Union for U of I VAPs Files Complaint Over Furlough Days

The union that represents a small group of University of Illinois employees is filing an unfair labor practice complaint over the university's furlough policy.

The chief negotiator for the Visiting Academic Professionals accuses administrators of ignoring the contract with the 300 employees when they began requiring many workers to take four unpaid days off this semester.

Alan Bilansky says the union is asking the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board to force the U of I to reverse the change it made to employee appointments - that change allows the furloughs to take place. But Bilansky says the state board likely won't act on the complaint any time soon, so VAPs will likely have to take unpaid days off this spring.

"We have to tell people, 'yes, you have to take your furlough days if your manager tells you too'", says Bilansky. "But yes, we are hoping to make everyone whole, once this is all resolved."

Bilansky says negotiators for the VAP and the U of I discussed the possibility of furloughs in ongoing contract talks, but nothing was agreed to.

U of I spokeswoman Robin Kaler says the university is able to require furloughs from VAPs because the current labor contract does not specifically address the issue.