New IDOC Director Says Union Contracts Are Causing Problems In The System

The new director of Illinois prisons says union contracts are the source of many problems within the Illinois Department of Corrections. 

In a memo to Gov. Bruce Rauner, prisons chief Donald Stolworthy wrote the contracts contribute to "many of the ills within the system,'' including personnel costs and qualifications within management.

In documents, he said overtime costs in corrections have skyrocketed in recent years with it allowed to be assigned by seniority.

Union spokesman Anders Lindall tells the Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers that overtime problems are caused by a lack of staff. 

Stolworthy said a lack of newer technology in the system also adds to costs by ``wasting staff hours.''

He said he'll complete an action plan to fix the corrections department in the next few weeks.