July 30, 2012 – In an important victory for members of Scranton, PA Local 60, a settlement agreement was reached late Sunday night requiring  the City of Scranton to reimburse fire fighters after the mayor’s illegal decision earlier this month to cut their pay to minimum wage. 

Scranton Local 60 President John Judge has relentlessly hammered Mayor Chris Doherty for his unilateral decision to ignore a judge’s ruling by paying IAFF members in that City minimum wage.  Judge now says that the legal victory doesn’t entirely resolve the local’s issues with the mayor because he still must secure long-term financing, but the settlement agreement establishes an important legal precedent and will help fire fighters if the mayor tries to unilaterally cut wages again.

“We are not out of the woods, but this is a good start,” Judge says.

Fire fighters have fought with the mayor since July 6, when nearly 400 City workers received their paychecks. Instead of receiving their full wages, their pay was based on minimum wage – just $7.25 per hour.

“The members of Local 60 stood together and sent their mayor a strong message,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “This union and our brothers and sisters stepped up during our Convention last week and joined them at their rally in Scranton to let Mayor Doherty know that if you mess with one of us, you’re messing with all of us.”

Local 60, along with the police and public works unions, took the City to court. Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse issued an injunction, agreeing with the unions that the City was breaking the law.

The mayor argued he didn’t have another choice and paid workers minimum wage despite the injunction.

Local 60 then asked the judge to hold Doherty in contempt.

The settlement agreement means that a hearing on the contempt charge, scheduled for July 31, won’t be held.

Under the terms of the three-page settlement agreement, the City must pay employees the wages – plus 6 percent interest – that were withheld by August 17.

Local 60’s fight gained worldwide attention, with reporters focusing on the financial plight of fire fighters.

During the IAFF 51st Convention in Philadelphia last week, more than 100 fire fighters joined their brothers with Local 60 to hold a rally outside the Lackawanna County Courthouse calling on Mayor Doherty to obey the law.

“I appreciate everyone’s help in this fight. Having the support of our brothers and sisters really emphasized the solidarity of the IAFF and made us feel that we weren’t alone,” Judge says.

REPOST – Source: IAFF