City, Firefighters Continue Talks On Budget Cuts

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- The city of Tulsa starts talks with firefighters about cutbacks to their contract on Tuesday.

Without concessions, the mayor says layoffs could happen at the end of the week.

Both sides, the administration and the firefighters, say they are making progress after just a few hours talking this afternoon.

Last Wednesday the mayor gave firefighters an alternative of salary cuts - instead of layoffs.

01/18/2010 Related Story: Tulsa Mayor And Firefighter Union Hope To Reach Last-Minute Budget Deal

The union countered with another list of cuts and that is what the city and the union are going over now.

Stan May, Firefighters Union President, "Whatever sacrifices have to be made, we'll present those to the firefighters and after we get done with our discussions, and if we can come up with a deal that satisfies everybody, I'm sure that's what we'll vote on."

Firefighters have already taken a 7% cut in their pay and benefits - if they absorb the rest of the shortfall - it would be another 13% cut.

Neither side would comment on any of the alternatives being discussed but they plan to continue talking tonight and then pick up again at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.