Judge breaking law, workers say
January 6, 1999BY DAN ROZEK SUBURBAN REPORTER
Unionized county workers have filed a complaint accusing DuPage County Chief Judge Michael Galasso of violating state labor laws by withholding their annual pay raises.
The charge of unfair labor practices, filed on behalf of 130 probation and juvenile detention officers, contends that Galasso has refused to authorize salary increases approved last year by county board members.
``He's obligated to give them their pay increases,'' said Kim Schumacher, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
But Galasso said Tuesday that the workers' vote in August to unionize means salary increases must now be negotiated.
``That's an issue for collective bargaining, what the raises are,'' Galasso said. He said he has offered several times to negotiate with the union, but that the union has turned him down.
Last year, county board members approved a budget that included 2 percent cost-of-living and 2 percent merit increases for the employees.
The complaint filed this week with the Illinois Labor Relations Board represents another twist in a bitter labor battle that began in October, 1997. Galasso said employees were not eligible to join a union because they work for the chief judge and Illinois Supreme Court and therefore are not subject to labor relations rules.
AFSCME officials argue that state law entitles employees to the pay raises in spite of their union membership.
``He's using the bargaining process as a pretext for withholding
their pay increases,'' Schumacher said of Galasso.