Employee Union Files Lawsuit Over Cancelled Raises

(With additional reporting by Illinois Public Media)

A major state employee union has filed a federal lawsuit over Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's decision to cancel raises for thousands of workers.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed the suit Friday in Springfield, arguing that the Governor's action is a violation of provisions against the impairment of contracts found in the U.S. and Illinois Constitutions. The union says by violating the union's collective bargaining agreement, it amounts to a breach of contract under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.

AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer says its members "deserve to know that their employer, the governor, will keep his word and honor his commitments under the law."

The union's suit asks a federal judge to rescind a pay freeze recently announced by Quinn.

On Thursday, the union announced it had sought an arbitrator's ruling on Quinn's decision last week to ditch $75 million in raises for 30,000 workers to help deal with the state's budget crisis.