The Iroquois County Board meets in special session Monday (6/29) to make good on its failure to act on a union contract with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Monday's 9 am special meeting finds the agenda stating "discussion and vote on the AFSCME union contract."

The special session also refers to discussion and vote on claims for a boiler replacement.

But the immediate issue has the County Board forced to react to an administrative law judge's order.

AFSCME, in February of 2014, filed an unfair labor practice charge with the State Panel of the Illinois Labor relations Board, claiming Iroquois County failed to ratify a preliminary collective bargaining agreement that the two parties reached through negotiations and mediation.

Whether the contract would have been approved is not the issue. The matter was NOT even presented to the County Board for a vote.

The Law Judge stated in the ruling that AFSCME filed the charge against the county after a tentative agreement was reached in February 2014.  The contract was never presented to the county board for a vote even thoufh the county's own negotiating committee agreed on the pact. Iroquois County had issueswith the 'layoff language,' claiming there was no violation of the Labor Relations Act.  The Judge disagreed.  The ruling agaist the county stated the negotiating committee recommended the agreement be ratified.

94.1 WGFA