Detroit Council Approves Union Worker Furlough Days
DETROIT (WWJ) - In an effort to address the city's budget deficit, Detroit City Council has approved a resolution imposing mandatory furlough days for some union workers.
The move, which is expected to save the city about $470,000 a month, goes into effect Monday.
The council had previously agreed to impose 26 furlough days for roughly 650 non-union employees -- one every two-weeks -- earlier this month.
"We do expect our unions, our civilian non-police unions, to have a similar level of sacrifice," said Detroit Chief Financial Officer Jack Martin.
Thursday's vote came shortly before Gov. Rick Snyder was set to host a round table discussion on Detroit's budget crisis.
The governor has less than a month to decide whether the state will appoint an emergency manager to oversee Detroit's financials recovery. Detroit State Senator Morris Hood III says help is needed -- but not in the form of a takeover.
"As a bulldozer effect, or just coming in and forcing your way in instead of partnershipping up and coming in and helping," Hood said. "I think that's one of the push-backs that you're gonna have. It doesn't seem as though you're coming in to help -- it's coming in to take over."
Earlier this week, a state-appointed review team found that Detroit was in a "financial emergency" and forwarded its report to the governor.
Detroit is billions of dollars in debt and has a budget deficit topping $300 million.
