MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - When it comes to cutting police officers pensions, there will not be a vote, at least not at the Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.
The battle over cutting pensions for Memphis police officers and firefighters rages on, as the MPD's top brass deny ticket writing slow downs and union leaders say there is nothing to talk of a sickout in the fire department.
There are still issues.
"I can tell you morale is low," says Matthew Tomek, with the Memphis Fire Fighters Association. "You just sit back and think about it, there has been a lot thrown at us in the last few months."
A 4.6 percent pay cut went into effect for city employees in July 2011. Union leaders claim the salary reductions are illegal and the issue is currently tied up in court.
On Monday, October 17th, George Little, the Chief Administrator for the City of Memphis asked the council to delay a third and final vote on the pension cuts, a vote originally set for Tuesday.
"I am requesting that the pension plan modifications scheduled for consideration on the October 18th council agenda be delayed for at least two weeks," Little wrote in an email to Memphis City Council Chairman Myron Lowery.
"This would allow the unions and their actuaries time to complete their review of the background information. Further, it would allow time for a meeting to discuss any alternative proposals to the current Administration initiatives. Hopefully we can find common ground on this very important matter for the future of our city," Little wrote.
Lowery said the delay has nothing to do with union tactics, and everything to do with a promise.
"We are not taking into account any ticket slowdown or firefighter sick leave, we will keep our promise that the raises will come back and even more," Lowery tells abc24.com.
