With less than 30 days left on the contracts of public safety workers, the city says it has no negotiations currently scheduled with either police or fire unions.
The city and police union representatives met several times in the past 6 months to try and forge a deal, but the two groups were unable to come to compromise on the future of police health and pension benefits. Officials with the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association declined to negotiate with the city.
Getting the police and fire budgets under control is a budget necessity argued City Manager Sheryl Sculley in a recent lettershe sent TPR. In it she said public safety is consuming nearly two-thirds of the general fund and is pushing out other valuable city services.
The city has said in the past if no deal can be struck they can force public safety workers onto the same health benefits package as city civilian workers, at a significant cost savings for San Antonio.
San Antonio Police Officers Association have said recently they plan to change tactics in dealing with the city. They are building a "warchest" to increase their political clout in the city, clout that has diminished since the time they secured these generous benefits packages.
Guest:
- Mike Helle, president of the San Antonio Police Officers Association
