Camden City, New Jersey approved layoffs for a quarter of the city's workforce on Thursday. The city, rated the second most dangerous in America, will cut 383 jobs, many of them to police and firefighters. Residents and employees spoke at the City Council meeting, asking the Board to reconsider and to look at the impact the layoffs would have on the city. Police and firefighters unions say that they are in talks with the city to reduce costs in hopes of saving some jobs. The City Council said that they were forced into the layoffs because of the lack of state aid. The vote would be effective on January 18.
See "Camden City Council approves massive layoffs", Matt Katz, The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 2, 2010