Judge orders Detroit to resume collecting AFSCME union dues

David Josar / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Wayne County Judge Amy Hathaway has temporarily ordered the city to resume collecting union dues from about 4,500 AFSCME employees after Mayor Dave Bing canceled that provision of the contract last month.

She has also ordered the union and the city to enter "expedited arbitration" within 30 days to try to settle the dispute.

Even though the AFSCME contract has expired, its parameters remain into affect until a new deal, which the city is trying to broker, is approved.

The Bing administration is pushing for a 10 percent wage cut in exchange for 26 unpaid days off.

The union believes the mayor can only alter the agreement with the approval of City Council, something he did not do when he decided to stop collecting the dues.

However, the city maintains the changes, which were ordered by Bing but were carried out by the head of Human Relations, can be done because they don't affect wages, benefits and work rules, such as the number of hours in a work day.

"This is a victory for us because we aren't going to stand by as these ruthless, union-busting tactics take place," said Catherine Phillips, a lead negotiator for AFSCME.

Phillips said the union believes a separate case previously decided involving Highland Park will persuade the judge to rule the contract can only be altered with the consent of City Council.

Ed Cardenas, the mayor's press secretary, said he had no immediate comment.

A hearing was held last week before Hathaway.

At that hearing, lawyers for the city said the Highland Park case doesn't apply to Detroit because the cities have different charters.

djosar@detnews.com