Judge orders Detroit, 20 unions into mediation process over disputes

By Jim Witters

Wilmington, Del., Oct. 7 - The judge overseeing the City of Detroit's bankruptcy case has ordered the city and 20 of its unions into a mediation process to settle disputes, according to an Oct. 5 filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

At least one union has objected to the Chapter 9 bankruptcy case, saying the city filed in bad faith.

The mediation also may include negotiation and renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements.

The unions involved in the mediation include Assistant Supervisors of Street Maintenance & Construction Association; Association of City of Detroit Supervisors; Association of Detroit Engineers; Association of Municipal Engineers; Association of Municipal Inspectors; Association of Professional Construction Inspectors; Association of Professional & Technical Employees; Building & Construction Trades Council; Detroit Income Tax Investigators Association; Emergency Medical Service Officers Association (EMSOA); Field Engineers Association; International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 324 - Operating Engineers, Detroit Principal Clerks, & Park Management; Police Officers Association of Michigan; Police Officers Labor Council; Police Officers Labor Council - Health Department; Police Officers Labor Council - Detention Facility Officer; Senior Accountants, Analysts & Appraisers Association; Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 517M - Supervisory & Non-Supervisory Units; Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 517M - Professional &Technical Unit; and Teamsters, Local 214.

As previously reported, judge Steven W. Rhodes appointed chief district judge Gerald Rosen of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to serve as judicial mediator in this case.

The judicial mediator is authorized to enter any order necessary for the facilitation of mediation proceedings.

Detroit filed bankruptcy on July 18 under Chapter 9 case number 13-53846.

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