DC Council to Vote on Restoring Fairness for City Workers

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)With three big items affecting city workers on the DC City Council agenda, a strong showing of labor leaders and union members is expected at tomorrow’s legislative session.  The DC City council is expected to vote to repay government workers for four unnecessary unpaid furlough days in 2011 and restore annual leave carry-over and healthcare contributions to previous levels.  “This is a matter of simple justice,” said Metro Council President Jos Williams. “City workers have been forced to bear an unfair share of the financial burden and these votes will restore a measure of balance and equity.” Until recently, DC city employees were permitted to carry over 240 hours of annual leave, but the Council voted last year to limit the carry-over to 160 hours, forcing workers to take their leave – often leaving departments short-staffed – or lose it.  The Council also increased employee healthcare contributions to 28%, effectively a 3% wage cut; the Council will vote tomorrow to restore the employee contribution to 25%.
- Alya Solomon; photo: DC teachers and firefighters rally against budget cuts in April; photo by Julia Kann