LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two City of Lockport Council members who voted not to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for some city employees are sharing their side of the story.
For months CSEA Region 6 — which represents 29 city employees — has requested that June 19th be listed as a paid and public holiday.
But at a council meeting last week, Council members Anita Mullane and Maggie Lupo rejected it.
Water Administration Supervisor Sandra Elliston previously told 7 News' Kristen Mirand she feels dismissed after they rejected the resolution.
"So this honestly, at the end of the day, has nothing to do with either of you not supporting Juneteenth and what it means?" 7 News' Kristen Mirand asked.
"Oh my. No. Goodness," Lupo responded.
Mullane and Lupo said when they were presented with the request months ago, they were never shown how much extra this would cost the city.
"We just can't give things away without the knowledge of what the cost will be at the end of the day," Lupo said. "I mean, how do you just agree to have a day off without a financial repercussion, a knowledge of what that will be at budget time."
"We'd love to have everybody get that day, but we're a city in financial distress," Mullane said.
Mullane said the city's attorney withdrew CSEA Region 6's request at council meetings multiple times this year due to "legal issues." Still, at a council meeting on June 12th, the request was on the agenda.
"And it finally made it out onto the floor when there were only four of us that night. Two of our members were missing. So you needed for all four people to say yes," Mullane explained.
Mullane said it was a 2-2 vote, so the request failed to pass.
Mullane said CSEA Region 6 is one of five unions representing city employees. CSEA Region 6 members have 14 paid holidays off and 11 are federal holidays.
She added contract negotiations will not begin for another two years.
"We don't negotiate outside of the contract and we're certainly not going to open the contract. So, had we given them that extra day on top of the 14 they have, the other unions would have had to less paid holidays and we knew they would ask us for the same thing," Mullane explained.
If everyone were to receive Juneteenth as a paid holiday, the Council members estimate this would cost the city tens of thousands of dollars.
Mullane and Lupo said once they receive the cost breakdown, they will consider adding Juneteenth as paid holiday for all union members.
In the meantime, the Council members suggest union members use floating holidays if they choose to have off on Juneteenth.
"We'll address it and hopefully they can get the day off in next year or the year after," Lupo said.
