A fiscal and political crisis in the nearly-broke northeastern Pennsylvania city of Scranton deepened Tuesday as public employee unions sought to have the mayor held in contempt of court after he defied a judge and slashed workers’ pay to minimum wage.
Unions representing firefighters, police and public-works employees also filed a pair of federal lawsuits against Mayor Chris Doherty and the city that alleged violations of labor law and due-process rights.
Doherty last week ignored a court order and cut the pay of about 400 city workers to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The Democratic mayor said it was all the cash-strapped city of more than 76,000 could afford, promising to restore full pay once finances are stabilized.
“It’s incredible,” the unions’ attorney, Thomas Jennings, said Tuesday. “I’ve never had a public official just say, `I’m not going to obey a court order. I’m not even going to try. He can’t tell me what to do.'”
Roy's Rants - For Your Information 
Wow! Really? So, this mayor just thinks he can do whatever he wants, even if it’s against a judge’s order? That’s sick! I’m sorry, but even if you “can’t afford” to pay anymore than minimum wage, there are union contracts that are being violated and a court order being violated. I don’t think this mayor understands the implications of what he just did and the trouble he’s put himself in with this.
This mayor has the right idea in a way. Cities and our country need to live within some sort of means. I’d LOVE to see our elected morons in Washington D.C. get paid $7.25 an hour. Then again, most aren’t worth that much. Hey,Mr.Oblamer,how about paying yourself and your cronnies $7.25 an hour, since you care SO much for the working class.