Catherwood LibraryILR School

Wayne county administrator Robert Ficano has decided to furlough (without pay) seven hundred county workers every Friday, beginning now, and continuing until labor questions arising from a county budget deficit of around $100 million, are resolved. Negotiations between the county executive and the workers stalled when the labor organization refused to accept a 10% pay cut. Ficano says that without the pay cuts or the furloughs the alternative is permanently laying off up to 500 employees, as well as cutting health benefits for those few who would remain. The union, however, is not so sure. Although labor representatives recognize the deficit they say the furloughs will save only a tiny portion of the needed money, and have so filed a suit against the order, as "arbitrary." The union feels that Ficano is spending frivolously elsewhere, when he should be putting county resources towards trying to save jobs and livelihoods.