American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees v. Illinois State Labor Relations Board

553 N.E.2d 415, 196 Ill. App. 3d 238, 142 Ill. Dec. 901, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 383
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 28, 1990
DocketNo. 4-89-0529
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 553 N.E.2d 415 (American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees v. Illinois State Labor Relations Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees v. Illinois State Labor Relations Board, 553 N.E.2d 415, 196 Ill. App. 3d 238, 142 Ill. Dec. 901, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 383 (Ill. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

JUSTICE GREEN

delivered the opinion of the court:

On June 27, 1989, proceeding pursuant to section 11(e) of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act (Act) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48, par. 1611(e)), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, AFL-CIO (union), filed a petition in this court for judicial review of a decision of the Illinois State Labor Relations Board (Board) made on May 25, 1989. The decision found respondent, the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (employer), did not violate sections 10(a)(1) or (a)(4) of the Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48, pars. 1610(a)(1), (a)(4)) by refusing to bargain over the reinstallation of a field-work requirement for probation officers of that court who worked with adult offenders. The employer has filed a motion, contending we lack jurisdiction because the petition for judicial review was not timely filed. We hold we do have jurisdiction, and we affirm.

These proceedings concern the actions of the union and the employer after the union filed a representation petition with the Board in June 1987 pursuant to section 9(a)(1) of the Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 48, par. 1609(a)(1)) seeking to become the exclusive representative of a bargaining unit composed of all the adult probation officers of the circuit court of Cook County. The Board ordered an election, which was held on November 18, 1987, at which the union prevailed. On April 27, 1988, the Board certified the union as the exclusive representative. The evidence was undisputed that the employer had refused to bargain with the union concerning a certain direction given to the probation officers in October 1987 in regard to field work they were required to perform and continued to do so up to the time of the proceedings involved here.

On January 27, 1988, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Board pursuant to section 11 of the Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48, par. 1611), and then the following procedures, all in conformity to section 11, took place. A complaint was issued. A hearing was held before a hearing officer on November 17, 1988. She issued a recommended decision and order to the Board. The other parties then filed timely responses to that document, and the Board issued its decision and order on May 25, 1989. (Cook County Circuit Court (Chief Judge), 5 Pub. Employee Rep. (Ill.) par. 2024, case No. S—CA—88—83 (Illinois State Labor Relations Board, May 25, 1989).) On that date, the parties were served with notice of the decision. The Board held the only issue raised by the union concerned the duty of the employer to bargain with the union during the time frame described, and held the employer had no duty to bargain until the union was certified by the Board on April 27, 1988. On judicial review, the union maintains the Board was in error (1) in holding a duty to bargain did not exist earlier; and (2) in not considering whether the issuance of the direction to the probation officers in October 1987 was, of itself, an unfair labor practice.

First, we must decide whether we have jurisdiction to decide this case. As we have indicated, the Board’s order was entered on May 25, 1989, and the petition for administrative review was filed on June 27, 1989, which was a Tuesday. Thus, 33 days elapsed between the entry of the order and the filing of the petition. The employer’s motion to dismiss the petition for review contends Supreme Court Rule 303(a) (107 Ill. 2d R. 303(a)) requires a filing within 30 days of the entry. The union maintains the provision of section 3 — 103 of the Administrative Review Law (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par. 3— 103) providing for a 35-day period after service of notice of the decision is applicable. The parties do not dispute that timely filing of the petition is necessary for us to have jurisdiction. The question with which we are confronted involves the complicated doctrine of separation of powers between the supreme court and the legislature in regard to the making of procedural rules for legal proceedings and consideration of the doctrine of stare decisis.

In regard to the jurisdiction of this court, section 6 of article VI of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 states:

“Appeals from final judgments of a Circuit Court are a matter of right to the Appellate Court *** [with minor exceptions not applicable here]. The Supreme Court may provide by rule for appeals to the Appellate Court from other than final judgments of Circuit Courts. *** The Appellate Court shall have such powers of direct review of administrative action as provided by law.” (Emphasis added.) Ill. Const. 1970, art. VI §6.

Acting pursuant to its constitutional power to provide by law for direct review to the appellate court from administrative action, the General Assembly provided as follows in section 11(e) of the Act:

“A charging party or any person aggrieved by a final order of the Board granting or denying in whole or in part the relief sought may apply for and obtain judicial review of an order of the Board entered under this Act, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Review Law, as now or hereafter amended, except that such judicial review shall be afforded directly in the appellate court ***.’’ (Emphasis added.) Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, chi 48, par. 1611(e).

Section 3 — 102 of the Administrative Review Law provides in part “[ujnless review is sought of an administrative decision within the time and in the manner herein provided,” judicial review of that decision is barred. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par. 3—102.) Section 3 —103 of the Administrative Review Law then states:

“Commencement of action. Every action to review a final administrative decision shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint and the issuance of summons within 35 days from the date that a copy of the decision sought to be reviewed was served upon the party affected thereby. The method of service of the decision shall be as provided in the Act governing the procedure before the administrative agency, but if no method is provided, a decision shall be deemed to have been served either when personally delivered or when deposited in the United States mail, in a sealed envelope or package, with postage prepaid, addressed to the party affected thereby at his or her last known residence or place of business.
The form of the summons and the issuance of alias summons shall be according to rules of the Supreme Court.” Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par. 3—103.

Acting pursuant to (1) the then existing provision of section 3 of the Administrative Review Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 110, par. 266), and (2) “its constitutional authority to ‘provide by rule for expeditious and inexpensive appeals,’ ” the supreme court promulgated Supreme Court Rule 335 (107 Ill. 2d R. 335), effective July 1, 1984, providing for direct review of administrative orders by the appellate court. (107 Ill. 2d R. 335, Committee Comments, at 443.) At that time, section 3 of the Administrative Review Act provided for power in the supreme court to “make rules of pleading, practice and procedure supplementary to but not inconsistent with” that legislation. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 110, par. 266.) That provision in regard to the rule-making power of the supreme court was not carried over to the Administrative Review Law (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 110, par.

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Bluebook (online)
553 N.E.2d 415, 196 Ill. App. 3d 238, 142 Ill. Dec. 901, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 383, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-federation-of-state-county-municipal-employees-v-illinois-illappct-1990.