City workers sure regard living under Act 47 distressed status for another five years (at minimum) a tragedy. Many of the City’s labor contracts-including those of police and fire-are expiring at the end of the year and having an Act 47 plan means that collective bargaining agreements negotiated by workers and management cannot violate the terms of the recovery plan. That’s why after Council’s petition to have Act 47 lifted was denied in July of last year workers knew that there would be controls placed on wages and benefits in upcoming contracts.
That’s why the whaling and gnashing of teeth seems to be surprising. It is not as if the City’s labor unions were blindsided. Following the DCED rejection last July the City held a series of meetings over the winter and spring; the separate oversight board has studied issues like workers’ compensation, health care, police, and fire staffing.
Yet the police bureau is unhappy that wage limits and civilianization would lead to City officers leaving for jobs in the suburbs or grow the perception that the City police force is not the place to join. "If we have a mass exodus, how are you going to replace [officers that leave or retire]?" asked the FOP president. The head of the fire union expressed displeasure about the plan to close one station and eliminate deputy chiefs. He can’t be very happy about the fact that the plan will try to end the benefit of firefighters counting overtime into pension calculations, the only union in the City who can do so.
Much like the state budget negotiations, the Act 47 plan is coming down to a June 30th deadline for approval. But unlike the custom of the Chief Executive convening the legislature into a special session, it looks like Council is going to compel the Mayor to appear before them for a special meeting on the plan.
