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Legit sickness or blue flu?

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Illinois

* Were these legitimate illnesses or a wildcat “sickout”? Nobody really knows at the moment…

Officials locked down one of the state’s maximum-security prisons Friday morning, but not because of an outbreak of violence.

Rather, the movement of prisoners at the Stateville Correctional Center was limited from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. because a significant number of prison guards called in sick.

It was not clear Friday why there were so many absences, but Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Stacey Solano said it was “unusual” that 58 workers were unable to report for their shift. […]

The incident came a week after more than 100 Stateville prisoners were reportedly bed-ridden by norovirus, a highly contagious flu that apparently spread through the Crest Hill facility.

It also came a day after hundreds of correctional officers and state retirees had rallied in the Capitol against possible cuts to their pensions.

Practically everybody I know has been sick lately. Then again, practically every AFSCME member I know is supremely upset at the governor right now.

* The absences also came a day after this bill passed, but was held up by a parliamentary procedure…

A bill restricting the number of state employees who can join unions isn’t going to Gov. Pat Quinn right away.

Shortly after the Senate gave final approval to the bill Thursday night, Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, filed a motion to reconsider the vote, a technical step that keeps the bill from being sent to Quinn.

Quinn has said he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

“I still believe negotiating a fair compromise with all the stakeholders is preferable to forcing a legislative solution,” Harmon said. “I’m hoping the Senate action will reinvigorate the negotiations.”

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 11:26 am

Comments

Hard to say. Lot of flu going around. I imagine it can spread pretty fast in a prison.

Comment by wordslinger Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 11:30 am
Heads up Gov. maybe security can’t strike but just like you they can go back on their “promise” to show up at work

Comment by pension promise Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 11:39 am
2014 can’t get here fast enough! He will go down with an even lower public opinion than Ryan or Blagojevich. The guy couldn’t run a city council.

The flu is rampant in the south. Looks like the north has it too.

Comment by Way South of 64 Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 11:42 am
I keep hearing about the norovirus and the flu going through whole families. So it is possible that the guards are also getting sick if they have been in contact with family members, fellow workers, and the prisoners who have been ill. This stuff can be really contagious.

Comment by Nearly Normal Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 11:55 am
If my employer questions my use of sick time…. I must provide a Drs. slip. I wonder if these employees will be required to provide one?

Comment by Hellinois... Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 12:00 pm
–If my employer questions my use of sick time…. I must provide a Drs. slip.–

Who goes to a doctor every time they’re sick?

Comment by wordslinger Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 12:18 pm
I would go if my employer question it… surely this flu did not last only one day. It appears as if this is a questionable situation.

Comment by Hellinois... Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 1:33 pm
Stateville is vastly overcrowded. Flu was rampant among inmates, a number of whom were shipped to Sheridan and quarantined. The administration is taking no steps to improve the health and safety environment, and Quinn makes everybody sick.

Comment by truthteller Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 3:45 pm
lots of people I know who are seriously down with the flu.

Comment by amalia Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 4:28 pm
Just a brief picture of what an impending strike might look like…just saying.

Comment by Rusty618 Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 5:01 pm
Norovirus is sometimes a one day thing- the 24 hour bug and high doses of PQ can have an effect on digestion

Comment by western illinois Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 6:17 pm
Flu has blown through our company and many neighbors so the DOC numbers do no seem unusual right now.

Comment by zatoichi Sunday, Jan 6, 13 @ 10:02 pm