Finance Committee requests more union concessions

During last night’s Finance Committee meeting, Chairperson Victor Schneider announced that he delivered a letter to Mayor Williams formally asking him to immediately negotiate for more concessions from the 4 bargaining unions because the fire and police concessions (see blog immediately below) are insufficient to fill the budget deficit. The Finance Committee is primarily asking for a 36-hour work week from the public works and clerical unions and asking the fire and police unions to forego this year’s 2 - 2 ½ % pay increase. Mayor Williams is to report the results of the negotiations at tonight’s council meeting. Also, judging from last night's discussion, it appears closing Norwood Dispatch and contracting with Hamilton County are off the table for the moment.