City of Long Beach negotiators and representatives of the city's largest employee union didn't reach a contract deal Thursday that is a necessary step to finish eliminating a projected deficit for the fiscal year that already has begun, according to union spokeswoman Christa Indriolo. As an alternative, the City Council is scheduled Tuesday to vote on enacting 15 days of unpaid furloughs over the next year for the 3,800 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
However, Indriolo said today that while no agreement has been reached, the union is willing to postpone raises that were scheduled for Oct. 1 until Nov. 1. No IAM membership vote is needed for this delay, she said, but if negotiations break down, then the pay raise would be enacted retroactively to Oct. 1.
That may not matter if the council approves the furloughs, which would do away with the 4 percent raise that workers are scheduled to get this year. The sticking point also happens to be the union's fear of furloughs -- the IAM wants a guarantee of no furloughs in the 2010 fiscal year in exchange for delaying the promised pay raises.
Indriolo said the two negotiating teams will meet again next week to continue their talks. For now, they have a three-week reprieve to try to hammer out a deal, but time is quickly running out.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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