Detroit Mediators Say Unions Agree on Five-Year Contracts

Detroit reached agreements with unions representing more than a third of the city’s employees on new five-year labor contracts, according to federal mediators overseeing bankruptcy negotiations.

The announcement came as the judge handling the $18 billion bankruptcy case urged Detroit to resolve disputes with suburbs that rely on it for water and sewer services. The city and surrounding communities are split over whether Detroit’s water and sewage department should be turned into a regional authority that makes annual payments to the city.