Judge: Scranton, must pay employees full wages

Associated Press

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A judge has ordered the city of Scranton to pay employees full wages, but the mayor says the cash-strapped government can't afford it.

Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse on Friday granted an injunction to unions challenging Mayor Chris Doherty's decision to impose minimum wages to nearly 400 employees. The Times-Tribune of Scranton reports paychecks containing the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour had already been issued.

Doherty says he can't print money and that City Council has to fulfill the obligations of their budget. City Administrator Ryan McGowan says the city would have only $83,000 available after making a minimum-wage payroll of $311,000.

Union attorney Thomas Jennings says he will again file a motion seeking to hold the mayor in contempt of court if paychecks do not contain full wages.