City Supervisors' Union Files Suit Against Nutter Administration Over Furlough Rights
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The union representing white-collar municipal workers in Philadelphia has gone to federal court to stop Mayor Nutter from claiming the right to furlough members of one of its locals.
One unit of AFSCME District Council 47 -- Local 2186 -- is composed of about 800 first-level supervisors throughout city government. Unlike the rest of DC47, Local 2186 is considered only a "meet-and-discuss" local, meaning that members are not covered by the larger DC47 contract with the city.
When Mayor Nutter last year announced pay raises and work rule changes -- including the right to furlough -- on nonunionized workers, he included the members of Local 2186 (see related story).
But attorney Ralph Teti says the union disputes the right to furlough and has now filed suit in federal court to stop Nutter's move.
"It gives these open-ended opportunities to management, to basically deprive somebody of their pay, for an unlimited amount of time, without the right to a hearing," Teti tells KYW Newsradio.
A spokesman for the mayor said they cannot comment on pending lawsuits.
