City Distributes 168 Pink Slips

Many city employees learned last week that their last day of work may be June 19. The city distributed 168 pink slips Monday, June 2.

The 168 figure is not set in stone. City officials said fewer people may be laid off if unions make concessions. The city is dealing with a budget deficit in excess of $43 million.

Firefighters Nix Labor Agreement with City

City managers and the local firefighters’ union both said Friday they are willing to head back to the bargaining table after firefighters voted down a labor deal last week.

The city’s decision to distribute layoff notices to firefighters is a key dispute between city management and Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. The preliminary agreement that firefighters tossed out would have kept Sacramento Fire Department jobs and cut firefighters’ upcoming cost-of-living salary increase.

The union said the city’s layoff notices were an intimidation tactic. But city managers said they were being straightforward in their negotiations with the union.

The jobs of 68 employees in the Sacramento Fire Department are at stake. Of the 68 employees, 50 are firefighters, nine are engineers and nine are captains.

County Budget Released

Sacramento County released its proposed 2009/2010 budget Friday night. Look for our coverage on the county budget this week.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.