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Nonsworn workers vote for layoffs
Poll: Layoffs preferred to salary cuts; firefighters summoned
Kathlene Sullivan, who works in the city's grants administration division, laughs as her ballot does not go down into an already filled box, as nonsworn employees vote Wednesday in a poll at the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 1180. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World
By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Published: 1/21/2010 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 4/19/2010 12:32 PM
A total of 147 firefighters were summoned to a Friday meeting about layoff notifications Wednesday, the same day Mayor Dewey Bartlett said he will "honor the wishes" of the city's nonsworn employees and lay off workers rather than cut their salaries.
The nonsworn employees had indicated in a union poll Wednesday that they overwhelmingly prefer layoffs over salary cuts.
Tulsa Firefighters Local 176 President Stan May confirmed the Friday meeting with affected firefighters.
Bartlett has scheduled a Thursday morning meeting with his department heads to discuss layoff procedures. He told the Tulsa World late Wednesday that he was not aware that Fire Chief Allen LaCroix had set up the firefighter meeting but that the chief was being proactive about what appears "imminent."
"We've had talks this week with the union, but at this point we are too far apart," the mayor said. "I would anticipate there also will be a similar meeting with affected police officers, unless something major happens."
The 147 figure is higher than the 130 firefighter layoffs that had been discussed. That is because the city has gone further into the month with budget talks than expected, so the projected shortfall has grown.
Bartlett said he expects that the original police officer layoff number of 135 has swelled, as well.
Of the city's roughly 2,400 nonsworn employees, 729 cast ballots in the poll Wednesday, and 533 of them — or 73 percent — were in favor of the layoff
route. Their choice was between 65 layoffs or 5.2 percent across-the-board salary cuts.
"It's not something I want to go through with, but I've said all along that the decision is in the employees' hands," Bartlett said.
Bartlett sat down Wednesday with leaders from both of Tulsa's public safety unions for discussions about their counterproposals to his recommended salary cuts and benefit concessions that would prevent layoffs.
The mayor said talks will continue even if layoff notifications go out to employees. He has maintained that the layoff-notification process could begin as early as Friday.
Laid-off employees must be given seven days' notice that they no longer will be on the payroll, and Bartlett's budget reductions are supposed to take effect Feb. 1.
"Every day we wait is tens of thousands of dollars," he said.
The nonsworn vote: Long lines stretched down the hallway of the downtown headquarters of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1180 throughout the day as employees waited to cast their votes.
"This is a hot-button issue," AFSCME President Bill Roland said. "Everyone wants to have their say because of the impact it will have on them and their families."
Most of Tulsa's 2,400 nonsworn employees are under the union's umbrella. But even the 300 or so who are not unionized were allowed to participate in the poll.
Roland said he wasn't surprised by the poll's results.
"They've already taken hits to their paychecks, and they are saying enough is enough," he said.
Robert Eeten, a Public Works Department plant maintenance supervisor, said he voted for the layoffs.
"I've got 28 years in," he said. "This could really affect my retirement. I certainly don't want to see anyone lose their jobs, but I can't do it."
With eight unpaid furlough days, Eeten and the city's other employees effectively took a 3.1 percent pay cut at the start of the year.
Willie Holbrook, a Public Works Department construction inspector, has been with the city since 1982.
"I make a pretty good wage," he said, "but a lot of people make less than I do who can't take another pay cut. When you take a cut, you don't ever get it back when you consider inflation and the cost of insurance going up."
The union's poll Wednesday was not a formal vote because the salary-cut proposal was not formally negotiated with leadership and nonunion members were allowed to participate.
Bartlett said he believes that he could proceed with the salary cuts but that "a vote was held; they took the time to weigh in with their opinions; and we need to respect it."
The salary cuts would have saved $1.25 million and prevented 65 layoffs from across several city departments.
As Bartlett has worked to trim a total of $10.4 million from the city's general fund, 79 nonsworn vacant positions have been eliminated.
Police and fire in limbo: The members of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93 met Wednesday evening but did not take any votes, because the union is still having discussions with the mayor.
Police are facing layoffs or 7.5 percent pay cuts plus benefit concessions, as suggested by the mayor last week.
Bartlett also had presented firefighters with an option: take 8.6 percent pay cuts and make benefit concessions or see firefighters laid off.
The mayor can't cut police and firefighter pay without their unions' consent.
Bartlett said he was not certain the different unions "grasp the seriousness of our financial situation."
"When I've said that we'll have to do layoffs, I think some have maybe seen that as a negotiating tactic, but it's not," he said "It's the reality of where we are with the budget, unfortunately."
Brian Barber 581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com
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Some reader comments for this page were copied from "
Firefighters summoned to meeting about layoff notifications," which was published on 1/20/2010.
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