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LA City Council approves labor union deal

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LA City Council approves labor union deal
LA City Council approves labor union deal

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a labor union deal that will require many city workers to contribute more to their retirement healthcare plans.

Under the agreement, 13,000 city workers will contribute 4 percent of their salary to their retirement healthcare plans. They'll also defer previously approved pay raises.

In exchange, the city has promised not to furlough them for three years. It’s also promised to continue contributing to their retirement healthcare plans even as medical costs rise.

But labor unions that represent another 6,300 workers rejected the deal. Most of them now face up to 42 days of unpaid furlough days. They include clerical workers, assistant city attorneys and 911 operators.

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City Council President Eric Garcetti said the city will also freeze the city’s contribution to those workers’ retirement healthcare plans.

The council voted to give those unions one week to call another vote.

The city also seeks concessions from its police and fire unions as it struggles to reduce a projected $460 million deficit.

KPCC wire services contributed to this report.

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