By Cedar Attanasio
June 22, 2016
BRIDGEPORT — Mayor Joe Ganim's administration took negotiations with city employees public on Tuesday, calling on union officials to accept concessions or face layoffs.
“We have been in negotiations with organized labor for months, but time is growing short to close our current fiscal year deficit,” said Bridgeport Chief Administrative Officer John Gomes, in a statement. “We are willing to be as flexible as possible but the bottom line is we need more savings.”
The administration says that if city employee unions accept $4 million worth of cuts by July 1, the administration can avoid the “last resort” decision to lay off more workers.
Ganim inherited a $20 million budget gap when he took office on Dec. 1, according to Bridgeport Director of Communications Av Harris. The city has already laid off around 100 workers and incentivized another 51 into early retirement.
Those early retirements and unpaid furlough days represent significant concessions by city employees, argued Bridgeport Supervisor Association counsel Edward J. Gavin.
“This administration fails to recognize the sacrifices the Union members have and are continuing to make to support the City,” Gavin said by email. “Unions such as the Bridgeport City Supervisors Association have, in the past, gone years without raises to meet the fiscal needs of the Administration. It is reckless and dangerous to layoff dedicated employees who serve the citizens of Bridgeport.”
Gavin offered no additional concessions and predicted that the city would start cutting positions.
“We anticipate new layoffs will be announced on Friday,” he said.
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