City Council backs unions in push for contracts
City Council threw their support behind the city's municipal workers unions today, voting unanimously on a resolution calling for the Nutter Administration to negotiate a fair contract.
City Council backs unions in push for contracts
Jan Ransom
City Council threw their support behind the city’s municipal workers unions today, voting unanimously on a resolution calling for the Nutter Administration to negotiate a fair contract.
A vocal crowd of members from DC 33 and DC 47 appeared at today’s Council session in force shouting “Keep your word,” –a statement directed at Mayor Nutter.
The unions have been without a contract since it expired in 2009. Nutter has said he would not agree to a contract that doesn’t include significant benefit changes.
“[The resolution] says two things. One, there should be a fair contract, two, our workers have sacrificed and that should be acknowledged,” said City Councilman Wilson Goode Jr., who sponsored the resolution. “Some asked the question why would City Council project itself into union negotiations, I asked what negotiations? Regardless of what you consider to be a fair contract…not having a contract is simply bad fiscal policy.”
Goode said the city’s five-year plan should include contracts for the unions.
“No new contract for our members was ever given by this Administration,” Catherine Scott, president of DC 47 told Council, adding that both unions saved the city money. “So, I say to the Nutter Administration honor your word…stop the stalemate.”
DC 33 president Pete Matthews also urged Nutter to move on a contract deal.
“All we want to do is be treated fairly,” Matthews said.
Nutter later told reporters that he wants a contract that is fair to workers and taxpayers.
“We’re trying to negotiate a contract and [Matthews is] running for reelection in his union. You might hear anything at this point and time,” Nutter said. “What I want is a fair contract to our public employees that’s also fair to the citizens and taxpayers of this city,” he said, adding like the arbitration award correctional officers received earlier this week.
All the usual suspects speaking about things they know nothing about. Anyone that is anti union either hates themselves or are jealous. Why would you want to bring others down to your level of poor wages? Aspire to make more not bring others down. Idiots. Republican talk radio talking points. The working man needs to be thinking for himself for a change instead of using the talking points. Figure it out you dopes.— ephraim- Basically if the city promised to fund the pensions and didn't, why is that the union member's fault, they paid their portion. The state jobbed the teacher pension system out of payments, and has to make up for it. Oh yeah, because they used that money for something else and then said they were "broke." Yall just keep drinking that Kool Aid, and never look to the real source of the problems. TYVM Michael T Welsh.— Filly5
- Um nobody gets 6% raise in one year, it's spread over the life of the contract. There are some well thought out comments from Anti tax, eko and Serpico, but the prize goes to dinsdale for the hilarious charter school comment:)— Filly5
Comment removed.- We are already the highest tax city in the country. We cannot afford anymore. It's time to cut, cut, cut.
http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=16844035— flyers2thecup - Nutter wants to cement his legacy by screwing over city workers and his refusal to even negotiate his absurd demands is criminal. He saved 40 million dollars, probably more, since freezing city workers pay raises, eliminating new employees step increases, and increasing emnployee contributions to health and welfare in early 2009. City workers receive no gratitude or appreciation for the sacrifices made to assist with correcting the fiscal mistakes the city government has made, but instead are painted as greedy, lazy, incompetent, or even worse. City workers are PEOPLE like you, with families, trying hard to stay afloat financially in this terrible recession, and the vast majority work very hard in jobs most people wouldn't ever consider doing. Nutter promised to negotiate for a contract that is fair for BOTH taxpayers AND workers, and there hasn't been word one since 2009. The man should be ashamed of himself.— Datsdatruthruth
- Are you all serious??? Do you get regular raises in your jobs? Even welfare recipients get raises. We have not has a raise in almost 5 years. In 22 years, we have not had raises in at least 10 of those years. Do not believe the hype. The city has taken a lot from us over the past 3 mayoral administrations. Our benefits which were at one time very good are now just mediocre. How do you expect to draw talented workers by undervaluing them? Underpaid, mediocre benefits, decreasing pension programs. I recently read an article in a magazine that shows I am underpaid in my position by $18,000 a year according to government standards. According to private industry standards I am underpaid by $25k a year.
The everyday blue and white collar workers did not cause the economic situation, the elected politicians did. They talk about how underfunded our pension fund is, but they don't tell you how it got that way. The city borrowed millions and never paid it back.— bobd120 - “What I want is a fair contract to our public employees that’s also fair to the citizens and taxpayers of this city,” Public employees ARE the tax base of this city, so that would be one and the same, Mr Nutter!— helenazar
- As a former city employee let me say a few things on the behalf of the workers. The majority of city employees are hard working residents of the city. Yes, city employees are TAXPAYERS too, it is a requirement of employment. Just because we work for the city does not make us corrupt and yes the DROP program should be dropped, there are those that have abused it and it either needs to be overhauled or eliminated. But just because we work for the city does not mean that we are corrupt. I currently pay less for my health insurance in my current job then I payed when I worked for the City of Philadelphia. I don't know why people think that city employees don't contribute to their health insurance, because most do. So next time someone picks up your trash, helps you at the library, or puts out a fire, remember that city employees are hardworking residents, that have families to support and while cuts do need to be made, they should be fair to all, not just the mayor. This is just the opinion of one former city employee that left Philadelphia for a city that has a greater respect for its employees.— sheas_5
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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