff notices telling them their jobs are being privatized.

According to a letter from Ed Jackson, chief of Labor Relations in Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration, to the Illinois Nurses Association, a total of 124 nurses at 12 state prisons would be laid off on June 15 - two days after contract nurses are hired.

Alice Johnson, the INA's executive director, told the Associated Press that Rauner is retaliating because the union rejected a tentative contract agreement last year.

"It's an attempt to bully and intimidate the nurses, and it's not going to work," she said.

According to the letter, 13 "Corrections Nurse 2" employees at Menard were to be laid off. The letter claims INA was notified of the potential for subcontracting on June 13 of last year and the Department of Corrections offered to meet with INA on multiple dates.

"However, INA declined those invitations to meet," Jackson wrote.

Jackson contends the nurses' contract was terminated on June 30, 2015 because it called for "certain wage increases to be paid after the constitutional officers took office on January 12, 2015."

According to the AP, Johnson said the union and Rauner signed an agreement to abide by the terms of the last collective bargaining unit deal until a new one is signed.

The nurses reportedly filed an unfair labor practices complaint last week with state regulators, claiming Rauner is reneging on his obligation to continue negotiating.

In an emailed response to a request for comment by the Herald Tribune, IDOC spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said the plan is designed to "streamline the delivery of medical services within the IDOC."

"A small amount of medical professionals who provide care in IDOC facilities are actually employed by the state," Wilson wrote. "Most are employed through Wexford, the medical vendor.

"Wexford is prepared to hire most of the nurses who will be impacted by the layoff."

Wilson noted the state is anticipating to save $8 million annually by privatizing the services.

"The Department will work with those who wish to remain employed with the state and will coordinate with Central Management Services to identify nursing vacancies within other state agencies," Wilson wrote.

The Illinois Nurses Association represents 3,500 nurses statewide, including 1,200 Illinois government employees. Johnson told the AP she did not know why prison nurses are being targeted.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report

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