Workers Prevail in Pay Dispute

ATLANTA

Calling a proposed $1,200-a-year raise an insult, hundreds members of AFSCME Local 1644 stormed City Hall in February, demanding parity with firefighters, police and corrections officers who were promised larger pay hikes.

With a show of strength, and backed by community support, parity is just what they got.

Under the budget submitted by Mayor Bill Campbell, clerical employees, technicians, laborers and other blue-collar city workers — who earn an average $17,000 a year — were slated to get a $1,200 raise, and public safety employees a $2,000 boost. Councilman C.T. Martin, backing the mayor, insisted it was the best the city could do.

It wasn’t, of course. Campbell’s budget proposal also included raises of as much as $20,000 a year for his top executives, some of whom were already making more than $100,000. The anger of lower-rung city employees erupted during a Feb. 14 council meeting to discuss the situation. They became so angry, in fact, that lawmakers waited to discuss the executive salary proposal until the 500 workers left the chamber.

At that point, Councilwoman Felicia Moore was moved to remark: "I don’t blame them. ... They’d probably tear this room down for what we’re contemplating doing."

Five days later, when the council was scheduled to vote on the raise issue, more than 1,000 city employees took the day off and returned to jam City Hall. "We want justice!" the workers chanted as the meeting stretched through the afternoon and into the evening. AFSCME green signs proclaiming "Fairness for Public Employees" were hoisted high.

The council members — all of whom are up for re-election later this year — "were aware of the consequences" of disregarding their concerns, says city greenhouse employee and union activist Pam Lawson. "No way would they be able to ignore us."

They couldn’t. The council approved $2,000 pay raises for the blue-collar workers, too, and added a $600 bonus. The union also received assurances from key council members that they would consider their request to make the employees’ pension plan equal to that of police and firefighters.

Employees were ecstatic. "Yes, the money’s good," said sanitation worker Corey Bush. "But even better was the fact that we showed what the union can do when we get our act together."