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Scranton, Pennsylvania City Workers Battle Mayor Over Minimum Wage Pay Cuts

First Posted: 07/10/12 11:16 AM ET Updated: 07/10/12 11:16 AM ET

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Unions representing workers in the northeastern Pennsylvania city of Scranton expect to file a federal lawsuit against the city after Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty abruptly cut their pay to minimum wage. The workers in question are largely firefighters, public works employees, and police officers, according to FoxNews.com.

Doherty last week cut the pay for roughly 400 employees to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. He says it was the only way for the cash-strapped city to pay bills, and promises to restore pay once finances are stabilized. Last week, Scranton's business administrator told The Huffington Post that the city will have only $5,000 left over after paying its workers minimum wage this week.

Doherty is locked in a dispute with Scranton's city council over a financial recovery plan as it faces a $16.8 million budget deficit.

 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mark Helfgott
06:30 PM on 07/10/2012
They should go on strike. When you have a contract you are obligated by law to negotiate a new wage. Of course the idiot Tea Party is against unions. Tea Party says "too bad workers. The mayor should be able to do what he wants." Let's see what happens when they end up in the same situation.
05:43 PM on 07/10/2012
When your house is all ablaze, be assured that the $7.24 an hour fire fighter is going to risk life and limb to carry you out of the 2nd floor window.........When your door is being kicked in or you or yours are being dragged from your car be darn sure that $7.24 an hour cop is burning up to road to come to your aide
03:52 PM on 07/10/2012
This policy is okay with me a long it applies to all city workers which I wonder if it does? This includes the mayor and his staff, as well as all councilmen and all other city workers as well, such as city secretaries, building inspectors, all heads of the various city agencies, etc.
11:47 AM on 07/10/2012
PA IS PROVING ONCE AGAIN THAT "MOST" CERTAINLY NOT ALL....UNION WORKERS
ARE GENERALLY GREEDY, STUPID, AND TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE STATEMENT
"FOR THE COMMON GOOD"......... THE MONEY JUST ISN'T THERE YOU FOOLS........SO,
YOUR OVER THE TOP WAGES JUST CANNOT BE PAID.... SO, FOR ONCE, TRY TO FIGURE
OUT HOW YOU MIGHT BE "PART OF THE SOLUTION" INSTEAD OF THE MAJOR PROBLEM
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
heartsonmysleev
12:22 PM on 07/10/2012
youre kidding right dau? Since when can a Mayor just ignore a contract that workers have and institute minimum wage simply because there was poor planning on the city's part to fund workers such as police and firefighters? Thats illegal. How do you suppose these public employees are supposed to feed their families on minimum wage? Whats your solution?
03:48 PM on 07/10/2012
If the city does not have the money to pay it employees where should it get it from?