Camden will lay off more than 150 police officers, 77 firefighters, and about 150 other employees unless the mayor can wrest concessions in union contracts in the coming days, according to union officials and employees.
The cuts, described as the worst-case scenario option, would amount to more than a third of the city’s unionized workforce.
Mayor Dana L. Redd would not detail her estimates on the number of layoffs because of ongoing negotiations with the bargaining units. But she met with firefighters, police officers, and city employees Thursday in separate closed-door meetings to directly explain the harsh budget scenario: After years of bailouts from Trenton to close budget holes, Camden might not get all of the $54 million in state aid it needs to remain solvent.
And even if all that money comes through, the city still can’t afford to pay all employees.
