Newark to Layoff 2,200 City Employees

Layoff notices were sent to 2,200 Newark city employees today. The list includes 165 police officers, about 90 firefighters, and hundreds of sanitation workers that will have their positions outsourced.

The city faces an $83 million budget deficit and these layoffs are an attempt to close that gap.

These layoff notices have come just five days after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million to city schools, in addition to other donors having stepped up as well.

“While Mayor Booker dances with the stars on national television, thousands of city workers are bracing to get layoff notices. Our workers don’t have direct access to the likes of Oprah or Facebook CEO Zuckerberg,” said president of the SEIU Local 617, Rahaman Muhammad.