So LarryBoy's anti-union mouthpiece is cranking up....
"...We know union contracts make it difficult for government officials to figure out where to cut. In the private sector, wage freezes, wage cuts, benefit changes, pension plans, etc., are quickly adjusted to match the revenue coming in. If the company’s not making money, you aren’t either.
Union contracts usually call for raises larger than what the private sector gets, no matter how bad the rest of us have it. If the company (the taxpaying public) isn’t making money, union members still are...."
REALITY CHECK....WHY is there no outrage over the increases given NON-UNION city employees....keep in mind,THEY also get the COLA(CostOfLivingAdjustment) unions' bargain for(3.5-4% the last few years) BUT they ALSO receive annual merit raises on top of this...(remember Adam Smith?...5-38% has been awarded recently)...AND, generally speaking, the salaries are GREATER to START WITH!!!!!
(I love to review "Tightsuit"Hayes' LEGAL DEPARTMENT budget...

LEGAL DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUMMARY
2006 2007 2007 2008 INCREASE
APPROPRIATION ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET (DECREASE)
PERSONNEL $1,428,795 $1,699,405 $1,692,552 $1,813,925 $114,520

OVERTIME 0 9,000 9,000
MERIT PAY 25,543 27,448 1,905
SALARY ADJUSTMENT 33,816 30,450 (3,366)

Now THAT'S some TAX DOLLARS$$$$$$$$$$
seems to save money,MORE CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD JOIN THE UNIONS....won't be seeing THOSE kinda raises.......