Reno officials, firefighters at loggerheads over layoffs

RENO -- The union representing Reno firefighters has announced the city has rejected its offer to forgo pay raises to help avoid layoffs, but city officials say negotiations with labor groups continue.

The City Council on Monday appealed to employee unions to give up two 2.1 percent raises over the next year to avoid laying off up to 60 employees, including 19 firefighters.

Brad Jensen, president of Local 731 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, on Tuesday said members gave the city what it asked for but the offer was rejected.

"This was the concession that the elected officials sought at their budget meeting June 1, as well as in previous discussions with our negotiating team," Jensen said in a written statement. "We understood that with these concessions there would be no layoffs to firefighters."

Reno officials, however, said they could not guarantee layoffs would not happen, given the uncertain economy.

The officials have set a June 24 deadline for unions to make a decision on giving up cost-of-living raises for the new fiscal year that begins July 1.

The City Council authorized City Manager Donna Dreska to initiate layoffs on that date, and warned that additional jobs could be lost if the city's budget woes worsen.