Union concerned about possible layoffs at SIU-C

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Union leaders expressed concern Thursday about letters warning that Southern Illinois University at Carbondale may be forced to impose layoffs before the end of the school year.

University officials say the layoffs are not certain, but may be necessitated by the state's budget woes.

In the letters sent to the unions late last week, Robert York, SIUC's labor director, said Gov. Rod Blagojevich has requested that all Illinois state-run universities hold an 8 percent reserve in their funds in order to be prepared for cutbacks that may come in the next several months.

SIU plans to hold $18.2 million in reserve, according to President James Walker's office. SIUC Chancellor Walter Wendler said the Carbondale campus' share of that comes to $12 million.

Wendler announced this week, in a memo to the school's deans and vice chancellors, that the campus was under a hiring freeze for civil service and administrative employees. In his memo, he also authorized the officials to take actions necessary to prepare for layoffs and to restrict staff travel and purchases of equipment and supplies for the remainder of the fiscal year which ends June 30.

Union leaders said they questioned the timing of York's letters to the unions and wanted to know just what message the university was trying to send them.

Bill Mehrtens, field representative for the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the SIUC Police Department, said he received the letter the day after Friday's arbitration hearing in the contract negotiations between the police and the university. Mehrtens said he found the timing of the letter "irritating."

Ruth Pommier, president of SIUC's civil service union, said her initial reaction to the letter was shock.

"There is a great amount of fear, and rumors are just rampant on campus," Pommier said.

But Pommier said she met Tuesday with York and came away convinced that the letters were strictly a courtesy that York had extended to the unions. She said she now believes people have been reading too much into them.

University spokeswoman Sue Davis said state law requires the administration to notify unions of possible job cutbacks.

"What it does is it tell the unions that we are facing some financial uncertainty," Davis said. "We know that we're going to have to reduce the budget, but we don't know exactly what the rules are yet."

Wendler said layoffs are a significant possibility later in this school year in all areas of university employment except faculty.

"The general concept is if it relates directly to instruction it is safe for the moment," Wendler said.