Metro East Sun

Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) recently cheered word that the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) were continuing negotiations to prevent the layoff of 124 corrections nurses. 

Those talks resulted in an agreement, according to the Southern Illinoisan.

“I applaud the (Illinois) Department of Corrections and the Illinois Nurses Association for returning to the negotiations table and working towards a resolution,” Davidsmeyer said before the agreement, according to a statement. “We see the dedication from both sides through the memorandum of agreement. I know that much progress has been made and I look forward to seeing their negotiated agreement.”

The pact forestalls a previous IDOC decision to lay off the nurses and subcontract their positions to Wexford Health Sources, a Pennsylvania-based company, according to the Southern Illinoisan. The measure, designed to save the state $8 million, was criticized by the nurses, who argued that Wexford has retention and recruitment issues and that state-employed nurses promote a higher quality of care.

According to the Southern Illinoisan, the preliminary agreement includes moving the threshold for overtime from 37.5 hours per week to 40 hours per week; staffing the IDOC Graham, Dixon, Menard, Pontiac and Stateville facilities only with INA nurses; and testing a 12-hour work schedule in the Vienna and East Moline facilities.