"Stop cutting police and fire" unions tell visiting mayors
Baltimore's police and fire unions hoisted a billboard near City Hall Thursday asking attendees for the U.S. Conference of Mayors to "Stop cutting police & fire."
The unions had previously threatened to picket the conference, which is expected to draw more than 200 mayors and their staff members to Baltimore for the weekend.
The unions have been struggling with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake since she pushed through a reform of their pension plan last year that saved the city hundreds of millions of dollars, but delayed retirement and cut some benefits.
The billboard is a few blocks from City Hall and is visible from I-83-- and The Baltimore Sun newsroom.
Comments
Maybe the police and fire unions should lean on their "union brothers and sisters" in AFSCME, SEIU, UAW, AFL-CIO, etc. and tell them to stop support free-spending liberals who the fiscal sense of tree frog.
Its liberal mayors in liberal cities backed by overwhelmingly liberal unions that are cutting first responder jobs.
Posted by: Gunpowder Chronicle | June 16, 2011 6:32 PM
the city's broke and can't be paying obscene guaranteed pensions for government workers. Let them use 401k plans like everyone else. The party's over.
Posted by: end pensions | June 18, 2011 12:27 AM
Do people realize that city, state, and federal governments made promises they are simply unable to keep? Over the next five years, pensions will continue to bleed funds. Who do the police and fire unions propose should eat THEIR share of those losses?
I certainly appreciate those who have dangerous jobs in public service, but what choice do local governments have? Unlike the federal government, they can only spend what they have.
Posted by: Justin | September 7, 2011 6:52 AM