By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – A judge ruled Wednesday that city and school district employees must be placed on the salary steps they would have achieved if there had not been a wage freeze the past three years.
State Supreme Court Justice John Michalek's decision is expected to cost the city and its school district 130 million dollars over the next four years. However, the ruling does not force the city to provide retroactive pay for missed salary increases while the freeze was in effect.
Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said the unions have received "justice."
The city is planning an appeal. An attorney for the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority says the control board may be forced to re-impose the wage freeze if the ruling stands.
City Corporation Counsel Alisa Lukasiewicz said the reality is that the city has a balancing act. She said they certainly want to pay workers what they're entitled without throwing the four year financial plan out of balance.