American Federation v. LABOR RELATIONS BD.

**Union Tries to Organize Prison Medical Staff, But Court Says No** The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) tried to unionize medical staff working at Illinois state prisons. These workers were actually employed by a private company called Wexford Health Sources, not directly by the state's Department of Corrections. The union argued that since these medical workers provided services inside state facilities, the state should be considered a "joint employer" along with Wexford. The Illinois Supreme Court disagreed with the union. The court ruled that the Department of Corrections was not a joint employer of Wexford's medical staff, even though they worked in state prisons. Because the state wasn't considered an employer of these workers, the state labor board had no authority to handle the union certification request. The court upheld the labor board's decision to dismiss the union's petition. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling makes it harder for employees of private contractors working in government facilities to unionize through state labor boards. Workers in similar situations may need to pursue unionization through federal processes instead, which can be more complex and time-consuming.