Chicago Mayor Daley has said he will be forced to lay off 1,600 city workers unless unions agree to concessions aimed at eliminating a $300 million budget deficit. The city has already laid off 420 employees this year ? an number significantly smaller than was planned thanks to the union concessions that were made already. Chicago Federation of Labor President, Dennis Gannon, said a coalition of 40 union leaders would negotiate the new requests. Meanwhile the city canceled a request for quotes on ?automated, side-loading refuse trucks? which, if purchased, could potentially result in even more layoffs. The cancellation was apparently at the request of unions, who noted that the measure was unfair considering the union sacrifices already being made to aid the budget shortfall.
See "Mayor Daley will lay off 1,600 City of Chicago workers unless unions agree to givebacks", Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun Times, April 15, 2009