Bethlehem facing most layoffs in city's history

[UpInArms]

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_4jobsoct30,0,5709714.story?coll=all-newslocal-hed

excerpt:

The unfunded liability represents the amount of money the city would be short of to pay the benefits for 569 employees and retirees — mostly firefighters and police — if the city shut down today.

The pension fund took a $20 million hit in 2001 and 2002 when the market fell. With no hope of recouping the loss soon, city officials said they want to take a calculated risk of a pension obligation bond to pay for the shortfall.

<snip>

The last time the city laid off that many people was in 1983 under Mayor Paul Marcincin, when he let go 12 employees and eliminated 28 to 30 vacant positions, business administrator Dennis Reichard said.

<snip>

To lay off any of the 250 members of the Service Employees International Union, every part-time city worker, including part-time paramedics, would have to be fired before full-time positions could be cut.

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[goodboy]

1. hope they hold the chimp accountable (nt)