MichiganRadio

Detroit's Mayor Terminates Union Contracts DETROIT, MI (Associated Press) -
Mayor Dave Bing has sent notices to 16 of 34 Detroit bargaining units to inform them that the city has terminated their contracts after no new agreements were reached.

The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press report the city no longer will deduct union dues from employee paychecks. That task now is left to the unions.

Unions were notified Oct. 9.

Seventeen of the city's 51 bargaining units already have agreed to new contracts.

Bing has said the city needs to rework all union deals to help cut into a $300 million budget deficit. He earlier threatened to end some pacts if unions refused concessions that include 10 percent wage cuts.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 207 President John Riehl says Bing's decision is anti-union. © Copyright 2012, Associated Press