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City must not buckle to union demands

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2009

With the local economy gasping, property values plummeting and the city of Tampa dealing with a $52 million budget deficit, it is outrageous Tampa unions refuse to forego raises.

Mayor Pam Iorio, who has resolved not to award any city employees pay increases, has declared an impasse in the city's negotiations with the police, fire and general employee unions.

The mayor should hold firm. And Tampa City Council, which ultimately will decide the contracts, must finally put an end to the out-of-sight raises the city has been giving its unions, particularly fire and police.

Last August, even as the nation's economy was shredding, council approved a contract that gave firefighters not at the top of their grade a 9.5 percent annual raise. Those at the top of the grade received a 4 percent increase.

Council ignored Iorio, who had recommended more restraint, but a still-generous 6.5 percent average raise.

The city can no longer afford such largess.

The unions already are well compensated. Tampa police are among the highest paid in the Southeast. An officer's starting salary is $46,384, and annual merit increases will bring the pay to $75,358 after 12 years.

Tampa firefighters also are among the best paid in the state. The city has no trouble hiring or retaining firefighters.

The Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents non-management employees, also has fared well. The city approved a contract earlier this year with raises of up to 5.5 percent, exceptionally generous during a recession.

Not giving the union raises would save the city $12 million, which would take a good chip out of that $52 million deficit.

And city officials say that $12 million would fund about 240 jobs.

If the raises are given, the city, which has already cut about 10 percent of its workforce, will have no choice but to cut more jobs and services.

Police and firefighter union officials say they will give up the annual cost-of-living raises but are adamant about wanting the annual "merit" raises that are given each year until the worker reaches the top of his or her particular pay grade.

Police and fire union officials argue they need the increase because pension contributions are going up by 2.68 percent

That cost is a pittance compared to the sacrifices being required in the private sector, where pensions are rare and many companies have stopped contributing to workers' 401k accounts during these hard times.

In contrast, the unions enjoy a generous pension, which allows retirement after just 20 years. If members' contributions go up a bit, they still will be in much better shape than most workers these days.

It appears union leaders expect to be spared having to make any concession in this devastating recession.

City officials can take some of the blame for the unions' unrealistic expectations. In recent years mayors and council members have been reluctant to say no to the politically influential unions.

Now, with tax revenues no longer pouring in, it is clear the salary increases punched a gaping hole in the city's budget, about 70 percent of which goes to personnel expenses.

At a time when desperate businesses throughout the region are laying off workers or forcing them to take pay cuts or furlough days, pay increases for city workers should be unthinkable.

City council members must make clear to the unions the salary gravy train is over.

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