(CBS News) SCRANTON, Pa. - Unions representing workers in the northeastern Pennsylvania city of Scranton expect to file a federal lawsuit against the city after the mayor abruptly cut their pay to minimum wage.
The attorney for three unions, including firefighters and police, said he expects to file several legal actions, including a motion to hold Mayor Chris Doherty in contempt of court for violating a judge's order to pay full wages.
"We've been busy," said attorney Thomas Jennings. "So much nonsense. [It's] really, really silly that we have to do something like this just to get paid."
Scranton, Pa.: We don't have money to pay workers
Doherty last week cut the pay for about 400 employees to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. He says it was the only way for the cash-strapped city to pay bills, and promises to restore pay once finances are stabilized, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
On Friday Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse held a hearing and ordered an injunction to unions challenging Doherty's decision. Jennings said one firefighter who testified was juggling three jobs just to support his kids.
"You can make more money flipping burgers at McDonald's" than saving people's lives, Jennings said.
Roger Leonard, a heavy equipment operator, told NPR radio he usually gets a $900 check from the city for two weeks of work, but on Friday only got $340.
"I have two children and a wife and my wife is a stay-at-home mom," Leonard told the radio station. "If the savings gets drained, we won't be OK, but I'm hoping before that happens, that they come to a resolution."
The move comes during a dispute between Scranton's City Council over a financial recovery plan as it faces a $16.8 million budget deficit.
Doherty is in favor of a plan that would use bank loans to fill the budget gap, the Associated Press reported. The plan would also increase property taxes by 78 percent over the next three years and have a new garbage collection fee of $22 phased in over two years. But City Council members say the tax hikes are too much and want Doherty to find other ways to raise money.
"If I had the money, I'd pay them (employees). Again, it's the council's budget," Doherty told the Times-Tribune.
Jennings told CBS News that he doesn't think the mayor searched hard enough for alternate solutions.
"This isn't a situation where they don't have the money, this is a situation where they don't have the will," Jennings said. "The mayor can't play nice with City Council, that's what's going on."
Jennings is representing the International Association of Firefighters Local 60, the Fraternal Order of Police E.B. Jermyn Lodge 2 and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 2305. The unions also plan on taking action in federal court against the city for allegedly cutting off disability payments and not paying overtime.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Scranton is home to about 76,000 people. The city's population has only declined since it peaked at 143,333 in 1930.
The attorney for three unions, including firefighters and police, said he expects to file several legal actions, including a motion to hold Mayor Chris Doherty in contempt of court for violating a judge's order to pay full wages.
"We've been busy," said attorney Thomas Jennings. "So much nonsense. [It's] really, really silly that we have to do something like this just to get paid."
Scranton, Pa.: We don't have money to pay workers
Doherty last week cut the pay for about 400 employees to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. He says it was the only way for the cash-strapped city to pay bills, and promises to restore pay once finances are stabilized, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
On Friday Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse held a hearing and ordered an injunction to unions challenging Doherty's decision. Jennings said one firefighter who testified was juggling three jobs just to support his kids.
"You can make more money flipping burgers at McDonald's" than saving people's lives, Jennings said.
Roger Leonard, a heavy equipment operator, told NPR radio he usually gets a $900 check from the city for two weeks of work, but on Friday only got $340.
"I have two children and a wife and my wife is a stay-at-home mom," Leonard told the radio station. "If the savings gets drained, we won't be OK, but I'm hoping before that happens, that they come to a resolution."
The move comes during a dispute between Scranton's City Council over a financial recovery plan as it faces a $16.8 million budget deficit.
Doherty is in favor of a plan that would use bank loans to fill the budget gap, the Associated Press reported. The plan would also increase property taxes by 78 percent over the next three years and have a new garbage collection fee of $22 phased in over two years. But City Council members say the tax hikes are too much and want Doherty to find other ways to raise money.
"If I had the money, I'd pay them (employees). Again, it's the council's budget," Doherty told the Times-Tribune.
Jennings told CBS News that he doesn't think the mayor searched hard enough for alternate solutions.
"This isn't a situation where they don't have the money, this is a situation where they don't have the will," Jennings said. "The mayor can't play nice with City Council, that's what's going on."
Jennings is representing the International Association of Firefighters Local 60, the Fraternal Order of Police E.B. Jermyn Lodge 2 and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 2305. The unions also plan on taking action in federal court against the city for allegedly cutting off disability payments and not paying overtime.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Scranton is home to about 76,000 people. The city's population has only declined since it peaked at 143,333 in 1930.