A vote on Anchorage Assembly Ordinance 37 was postponed until March 26, according to assembly chair Ernie Hall. Hall says the assembly will meet on Friday, March 22 for a work session on the topic.
Local union leaders say even with the amendments the ordinance will not be ready to voted on.
Will Aitchson, a 24-year attorney for the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, says this is the worst collective bargaining agreement he has ever seen proposed.
"This ordinance is flawed, so structurally flawed in so many different ways," said Aitchson. "If I were the assembly I would tear it up and start all over. If I was an assembly member, I'd identify what my concerns were and much more carefully craft an ordinance that would meet those concerns,"
Hall says the ordinance aims to help the municipality of Anchorage prevent future budget issues.
"These are people that deserve fair compensation but what we are going to try and do is put factors into place that would help hold cost in the future," said Hall.
The Anchorage Assembly has heard 20 hours of public testimony. Hall recommends if anyone has more to add, then they call or write to their assembly member.
Contact Mallory Peebles
