Published: July 15, 2009

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski laid off 39 employees from the city's largest union today, the biggest job cuts since 1994.

The layoffs come after the mayor and the 420-member Service Employees International Union failed to reach an agreement during two weeks of negotiations.

Layoffs will be based on seniority and will initiate a messy process called "bumping," where laid-off workers have the option to push a less-senior colleagues into the unemployment line. The more senior workers can take a colleague's job if they have similar qualifications and more years on the job.

This process could be repeated over and over until 39 workers are cut.

Pawlowski wanted members to defer roughly half of a 8.9 percent increase that kicked in on Saturday in exchange for no lay offs, but members narrowly rejected the offer two weeks ago.

On Monday, the mayor made a second offer that included a second pay cut in the form of a shorter work week for the remainder of the year. That offer was rejected by union heads and not taken to members for a vote.

"During the current economic downturn, the city has been attempting to reduce costs to avoid the layoff of city staff," Pawlowski said in a written statement this afternoon.

"Unfortunately, the union rejected both of these offers leaving the city no choice but to reduce the workforce through layoffs."

Wayne MacManiman, 32BJ SEIU Mid-Atlantic area director, said the union proposed saving the city "millions of dollars" by switching health care providers, but the mayor ignored their plan.

"32BJ and city workers are eager to come to an agreement that protects city services without forcing working families to struggle on less pay and benefits, but the mayor has yet to return our calls," MacManiman said in a written statement.

SEIU local president Nick Balzano could not be reached for comment.