About 225 City of Vicksburg employees were told Tuesday morning by Mayor Paul Winfield that the time is not right for a workers union.

“They told me what they expected from the city and I told them what we expected from the employees,” Winfield said after the gathering in the courtroom at the Vicksburg Police Department, which was not open to the public. “I think we addressed some problems and misconceptions. Some of the employees had some ideas where the city could save money.”

Some city employees have said they want the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to recognize the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees/ Communications Workers of America as their bargaining agent.

Winfield said the meeting was one of several he has had with employees to discuss concerns.

He called the meeting productive, adding he would prepare a report on the meeting for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

He said he might present the report at Monday’s City Board meeting.

He would not give details about Tuesday’s meeting, except to say he told the employees the time was not right for recognition and he wanted to wait.

David Schnell, MASE union organizer for Vicksburg and Jackson who attended, called the meeting friendly. He said the employees told Winfield that they wanted a better grievance procedure and raised concerns about safety on the job and pay.

“What the employees want is respect from the city and better pay and benefits,” he said. “You’ve got guys making $7.25 an hour working on gas lines. How much does someone working on a gas line for Atlas (a natural gas distributor) make, and what benefits does he get? I’m sure they’re paid more than the city employee.”

MASE president Brenda Scott said Tuesday she suggested that Winfield talk with the employees after he told her he wanted to hold off on recognizing a union for the employees.

“I talked with him last week, and he said, ‘I want to think about it,’” she said.

She said Winfield had indicated earlier that he would bring up the matter in March. Winfield denied he had set a date.

He said she met with the board in February, “and we told her that we might bring it up in a few months. We would have to look at the condition of the city and how other things were with the city. We never gave a specific date.”

About 30 city employees gathered on the steps of City Hall on Feb. 16 calling on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to recognize their request for a union.

The public gathering was the first since 1996, when union organizers met with city employees to discuss joining MASE. The attempt to organize was unsuccessful.

A group of employees later met with union organizers at the Klondyke on North Washington Street on May 6 to discuss plans to seek recognition by the city.