Tulsa - City union leaders spent the last several days working out a plan that would save the city money and save jobs.

Tulsa Police, Fire and general city workers have agreed to take 8 furlough days.

Those 8 furlough days boil down to 64 hours of pay. That's what the city needs from every employee whether it's in the form of unpaid time off, or just working less.

The announcement was made tonight at a special press conference and it was a momentus occasion, the city's three unions, working day and night, to come together on a plan to cope with cutbacks.

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor said, "Everyone is coming to the table and is taking essentially a 3.1% reduction in the money that they will have in their pocket."

How that 3.1% is deducted however, isn't exactly as simple as A-B-C.

"It's complicated to be quite frank with you." Tulsa Police Chief Ron Palmer said tonight.

Just because the word furlough is thrown around, it doesn't mean you'll see less cops or firefighters.

According to Chief Palmer, "It would never mean there's 10 fewer cops on the street because we do have minimum manning levels. What it means is that on days where we are fat, then there might not be as many cops on the street."

Tulsa Firefighters are also working to keep their men and women on the streets but they too will be trimming benefits, rather than trimming coverage.

Stan May with the Tulsa Firefighters Union explains, "We're not going to be taking the furlough days, we'd rather give up a concession in another area and keep the guys on the streets."

As for general city workers, there the public will notice the cutbacks. Mayor Taylor said. "...for example July 2nd, we will be closing city hall."

A collective effort to gap the budget crunch, but not the first, the mayor encouraging the public to remember the time before, and make this the last.

"This is the second time in a decade we've had to do this. We should not continue to allow municipal government to be based primarily on a volatile source of revenue which is sales tax."

No specific examples were offered of just what funding mechanism the city should use to foster greater stability.  The budget goes into effect July 1st.

Mayor Taylor says the city has further contingency plans ready if more budget cuts should be needed in the coming months.

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