DECATUR - Local labor leaders Wednesday expressed their support for city workers, who say the city of Decatur has imposed on them an unfair contract.

"This is a travesty, the way the city is conducting the negotiations," said Jay Dunn, president of Decatur Building and Construction Trades Council. "I remember back in the '90s, when we had strikes going on at Caterpillar and Firestone and Staley's, and all the negative publicity that Decatur got and Macon County got.

"It's taken all these years to clear that out, and now we're getting back to the same situation because the city won't sit down and negotiate a fair contract (with city employees)."

City administrators Monday imposed a new contract on members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 268.

City administrators say both sides are at an impasse, and the city is allowed by law to implement its "last, best offer" unless the bargaining team for AFSCME provides a "meaningful counterproposal."

Union leaders say they submitted a bargaining proposal to the city and are eager to negotiate a "fair" settlement. The union announced Monday that it has filed unfair labor practice charges against the city.

The city for years has paid 100 percent of single health coverage for members of AFSCME Local 268, and dependent coverage ran $23 per month.

Under the new plan, employees could choose from a tiered program, which requires them to pay $40, $61 or $85 per month for single coverage and $119, $184 or $255 per month for family coverage.

Other terms of the agreement include a 5 percent pay increase, retroactive to May 2006, as well as 4 percent pay increases in 2007 and 2008, and a life insurance benefit of $20,000 per employee.

Assistant City Manager Billy Tyus on Wednesday said city administrators have no comment.

Mayor Paul Osborne said elected officials on the city council are prohibited by law from getting involved with contract negotiations.

Also voicing support for city workers Wednesday were labor leaders representing Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly AFL-CIO and the city's police and firefighter unions.

Organizers of ChangeDecatur, which led an unsuccessful attempt to change the form of city government, also supported AFSCME employees at the Wednesday rally.

Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985.