(LA) Mayor talks tough to unions

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Mayor talks tough to unions

Engineers, architects to picket at LAX; seek same deal as utility workers
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other city officials vowed Tuesday to stand their ground against demands from city unions for deals on par with the lucrative contract awarded two months ago to Department of Water and Power employees.

In the first public sign that other city workers' expectations have soared because of the DWP workers' deal - raises up to 6 percent a year, depending on inflation - the Engineers and Architects Association announced plans for a massive demonstration at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday, one of the busiest travel days of the year, when disruptions could create havoc for tens of thousands of passengers.

Leaders of other unions said the DWP deal is weighing heavily on their own plans for contract proposals and has prompted their members to expect pay increases matching those for utility workers, who already are the highest paid municipal employees.

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http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3243711

Rick Orlov, [phone] [email protected]