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NEWS
City workers picket City Hall
HUNTINGTON -- Dozens of city workers picketed in front of Huntington City Hall on Wednesday afternoon in response to Mayor Kim Wolfe's decision not to enter into contract negotiations with their union.
Representatives of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 598 sent a letter to Wolfe June 24 asking that Wolfe open contract talks with the bargaining unit.
Wolfe responded Tuesday by stating in a letter that he has yet to determine whether new contracts for AFSCME and unions representing the Police and Fire departments are in the best interests of the city.
AFSCME Local 598 represents about 100 of the city's 360 employees, including those in the garbage, sanitation, street, motor pool and floodwall divisions. The union has been without a contract since July 1, 2008.
"All we're wanting is some job security," said Danny Plybon, a floodwall division employee and past president of Local 598. "We know the whole country is in economic turmoil, but we can't go out and invest in a car or a home because of the instability of not knowing what's going to happen with our contract."
Administration and Finance Director Brandi Jacobs-Jones said the city is drafting a memorandum of understanding that it will propose to Local 598 in the next few days. The memorandum will be similar to other proposals offered to the police and fire unions, she said.
In those memorandums, the city has offered to continue the unions' wage and health insurance benefits barring any unforeseen economic downturn. Neither of the unions has accepted the proposal.
"If we're not able to meet revenue projections, we need the freedom to save where possible," Jacobs-Jones said. "But that's a worst-case scenario."
Plybon and others at the informational picket criticized the administration for giving 17 percent pay raises to several department heads in January. The raises were approved by City Council. Council members also approved increasing Wolfe's salary from $62,000 to $75,000.
Plybon said the union intends to picket in front of City Hall every day until Wolfe agrees to enter into contract negotiations. The union also might picket at the opening ceremony for the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Championships tournament today at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Plybon said.
"We hate to be an embarrassment to our own city, but this is an embarrassment to us," he said.
