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Detroit
City
Takes
Stand on
Union
Contract
and
Felony
Job
Applicants
By Karen
Hudson
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) -
The
Detroit
City
Council
today
joined
Mayor
Dave
Bing in
approving
a new
three
contract
with the
year for
the
estimated
3,200
employees
represented
by the
American
Federation
of
State,
County
and
Municipal
Employees.
According
to
Detroit
Free
Press
reports,
the
Council
voted 5
to 3 in
favor of
the
contract
that
calls
for a
10% pay
cut in
the form
of 26
furlough
days
every
other
Monday.
The city
and
union
have
been at
odds
over the
contract
for
months
but
Tuesday’s
action
by
Council
may not
end the
stalemate
according
to
Catherine
Phillips,
AFSCME’s
lead
negotiator.
Phillips
told the
Free
Press
she will
meet
with
attorneys
about
filing a
suit
against
the city
to
overturn
the
council
decision.
Mayor
Dave
Bing
made
these
comments
regarding
the
council
action,
“Everyone
must be
willing
to share
in the
sacrifice
to make
Detroit
a
fiscally
stable
and
responsible
city. I
applaud
Council
for
making
the
tough
but
necessary
decision
to
approve
imposition
of the
AFSCME
contract.
It is
never
easy or
pleasant
to ask
our
employees
for
concessions,
but our
financial
reality
demands
leadership
that is
unafraid
and
unwavering
in its
commitment
to
making
Detroit
a
financially
viable
and
sustainable
city.”
In
other
action:
Council
Strikes
Down
Felony
Questions
on Job
Applications
Questions
about
felony
applications
will no
longer
appear
on job
applications.
In a
unanimous
vote
Tuesday,
the
Detroit
City
Council
struck
down the
language
that
supporters
say will
give
applicants
with
felony
convictions
a level
playing
field in
landing
a job
interview.
Battle
Creek
and
Kalamazoo
have
also
eliminated
questions
about
felonies
on job
applications. |
