Tulsa Mayor And Firefighter Union Hope To Reach Last-Minute Budget Deal

By Chris Wright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The mayor of Tulsa and the International Association of Firefighters local #176 are meeting this afternoon with a key budget cut deadline just a day away. 

Like Tulsa Police, Tulsa firefighters are faced with choosing between layoffs and a cut in pay.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett's proposal for police and fire unions.

This latest meeting is what some are saying is a last minute push to keep Tulsa firefighters out of the line of fire. 

The firefighters union is sitting down with officials from Mayor Dewey Bartlett's office at City Hall. 

The fire department is facing an 8.6 percent cut in pay or as many as 130 of them could lose their jobs.  But firefighter union local president Stan May says the mayor is willing to negotiate and he got the calling saying so this weekend. 

1/14/2010 Related story: Clock Is Ticking On City Of Tulsa Salary Reductions Or Layoffs

May says he's looking forward to the talks.

"Our hope in this was to get to negotiations so we could present some plans we have, the fire chief has, the mayor has. We'll see if we can make one plan out of that will help the citizens and everyone else involved," said Stan May. 

As far as The News On 6 knows, the offer to renegotiate has not been extended to the FOP. 

Mayor Bartlett tells The News On 6, he's willing to talk to FOP. 

The FOP president says he has tried to meet with Bartlett and will submit a counter-proposal. 

Mayor Dewey Bartlett wants to make announcements regarding layoffs or pay cuts on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, The News On 6 spotted a billboard on the Broken Arrow Expressway at I-44 early Tuesday morning which says "Police Layoffs Equal Criminal Employment" and "Tulsa Police, Serving With Honor." 

The billboard refers motorists to a web site, www.keeptulsasafe.com/.