Nearly three dozen Illinois legislators from both parties are asking Republican Governor Bruce Rauner to resume contract negotiations with the state's largest public-employee union.
The lawmakers said Wednesday the issue is crucial to the struggling state. Decatur Democratic Representative Sue Scherer says "nothing happens if you're not at the table."
Rauner ended talks last winter with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees state council. A state labor board sided with Rauner in November that talks were at an ‘impasse.’ That means the governor can impose his terms.
He did that a second time Wednesday in announcing an employee drug and alcohol testing plan. AFSCME says in a statement it will talk.
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly says the two sides should cooperate on implementing the governor's provisions.