Politics

Coalition of City Unions Agrees, Taxpayers Should Pay More

Mayor McGinn

Technically–technically–the news is that the Coalition of City Labor Unions have agreed to a new contract “in which thousands of city workers will accept lower cost-of-living increases for three years,” says the City of Seattle. But given that the city is facing a $67 million deficit, and this move saves only $2.1 million, the upshot is that Mayor McGinn will be scrounging for every dollar from parking, permits, and licenses that he can find.

For the record, I am pro-union in general principle. Union jobs remain one of the few ways people can achieve a relatively secure middle-class lifestyle. Unions are a last bulwark against the corporate profit-taking that can decimate working communities.

But I choke a bit when, after what’s clearly the mostly vicious economic downturn since the Great Depression, the Coalition of City Labor Unions “shares the pain” via a tiny raise, and (since they were promised a two-percent annual cost-of-living increase) it’s characterized as accepting grim reality:

With today’s announcement, 8,500 of the city’s 10,600 employees, or about 80 percent, are taking some kind of reduction in pay.

They’re getting a raise–it is less than promised, true–but they’re getting a raise, not a reduction in pay. And it is only not as much as promised because there’s very little cost-of-living increase to account for. (My back-of-the-envelope calculations say that a five-percent pay cut would have saved over $7 million.)

These “are the people who work hard every day keeping your parks maintained, your children and families healthy, your libraries great places to learn and grow, and your roadways safe for all to use,” said Mayor McGinn. Many of us work hard every day, and we’ve seen revenue fall by some 20 percent or more the last few years. Again, that is because there are larger economic forces at work we’ve had no choice but to adapt to.

McGinn’s proposed budget calls for the firing of over 200 city employees. How’s the esprit de corps down at City Hall? Are people as thrilled with the unions’ sacrifice?