Detroit mayor threatens labor agreements to cut costs
Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is threatening workers in the city he will void their collective bargaining agreements by passing a new state law that would lead to the appointment of a fiscal manager who would cancel the pacts.
Bing is pushing for the municipal workers to pay more for health care and pensions.
Initiatives by Republican governors to cut government spending and labor power by curtailing collective bargaining rights have been largely successful even as union leaders protested such attempts in Wisconsin and Ohio. However, Bing did not encounter such stiff resistance among the 12,000 municipal workers.
Roger Hickey, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, said the lack of massive objection to Bing’s budget proposals was probably due to the city workers viewing him as a political leader seeking concessions and not to emasculate the unions.
The city previously closed 24 offices spread over five days in the first quarter of 2011 as part of budget-mandated furloughs to cut costs. The offices closed on Jan. 31, Feb. 14 and 28, and March 14 and 28.
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