North Las Vegas officials say forced concessions were only option left

Las Vegas Sun ^ | Saturday, June 2, 2012 | 2 a.m. | By Brian Nordli (contact)

[redreno]

The unprecedented decision for North Las Vegas surprised no one at the special city council meeting Friday.

City council members voted unanimously to grant special authority to City Manager Tim Hacker to force unions to agree to concessions to balance the $30.9 million budget gap. Union leaders in attendance met the decision with a resigned silence, predicting the outcome days before the meeting, while city officials remained stoic.

No one claimed to want this course of action, but city council members and Mayor Shari Buck deemed it necessary after nearly six months of failed negotiations.

“We hoped that the council would hear the action, consider the backup material and realize, as I think was said several times, this is not a chosen course of action, just one that they were pressed into taking,” Hacker said.

[theDentist]

When I first read the headline, I thought it said "forced confessions were only option left."

Nice to read, though, that the Unions are learning what the rel world is like.

[Dixie Yooper]

They should have voted for an end to union dues while they were all assembled.

[hoosierham]

If the union leaders met the actions with resigned silence,I’m guessing the politicians are Democrats;because if they are Republicans I can’t imagine the unions being quiet.

[blueunicorn6]

And no punishment for the politicians who helped cause this mess. We need to be able to go after the old politicians and their heirs and estates when they approve budgets that can’t be paid. Without holding the politicians personally fiscally responsible for this stuff, it’ll just keep on happening. Win a lawsuit that says that old councilman Payoff Promiser has to fork out $2500 a month, and you’ll see them start to get responsible.

[Mobties]

I take this as good news (forcing union concessions) though it does remind me of that old adage, i.e. “the house always wins”.

[cherry]

so right.....and you have to know that a wink and a nod has taken place, and now we’ll get some razmataz gimmicky concessions while the union bosses get their fat paychecks and probably money under the table...