Mayor Ric Abel said yesterday that City Council acted illegally when it adopted an amended ordinance authorizing a new contract for city employees, and he asked council members to call a special session to adopt a new ordinance for the same purpose.Reiterating that he would veto the ordinance adopted at Tuesday's council meeting, Abel said its approval was illegal because it changed the contract already agreed upon by city officials and negotiators from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.City Council only has authority to accept or reject a labor contract
he said. I just regret council didn't consult with the law director first.Council members Deborah Phillips, D-4th Ward; Paul Wiehl, D-1st Ward; Bojinka Bishop, D-2nd Ward; and Amy Flowers, D-at-large, voted in favor of approving the amended contract, which affects about 50 employees and includes an annual pay raise of four percent. Jim Sands, D-at-large, and Carol Patterson, D-at-large, voted against it because they felt council did not have the authority to amend an already negotiated contract.We had discussed this before in executive session and I thought it was settled Patterson said. I wasn't particularly happy.The amendment, proposed by Phillips, authorizes a voluntary payroll deduction to contribute to the union's political action committee.I don't think it's that big of a change
she said. I just don't see the need for it to be such a big deal.But it was not the specific amendment that was problematic ' it was the failure to follow proper bargaining procedure, Abel said. It's when council wants to interject in the bargaining process that I think it's inappropriate to do
he said.The employees affected by the negotiations are operating under their previous contract, which expired Saturday night, Abel said. He said he would encourage council members to call a special session Monday to pass the original ordinance without amendments, or he would call a special session himself.
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Matt Zapotosky
