News release we received this afternoon:

The city of Seattle has proposed to the Coalition of City Unions a 10-day
furlough program aimed at reducing the number of layoffs required in 2010. If
approved by union membership, the city would extend the same program to
non-represented city employees.

“Over the past several months, we have worked together with our unions and I
appreciate their cooperation in these difficult budget times,” said Mayor Greg
Nickels.

Under the proposal, approximately 6,700 workers, including coalition union members
whose bargaining units ratify the agreement and non-represented employees, would
take 10 furlough days spread across the year. Uniformed police and fire personnel,
and employees represented by IBEW 77 are not part of this furlough proposal at this
time.

The city has seen a continued drop in sales tax and business and occupation tax
revenues, and a revised revenue forecast used for planning the 2010 budget will be
available by the end of the month. The furlough plan would help preserve services
for city residents by reducing the number of city employees who would be laid off in
2010 due to the recession. This plan would save approximately $8 million from the
general fund and a total of up to $20 million from the entire city budget.

The proposal is being discussed with the 20 unions that make up the coalition. Under
the plan, furlough schedules would be assigned so that most city services would
remain open to the public. Some exceptions to the furloughs would be allowed, such
as for employees whose departments have minimum staffing and operational
requirements, and for employees earning less than $18 an hour.

In May, the mayor made $13.3 million in mid-year cuts from the general fund budget
while preserving funding for public safety and direct human services. To reduce the
number of layoffs in 2009, full-time employees at the Seattle Public Utilities call
center went to a 38-hour-a-week schedule, and employees at Seattle Public Libraries
will take a one-week furlough this month. In 2009, the mayor also implemented
furloughs for professional staff in several departments and rolled back salaries for
100 senior managers to 2008 levels. In 2010, those salaries will remain at 2008
levels.