The state and the nation's largest union of public employees will head to court over an arbitrator's decision that Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner was within his rights to order the layoffs of more than 150 state workers last year.
The state has gone to court in Sangamon County to uphold the ruling. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees plans to file a counter-claim asking the court to vacate the ruling.
In repose to a grievance by the union, the arbitrator ruled that the union failed to prove that the Rauner administration acted improperly or violated contract language governing layoffs. The arbitrator said the administration had the right to exercise broad powers to deal with the state budget crisis.
