Other Executive Report

It's official: State workers to sign up for furloughs

Gov. James R. Thompson announced September 22 that his administration has reached an agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to put into operation a voluntary furlough plan for state employees to help save jobs.

Shortly after October 15, representatives from the governor's staff and AFSCME will meet to discuss and analyze the voluntary response, study the cost savings of the furlough plan and agree on how many jobs could be saved.

Under the agreement, state employees will volunteer to take a specified number of furlough days, not to exceed five.

The plan is voluntary for the 64,000 employees under the jurisdiction of the governor, and AFSCME, the largest union affected, is encouraging its members to participate. However, cabinet members and several hundred employees of the governor's staff, including the Bureau of the Budget, have been informed that their participation is "highly recommended."

Employees belonging to AFSCME who agree to the furlough plan will receive a specified number of days off, as will clerical employees on the governor's staff. Top management people will work as usual during the furlough — without pay.

Most employees taking part in the plan will have pay deducted from their paychecks for the furloughed time.

However, elected officials whose salaries are set by statute will not have payroll deductions; rather, they will reimburse the state treasurer with a personal check. The Constitution prohibits increasing or decreasing the salary of elected official during his term of office.

Danville wins the new prison in stiff competition

In a stiff competition among 22 interested Illinois communities, Danville was selected in September as the site of a new 750-bed medium security prison. Construction of the facility, which will cost an estimated $40 million, is to begin in August 1983 at a specific site yet to be determined. Approximately 200 construction jobs will be created at the site. Upon completion in early 1986, the new prison will employ an estimated 425 persons, with only about 30 management positions being filled from areas outside the Danville area. An annual payroll of $10 million will be included in the projected $14 million total annual budget for the facility.

According to Gov. James R. Thompson, Department of Corrections projections indicate another prison facility will be needed soon.

32 | November 1982 | Illinois Issues