Unions Say There's No Rush To Rule On Pensions

(Springfield, IL) -- Union leaders are urging the state Supreme Court to take its time considering whether the pension law is unconstitutional or not. That's in response to Attorney General Lisa Madigan's request that they rush the case and hear oral arguments as early as next month. She says lawmakers will need to know what'll happen with the law before they start putting together a budget for next year. Union attorneys say that's not really necessary. They say Madigan is creating a false sense of urgency. Lawmakers passed the deal last year hoping to cut down the 100-billion-dollar pension shortfall, but they changed worker and retiree benefits in the process. A lower court ruled that was unconstitutional.