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Heavy equipment operator Roger Leonard and Local Watch 2305 President Sam Vitris on Scranton, Pa. cutting city workers’ pay to minimum wage in an ef...
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The battle is on between the mayor of Scranton Pennsylvania in -- union workers.
All employees including the mayor who paid -- wage until we get through this financial crisis.
This is all the help produce Britain sixteen point nine million dollar deficit now unions.
Are fighting back in suing the mayor in federal court with me now is Sam Beatrice.
President of the -- 2035.
The international association.
Of machinists and aerospace workers else I'm Roger -- -- heavy machine operator for spread gentlemen thanks so much for joining us today we appreciate your time.
Roger let's start with you you're heavy equipment operator employed by the city what is it that you do and how has this changed impacted -- from a day to day basis.
-- -- drive all heavy equipment is in exco -- back close.
Loaders.
Trucks.
Much every economist in that they have -- of the TPW.
And so how.
Boris sorry go ahead.
Money wise.
I mean it's were taken home 350 dollars every two weeks so it's not enough money to pay for my mortgage so it's it's pretty drastic.
Yeah.
CM I mean we certainly understand how difficult this is for people like Roger without question but when you hear that the city of Scranton has.
5000 dollars in the bank.
You wonder what choice they have decide something like that's.
-- they're -- your choice is it the choice comes down to with the administrative branch.
And a legislative branch of the city government.
Sitting down working together.
To resolve this.
It's not gonna get resolve what finger pointing in the end and blaming one another.
The only thing that's doing -- it has the employees caught in the middle of a dispute.
That.
We really have no -- -- now.
So -- we need.
The mayor and we need -- City Council to resolve this.
So our members.
Came back came back to work in get their.
Collective bargaining -- rates back to where they're supposed to be.
You know both sides are pointing the finger at the other one and it's difficult to know you know from a distance what the truth is but what I can do is look at the numbers and I know that they've tried to borrow from -- bank.
Get -- nearly ten million dollar note.
They haven't been allowed to do that that hasn't been approved because there's no money in the -- they've looked at raising property taxes by 78%.
And ironically that means that.
I mean taxes would be raised -- you will.
To pay ourselves -- -- Roger was saying there that that he's not able to pay his mortgage -- this property tax goes up 78%.
That doesn't seem like a solution either so it doesn't seem like they're any financial solutions to this problem -- -- sort of cutting pay and benefits.
While -- that have to understand all the issues here.
Serious -- was declared a distress sitting in 1992.
We've had many recovery plans in none of them have seen to war.
But the current job.
Mayor in the current City Council.
Have to come up with a plan and I called a financial plan for -- future of the serious career and where.
The legislative branch and the administrative branch need to compromise.
On this plan once a plan is in place.
The -- Will be able to go to the bank's.
The end.
The end obtain the necessary financing that the city will need to make it through the end of the year to sixty million dollars that you talk about.
No you're absolutely right about that a new plan have to be hatched and -- and the reason why we focus on stories like this is because this is the same story that's happening in towns and communities.
Around the country where you simply can't pay your bills how would you feel.
At that new planned just involves a lot fewer workers.
How -- the -- let's take a look at.
Where we war.
Last year at this time we're 21 employees less.
Then we war in 2011.
So and the more you're caught -- I mean like you're gonna have to realize there comes a point where -- you keep carting.
While.
How much service -- people actually and they GAAP.
So you know.
It's not all of all.
Ball the cost to the employees have put employees were already cost this is.
Yeah you have to understand this is.
An argument.
Between.
The mayor and City Council -- which direction in the city of Scranton is going to -- line into the future.
Now until day.
Stop pointing fingers at one another.
This is it gonna get resolved yet I know you're right -- that were stuck in the middle on this.
In you know you have to realize that that the employees here are are a very important part of the process I -- No doubt about that we've got to -- about.
We we appreciate your time we appreciate you coming on we certainly hear your point of -- thank you.
Thank you thank you.
