Wilmington wants $1,000 bonus for city workers

[longnecker]

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Mayor James M. Baker said the bonuses would show thanks.

City of Wilmington employees will soon learn whether their holiday pay will be fattened for the season or a proposed bonus will be filched by the Grinch.
City leaders are pushing for an ordinance that would provide $1.2 million in holiday bonuses to Wilmington's more than 1,000 employees. The proposal would provide a one-time bonus of $1,000 for 1,001 full-time employees and $500 for 39 school crossing guards.
Some members of City Council and even some workers who would receive the money question the gift, however.
Master Cpl. Mike Lawson, president of Wilmington's Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1, said the money is hard to turn down, but he wondered how the city could offer it while telling the police union during contract negotiations that there isn't enough money for raises. Lodge 1 has been working without a contract since July, while the union representing captains and inspectors has been without a contract since last year.
"It really concerns me that they have this money when they've been saying that they don't have the monies," Lawson said. "It seems like there is something else behind this. I don't want to say it's politically motivated, but it has all the indications of it being politically motivated."
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[Curly]

Bullshit! It's a political move by Montgomery for 2012. As a city employee, they can shove it where the sun don't shine. We have more than a few employees who would probably suck a %^&$ for an extra $25 but most of us know there is more to this stupid suggestion than the public knows. The financial projection for the city is no different than the last three years and now this? Like I said to a few guys last Tuesday, when we found out about it, it's not a bonus it's a loan. You all remember last time when they offered a raise to us with money they didn't have.
More to come...............