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City Council Delays Decision On Union Pay Raises

city hall
Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU
A majority of council members have delayed action on proposed pay raises in order to research the effects on the city's budget.

Cincinnati workers will have to wait a little longer to see if city council approves the pay raises Mayor John Cranley proposed last week.

A council majority voted to delay a decision until next month to learn more about the impacts the plan will have on city finances and collective bargaining.

Council member Chris Seelbach was one who wanted a delay.

"It's a very tricky situation we're put in, undermining our collective bargaining process or giving the raises to these officers and employees who deserve raises," Seelbach said.

The plan would give unionized city workers five percent pay hikes for the next two years and a four percent raise the third year.  It would apply to all bargaining units, even if they already have a current contract with the city.

Council Member Wendell Young said the mayor's plan has created "total chaos."

"This is another time when John Cranley has pulled a stunt that advantages no one but himself," Young said. "And think about this, if we do what he's asked, it's the mayor who did this, look at all the applause he got today. If we don't do what he's asked, we're the bad guys and he'll still get the applause because he tried to represent the employees."

Young said the plan put council members in a tough spot.  Mayor Cranley disagreed.

"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," Cranley said. "We are elected to make value judgments.  This council has no problem saying no to me. They said no to me on the streetcar."

Cranley says the city's improving financial condition should be shared with workers.

Nearly all union workers in the city have only received smaller one to two percent cost of living increases since 2010.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.