Union president: 11 Wilkes-Barre fire fighters to lose jobs
By: Joe Holden
Updated: November 29, 2012
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County- In a strongly worded email from the president of the fire fighters' union, Mike Bilski informed his members that effective this weekend, 11 fire fighters will be laid off. The move, made by the mayor's office, is in response to shrinking revenue for 2012.
The email was obtained by Eyewitness News from sources close to the union.
It's unknown if the layoffs will be permanent. Wilkes-Barre leaders proposed a 30 percent tax hike for 2013. Some city council members have publicly rejected raising taxes to that degree. That has forced the city to look internally, with forecast layoffs across the city's four unions.
Bilski wrote in the email he would try and work with city council members to restore the positions in 2013.
An email message to Drew McLaughlin, spokesman for Mayor Tom Leighton, was not immediately returned.
It's not yet clear how the city's other unions are affected.
The email was obtained by Eyewitness News from sources close to the union.
It's unknown if the layoffs will be permanent. Wilkes-Barre leaders proposed a 30 percent tax hike for 2013. Some city council members have publicly rejected raising taxes to that degree. That has forced the city to look internally, with forecast layoffs across the city's four unions.
Bilski wrote in the email he would try and work with city council members to restore the positions in 2013.
An email message to Drew McLaughlin, spokesman for Mayor Tom Leighton, was not immediately returned.
It's not yet clear how the city's other unions are affected.
