Toledo, police union officials urged to restart negotiations

State Rep. Edna Brown and her former City Council colleague Louis Escobar yesterday urged the city and police patrolmen's union to resume talks over wage cuts before the State Employment Relations Board steps in and takes control.

Jen Sorgenfrei, Mayor Mike Bell's spokesman, said the city is willing to resume the talks "as long as there are reasonable expectations" on cutting $2.6 million to reach a balanced budget. The state labor panel, Ms. Sorgenfrei said, "does provide a recourse if there is a work stoppage."

Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association, said no talks have been scheduled, adding, "We've been open to meeting with them since Day One. We've extended the offer." He said, "It's in our best interests to work it out here. A lot of issues get mixed up with outside interference."

He said his members "are cognizant of what's going on in the economy," and are not averse to making concessions to help the city balance its budget. The sticking point among union members, he said, was "clear-cut language" that would guarantee no officers would be laid off if they accept concessions. "We were the only union that had members laid off last year," he said. "That was a huge sticking point."

Ms. Brown, who was on City Council between 1994 and 2002, warned that the city is "in a crisis situation."

"The interests of the people of Toledo will be better served if this local issue is resolved locally, not in Columbus, and not by parties unfamiliar with our community," Ms. Brown a Democrat, said at a news conference in front of One Government Center.

City Council invoked "exigent circumstances" to force police officers to pay the 10 percent employees' share of their pension contribution for nine months and to contribute to their medical-insurance costs. The move came after police union members rejected a negotiated package of cuts on April 5. A stalemate ensued after 71 police officers called in sick last week. The city said the call-off was an unauthorized strike.

The state labor relations panel rejected that argument, saying the city should pursue an unfair labor practice claim, a more time-consuming process.

Ms. Brown, a former labor leader who has been in the state House of Representatives since her appointment in 2004, warned that if the issue is heard in Columbus, "local control is lost, and the best interests of the people of Toledo is placed in the hands of those who may not know or understand Toledo's history."

"If this were to go to Columbus to the SERB board, this three-member board has no timetable, and this could go on for ever and ever," she said. "We're in a crisis situation here [and] this must be solved very, very soon. It must be done locally so it can be done quickly."

Mr. Escobar, former council president and a member of Mayor Mike Bell's transition team, said the labor talks should stay in the city. "I do believe that local control is important in an issue like this," Mr. Escobar said, noting, "Things have changed since the first offer was made … and that would not be known by people in Columbus."

State Rep. Joe Walter, a former Toledo safety director, agreed that the dispute should be settled locally. "The best agreement both sides can have is one that they work out together," said Mr. Walter, a Democrat who was appointed to complete the nine months left in Peter Ujvagi's term in the 47th District.

Ms. Brown said she and Mr. Escobar and former Mayor Jack Ford were discussing the situation recently when they decided to issue a public plea for the two sides to resume talks to find a solution. Ms. Brown and Mr. Escobar said Mr. Ford, who has been ailing, was unable to attend the news conference.

Contact Jim Sielicki at:

jsielicki@theblade.com

or 419-724-6050.