North Las Vegas city manager Timothy Hacker warned Monday of massive layoffs after the city’s public safety employee unions walked away from negotiations, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Hacker accused union leaders of serving their own self-interest first and their community second. He said city leaders put forward a fair plan that would save money and avoid layoffs and maintain service levels.
Shortly after a news conference held by Hacker, leaders from all three police and firefighter unions said they hadn’t rejected anything, the report said.
The labor leaders expressed puzzlement that Hacker would risk further strain to union-city relations while unions are still considering proposals.
The blowup comes weeks before the city’s June 1 deadline to submit a budget plan to the state, leaving city leaders little time to cover what they say is a $33 million shortfall.
“We have never shot down a tentative agreement,” Jeff Hurley, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1607, told the newspaper. “I don’t know why he just blew a gasket and sent out this press release and had that press conference. It is a little silly.”
