Gov. Pat Quinn has fired a workers' compensation arbitrator who is married to the head of a major state-employees union.

Jacqueline Kinnaman had been an arbitrator since 2004. She is married to Henry Bayer, executive director for Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The union is battling Quinn over salaries, layoffs and retirement benefits.

Kinnaman and AFSCME said they have no "direct knowledge" to suggest her firing was a jab at her husband.

Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson would only say Friday that Kinnaman's term had expired and the governor decided to go in a different direction by making several new appointments.