BAY CITY, Mich. - The Bay City Commission has unanimously approved a new contract with firefighters that includes concessions to avoid layoffs.

The contract approved Monday night during a closed session includes an 8.7 percent labor reduction in exchange for the city agreeing not to layoff firefighters for three years.

The union approved the contract earlier this month.

Local 116 president Kurt Wagner tells WNEM-TV that four recently laid off firefighters will return to work by early August.

The city had asked all eight of its unions, and nonunion employees, to make 10.8 percent in labor cuts to help with a $1.66 million budget deficit for 2010-2011 fiscal year, which began July 1.

City Manager Robert Belleman said contracts with three others unions should be in place by August.
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Information from: WNEM-TV, http://www.wnem.com

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