Peoria School District 150 violated a state labor relations act by using threatening language against the district’s Police Benevolent union. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports a judge with the Illinois Educational Labor Review Board also found the district was within the act on two other issues:
The union first argued that Superintendent GrenitaLathan threatened union members on September 21st, 2011. The ruling says, on that day, Lathan met with the former police union president, who made statements about legal fees the district was spending on litigation.
It says that Lathan later that day addressed the police bargaining unit and said the more money the district spent on legal fees for litigation and grievances, the less money for the department, also saying if they did not like the way things were and could not get on board, they could find work elsewhere and find someone else to pay their bills.
The ruling says it found Lathan’s statements as threats that violated the state Educational Labor Relations Act. The judge ordered District 150 to post signed copies of a notice for two months pledging to not threaten employees or interfere with their right to file grievances.
A district attorney says other police members who heard Lathan speak say they did not feel threatened. On two separate issues, the judge found that District 150 acted in accordance with the act by bargaining in good faith with employees. A link to the full, 14-page ruling is available by clicking here.
