CARBONDALE (AP) — Southern Illinois University trustees have authorized repaying $4 million to about 3,500 current and former employees who had to take four unpaid furlough days during talks with unions in 2011.
The trustees acted Thursday after the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board ordered the university in December to repay members of three employee unions who contested the furlough.
The Southern Illinoisan reports board members decided to extend the payments to all affected employees.
SIU President Randy Dunn says the university hopes to make the repayment before the end of the current semester. The money will come from current state funds and reserves.
In its December decision, the labor board upheld a judge’s ruling that the university had bargained in bad faith in ordering the furlough.