Gov Blagojevich was blasted by din...

Gov Blagojevich was blasted by dint of union leaders Monday for not intervening in the two-month-old strike from drug treatment counselors at Sheridan Correctional Center unless intervention might be on the horizon.

Labor representatives said inmates and taxpayers are being shortchanged because Chicago-based Gateway Foundation, a state vendor, hasn't negotiated in beneficial faith, prompting a strike from its counselors at Sheridan that has pain services.

Meanwhile, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, in town for executive council meetings, called onward the governor to take action.

The governor "should commit to memory involved, get busy and bring a resolution to the two-month strike," Sweeney said.

"Gateway Foundation has taken an extremely unreasonable position, refusing initially equable to negotiate, then refusing to bargain fairly for eight protracted months," he said. "The state is responsible for the carriage of the vendors it hires."

Blagojevich should insist that Gateway bargain in profitable faith, and if it doesn't, then the state should cancel the contract, Sweeney said.

Blagojevich still views the situation as a dispute between the company and its employee said Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for the governor's office.

"We're not interfering in this dispute as lengthy as the company performs" its obligations, she said. "If the company doesn't live up to its obligations, that's the point when it's in the taxpayers' best interests to intervene."

Gateway has continued to fulfill its contract requirements, and the Illinois Department of Corrections has no plans to intervene at this time, said IDOC spokeswoman Dede Short.

unless things might be about to change.

"There is belong to that they may not be able to live up to the contract, given the labor issues," a state rule source said. "We're evaluating the situation."

The American Federation of State, shire and Municipal Employees Local 472 portray by actions 53 drug treatment workers at the prison, which houses roughly 850 inmates and is about 70 miles southwest of Chicago.

The Sheridan facility has had a dutiful track record and drawn praise from the governor's office for its succes in treating drug- addicted inmates. Workers vot to unionize in February 2005 and are negotiating their first contract. AFSCME is seeking to bridge a 45 percent pay gap between what Gateway workers make and what other state workers make performing the same work.

The brace sides haven't met since May 17 AFSCME representatives said they have propos nine possible dates this month for negotiations to take back but have gotten no rejoinder from Gateway.

Gateway Chief Executive Michael Darcy said the company is "working in succession that."

"I think the important thing is to obtain back to the negotiating table," he said.

He accused the union of having a "take it or leave it" attitude in past talks, and said Gateway wants a mutually beneficial contract.

fknowles@suntimes.com

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided at ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved