MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Union leaders have been in a push and pull with City Hall over benefits and pay.
They said they have put all their cards on the table, and now it’s time for the city to play its hand.
“These people that been here for six years, they never had a raise. They never had one raise,” said Memphis Fire Union President Thomas Malone.
He has been fighting for a pay raise for city fire fighters.
“We got a 25 million dollar increase in the budget, yet they can’t pay the firefighters one or two percent. That’s crazy,” said Malone.
After the Mayor’s office refused to give firefighters a pay hike, an impasse committee found the firefighters should get the 1% raise for June and 2% when the new fiscal year starts in July.
The union said it hopes the city council agrees.
“Now we got no choice but to go to the City Council and beg, just like the people at the interstate exits or entrances are out there begging. That’s what we are doing for the firefighters here,” said Malone.
The firefighters raise was just one of 8 raises approved by the impasse committee.
Council members will vote on the Mayor’s $656 million budget, which doesn’t include those pay raises.
WREG was told they can approve it, reject it or change things to find money.
The head of the Police Union said he was waiting to see if the council backs the Police Impasse Committee in giving police a 3% pay bump.
“It’s time that we provide the citizens the quality of services they deserve. In order to do that you have to offer packages that are commensurate with the job you are asking these individuals to do,” said Memphis Police Union President Mike Williams.
WREG was told seven votes are needed to overturn the Impasse Committee.
Council members may have to do some slicing and dicing to find money that so far the Mayor said is just not there.
Other impasse committees the council will hear from include the animal shelter and heavy machine workers.
If no budget is approved Tuesday, the council will likely have to meet in a special session to meet the July 1 budget deadline.
