Mayor Wharton Agrees To Same Pay Cut As City Employees

Do you folks even know what you are arguing about anymore, or are you just searching the internet for a target for your impotent rage? Yes, Wharton's pay cut can be seen as offensive, if you choose for it to be. Have you all already forgotten about King Willie?

To gma22.... Then maybe your husband should have stayed in the Navy. You toss a lot of misinformation out and expect others to join your cry of "Foul". Your husband chose to work for the city of Memphis and like you stated, this state is a "right to work" state so, if you object, have your hubby go find another job. The fact of the matter is: Yes, employees took a hit which amounts to about $200/month but Wharton took a hit also and his was more than twice that of the union employees. YOU voted the city council in so don't go crying to others now that YOUR elected officials do things YOU don't like - vote them out! At least YOUR husband has a job! Where were you when all the jobs in this country were being shipped overseas? What are you doing to fight employers who say if you have been out of work for more than 6 months, don't bother applying here? You want some cheese with your whine? If you don't like Wharton, bring Willie back or maybe you should run for mayor. Have a nice day!

I am a conservative and I am in a union. Too much power one way or the other is bad. To say all unions are bad is just not smart. Absolute power corrupts absolutley. If you there is no concentrated voice by labor, they will get railroaded everytime. Unions have very restricted power here, but they can bring attention to politicians that are not being honest and upfront. I hope the paycut is restored soon so everyone can get motivated and morale will go up. I gaurantee this would go a long way in mending fences with the city administration. If we can get to the point that we trust each other and work together, we can concentrate on fighting crime and blight instead of each other.

localyokal: It takes real intelligence to insult someone you don't know when you can't even spell yokel correctly!!! I won't dignify your slur against my education with an answer, as it is frankly none of your business. What does the fact that $575 is the reduction to mayor's the paycheck have anything to do with anyone else? Your thinking is convoluted. My husband has 43 years experience in his field and shouldn't have to work for a crappy salary!!! He did that for 20 years protecting your sorry self when he was in the Navy, he shouldn't have to do it in the public arena. Maybe if this tax cut would have been broached to the unions correctly the city employees wouldn't be calling foul, but the Mayor decided in his limited wisdom to ignore a signed contract, and take the money anyway. A) The city has been in financial trouble long before the beginning of the year, B) The current contract for city employees was agreed to and signed at the beginning of the year, C) It stated no new layoffs or pay reductions for 2 years starting in July 2011, which is when the old contracts ended, and D) This is is a right to work state so the unions have no power to strike. So, all that being said, WHY did they sign the contract????? Why did they not tell the unions then the city workers needed to take a pay cut, nope, the city council and mayor ok'd the contract Oh and ole yokel, my spouse and I are conservative republicans and do no LIKE unions and my husband, who is the city employee does NOT belong to the union. I object to the way it was done not that it was done. As for Missy22, I understand not wanting unions with the city, but again, unions in this state have no power. They can go into negotiations, they can scream and holler all they want, but it would only take the city council and the mayor to hold strong and say no. None of the unions be it city, fire, electrical, whatever can strike or do any of things other unions do.

Good for AC. Isn't Ben and Jerry's a private company? They can do what they like, the leftist jerks. Everybody's had to take a hit, and so should public employees. And they should be banned from unionizing.

To gma22 - This is how misinformation gets around. Based solely on the information in this article it's obvious you attended Memphis City Schools. 50K into 150K is NOT 4 times as much! A 4.6% cut from 50K is 2300/yr or 192/month. A 4.6% cut from 150K comes out to 575/month. $575 a month can - and does - support many a family in this country. I don't hear any of you crying about the salaries of union leaders - and that is YOUR money! I would love to see this country follow the idea mentioned by mytown - where the highest paid cannot be paid more than 5 times that of the lowest paid. You should be more worried about all these companies that are taking jobs overseas. Eventually, all of you will NOT have jobs to complaint about!

Oh and as a PS to City Councilman Mr Lowery: you have to be kidding me. There is no way that we are ever going to see our money again and the moron sitting in the mayor's chair now that he has another term is going to make our pay cut permanent instead of the just one year as he promised, you just wait and see. This court case will drag on and on and not a cent will we ever see.

Oh please, how insulting you are. Your slimy smile and attittude that you think you are being "one of us" and taking a pay cut is ridiculous. Like the gentleman from the police association said, we ole blue collar workers hurt a lot more from that 5% cut then someone making 4 times as much. Of course, you called the press to make sure the media knew what a pal you are to the city employees by being right there on the front lines with them. You are a fraud and I only wish there had been someone decent running against you so you could have had your behind marched right out of city hall. You are a Herenton cronie is all you are but you hide behind a wall pretending you are this good guy.

How do you think he won? He's the typical corporate type. Cutting folk's salaries at the drop of the hat and no regrets. Never mind that wages in this country have remained flat against inflation for years. Not his problem, and obviously, not his concern.

I was all in for the mayor until now. What a slap in the face for rank and file employees. I'm not suggesting anyone follow suit with our former governor(In case you didn't know ,his millionaire abacus never drawed a penny from the state) Maybe at least follow the Ben and Jerry Ice cream moguls who state that the highest paid man in the company can't make more than 5 times the lowest paid man. Bet theres some hi-salary floor-keepers. Awfully disappointed in Mr. Wharton regardless. This must be some misinformation