Fort Worth Workers Rally Together

Non-contract employees say they have sacrificed enough

Members of the Fort Worth General Employee Coalition rallied Tuesday at City Hall, hoping to convince the City Council to look elsewhere for cuts to close the city's $77 million budget gap.

The coalition is asking the City Council to consider a 3 percent pay raise along with no furloughs, layoffs or outsourcing. It represents roughly half of the city's 3,800 general employees.

"As a general employee, you feel like you're not being treated fairly," said the coalition's Peter Talleos. "All we're asking is that the city treat us fairly as general employees as compared to civil service employees."

Amid massive budget cuts, general employees were forced to take eight furlough days, amounting to a 3 percent pay cut, last year. But police officers got a pay increase, and firefighters were virtually unaffected because of their current contracts.

Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief said he hopes the impact on general employees will be minimal, but he said the coalition is not likely to get all of its demands.

"I think they're asking for the moon and maybe hoping for some stars," he said.

The revised budget from the city manager's office is due to the City Council on Aug. 10.

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