May 7, 2013
By Marc Bussanich
Brooklyn, NY—Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented his final Executive Budget last week and slammed the benefits of organized labor for being the culprit behind the City’s growing spending. But Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said the Mayor acted irresponsibly by not resolving outstanding labor contracts during his tenure. Watch Video
Last month Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said the City was prepared to sign new labor contracts so long as organized labor agreed to pay more for their health care premiums and accept no retroactive pay for the last few years they’ve been working without contracts.
del Blasio told Labor Press after Holloway’s remarks that the City shouldn’t be negotiating in public. Outside the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights on Sunday del Blasio reiterated that statement in response to the Mayor’s remarks last week that the City can’t afford retroactive pay.
“You don’t negotiate in the media. You don’t put any preconditions on negotiations if you expect to actually get somewhere. The Mayor has been irresponsible by letting these contracts lapse and leaving us with a situation that’s going to create fiscal difficulties for years to come,” said del Blasio.
Follow Marc Bussanich on Twitter marc@laborpress.org
