Carbondale, Ill. – Southern Illinois University Carbondale is paying around $1.9 million to three unions due to forced unpaid furlough days in 2011.

The ruling from the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board states SIU administrators illegally forced 1,500 employees to take four unpaid furlough days shortly before the three unions went on strike.

Those involved in the settlement are the SIUC Faculty Association, Non-Tenure Track Association and Association of Civil-Service Employees.

Judge Colleen Harvey stated in her ruling that administrators at the Carbondale campus “lacked an open mind and a sincere desire to reach an agreement” during contract negotiations in 2011.

Since those negotiations, SIU has a new president, chancellor and provost.