Wayne County, union leaders at odds over unpaid furloughs

Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News

Detroit --Wayne County residents seeking birth certificates, marriage licenses, concealed weapons permits and a host of other services will be out of luck today, and perhaps every Friday, because of a showdown between county leaders and unions.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, unable to persuade labor to accept 10 percent pay cuts, is laying off 700 employees every Friday beginning today. The unpaid furloughs will prompt the closure of clerk offices and the Register of Deeds, which records all land transactions such as mortgages and liens.

"We're not going to be able to serve the public," said Deputy Clerk Caven West. "The issue is there hasn't been a lot of time to communicate to the public."

Ficano is planning on furloughing the employees every Friday until further notice, but an administrative law judge gave him 10 days Thursday to prove the move doesn't violate employee contracts. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed a grievance claiming the order was arbitrary. The county faces a $100 million deficit and the furloughs are expected to save $6 million. Ficano called Clerk Cathy Garrett's decision to shutter offices "puzzling" since only 10 of her 278 employees face furloughs. West contends 37 workers will be laid off.

Ficano said the alternative is to permanently lay off 300 to 500 of the county's 3,800 workers and cut health care benefits.

But Albert Garrett, president of AFSCME Council 25, said Ficano is a "bizarre study in contrasts" and took a dig at the county's move Thursday to new offices downtown.

"He seems to have all sorts of revenue to throw to the winds," Garrett said. "(He) expended $30 million on the Guardian Building. ... Is the county broke, or is it rich, Mr. Ficano?"

To cut costs, about 500 county workers and most operations moved into the Guardian Building this month, which the county spent $57 million to renovate. The county originally estimated the revamp at $27 million; $30 million more was approved to add 45,000 square feet and technology upgrades.

Prosecutor Kym Worthy said four employees in her office will be laid off, besides 13 moved into other departments. Worthy said workers are performing double duty.

"Our budget is balanced but we are suffering because other departments haven't balanced their budgets. My office is on life support as a result of these cuts," Worthy said.