By Gregory Korte
Enquirer staff writer

Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said he will hold the line on the city's latest contract offer to 2,400 workers after the city's largest union voted down the proposal Monday.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8 wouldn't disclose details of the membership vote, but said negotiations would continue as early as Friday.

The city manager's latest offer would have given the city workers raises of 3 percent, 2 percent and 3 percent over the next three years. The second year also included a one-time 1 percent bonus.

Luken says there's no room for the city to budge.

"This is as generous as we can get. In fact, in light of our most recent budget projections, the offer is too generous. We have tried to be fair, but there are limits to what we can afford, and this offer is the limit," Luken said in an e-mail to the Enquirer.

Luken and City Manager Valerie Lemmie announced $7.8 million in budget-cutting measures last week, including a hiring freeze, a ban on nonessential travel and a one-time tax amnesty.

AFSCME regional director Robert Turner brushed off the mayor's position on the contract. "The mayor hasn't been at the bargaining table, so I suppose he's speaking for himself," he said.

One obstacle is health care. In an effort to curb double-digit growth in health care costs, the city asked workers to join a specific plan or pay more in premiums, the mayor said.

Employees of the union, which represents 40 percent of city employees, have been working without a contract since Aug. 4.

Their duties include garbage collection, street sweeping and road repairs.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com