Fifty Orange municipal employees face layoffs as mayor, union leaders battle during negotiatons

[prodigals0n]

Another battle, at the New Jersey state level, in the nationwide war on unions.

Fifty Orange municipal employees face layoffs as mayor, union leaders battle during negotiatons

Published: Tuesday, January 04, 2011, 7:03 PM Updated: Tuesday, January 04, 2011, 7:03 PM
By Richard Khavkine/The Star-Ledger

"ORANGE — Several dozen Orange employees will be laid off Friday unless union leaders present workable and affordable compromises before then, Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. said today. Hawkins has accused the unions of dawdling and failing to negotiate seriously to avert the loss of about 50 jobs, including those of 10 police officers and eight firefighters.

"We must reduce the cost of government," he said. "The ball is in the unions’ courts."

Union heads countered with bad-faith allegations of their own, saying the city has not been transparent about its budget process.

The president of the local fire union, Elvin Padilla, said he is confounded by city administrators’ refusal to release budget numbers, particularly those tied to the layoff plan. He said the union more than met the city’s request for givebacks, but that its proposal was brushed aside."

Read the full article at this link:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/without_union_concessions_50_o.html