A looming partial government shutdown sparked a protest in downtown Toledo Tuesday night. Unionized city workers showed signs to city council, demanding a decent wage. Mayor Carty Finkbeiner wants to halt some city services for four days, to help balance the budget.
That would force some workers to take time off without pay.
"We're the ones that plow the snow, fix the backed up sewers in the basement the main breaks. When these things don't happen. The phone's going to ring off the hook,"said Don Czerniak, AFSCME Local 7.
The message we're tying to bring is we are people. We're not just entities that can come and go. We are people. We are taxpayers in this city also," said Jeff Hauter, Department of Sewer & Drainage.
Councilman Michael Ashford Proposed an 11th hour ordinance demanding the Mayor adhere to union contracts and not go through with the furloughs. City Council members decided not to vote on the measure and instead send the idea to a committee for review.
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner was unavailable for comment Tuesday. The first partial shutdown is scheduled for Wednesday November 26.
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