Appeals Court Sides with Union in Prison Lawsuit

An Illinois state appeals court has turned back Gov. Pat Quinn's bid to throw out a temporary restraining order that bars him from closing two state prisons and various other corrections sites. 

The (Carbondale) Southern Illinois reports that Friday's ruling by a three-judge panel of the Mount Vernon-based Illinois 5th District Appellate Court lets stand the order granted earlier this month by Associate Alexander County Judge Charles Cavaness. 

Cavaness barred the shuttering of the Dwight and Tamms prisons. The order came at the request of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

An arbitrator had ruled in the union's favor and ordered the state and AFSCME to continue bargaining for 30 days before closures could begin.