By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown wants to make sure city workers are not short changed from the three year wage freeze. Brown announced that he is promising to fully restore all step increases and longevity payments for city workers affected by the freeze. But under this plan, school employees would not be included.
Just one day after the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority agreed to lift its wage freeze, the Mayor is changed his proposal. Brown is claiming that the plan he delivered to the control board was initially based on a verbal and legal opinion from the control board and an attorney for the Governor.
That plan only calls to provide one-step pay increases when the new fiscal year begins July first, leaving many city employees without earned pay hikes from past three-years.
But Brown says a control board member told the News it was the mayor's idea not provide all the steps. The member also claims there was never a verbal or written legal opinion and it is up to the Mayor to decide on increases.
Brown says if the control board believes it is his decision, then he wants his plan revised to ensure that workers receive all steps they earned during the long wage freeze.
But to do this, Brown is seeking state legislation that calls to separate city workers from other entities, such as the Buffalo school district. Brown says if approved, about 2,000 City employees would see their wages increase on July 1st, that includes police and fire.
Brown says 441 city workers are eligible for step increases, and more than 19-hundred would be eligible for longevity after July 1st. The Mayor says under his revision, it would cost the city $2.2 million to pay for all steps and longevity. But Brown says under his budget, the city will be able to cover the cost.
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