Mayor Keith Snyder on his appointment to the Illinois Labor Relations Board

[March 16, 2015]  LINCOLN - On Friday evening, the Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner sent out a press release naming several appointments to state boards. Among those appointments was city of Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder. Snyder will be serving the State of Illinois as a board member on the Illinois Labor Relations Board.

Mayor Snyder had the following comments:

“I'm honored that Governor Rauner would appoint me to this Board. I enjoyed serving on the Educational Labor Relations Board for six years under Governor Edgar. This new position seems like a good fit for me. As mayor I was involved in negotiating contracts with the City's unions, and my service on the Illinois Municipal League Board of Directors has afforded me the opportunity to understand issues facing municipalities across the State.

“The Illinois Labor Relations Board oversees labor relations (collective bargaining) between most public employers and their employees. The Board has two panels. The State panel has jurisdiction over all non-educational employers and employees in Illinois (meaning basically the State and their unions and all local governments outside Cook County and their unions.). The Local Panel has jurisdiction over non-educational employers and employees of local governments in Cook County.

“The Board hears cases in two primary areas: representation of employees and unfair labor practice charges. The Board also maintains a list of qualified mediators and arbitrators for parties who have reached impasse during their negotiations.”

Mayor Snyder said that he would be resigning his position with Lincoln Christian University as well as his position as mayor of the city of Lincoln. He said that this is required according to state rule in order for him to fill the position on the board.

Snyder also said that while the appointment has been made, it will still have to be confirmed or approved by the State Senate. He will be spending time this week talking with various state representatives about his placement on the board.

There are two years remaining of the four-year mayoral term that began on May 1, 2013.

[Nila Smith]