http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3764759

Article Launched: 4/29/2006 12:00 AM


Sick time not usable for protest

BY RICK ORLOV, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sent a letter Friday telling city workers they cannot use sick time to participate in Monday's planned immigration demonstrations.

The memo also told city workers that they will lose the day's pay if they are absent without authorization or have failed to get prior permission to be off.

The letter came even as Villaraigosa will be out of town part of Monday during the expected large demonstrations downtown.

Aides said the mayor still plans to meet with the owners committee of the National Football League in Dallas on Tuesday to try to convince them to pick the Coliseum for a return of professional football.

"The mayor made a commitment to attend the meeting and he believes the plans in place here should deal with any issue from the marches," Deputy Mayor Robin Kramer said.

Villaraigosa aides said the mayor will leave for Dallas sometime Monday and they are working on returning him to Los Angeles as soon as possible Tuesday.

City Council President Eric Garcetti, who serves as acting mayor when Villaraigosa is absent, said he is confident there will be minimal disruption.

"I have every confidence that the demonstrations will be peaceful, and our biggest concern is traffic at this point," Garcetti said.

"The message we want to get to city workers is they have an obligation to be on the job and provide service to the public."

Two demonstrations are scheduled for Monday to protest proposed federal legislation on immigration rights.

The events - one scheduled for noon in the downtown area and a second at 4 p.m. starting in the MacArthur Park area - are each expected to draw several hundred thousand people.

Police Chief William Bratton said officers will be monitoring both events to control violence and traffic.

Villaraigosa this week has been urging parents to make sure their children attend school Monday and, if they desire, take part in the marches later in the day.

School officials also have warned that students will have to either make up the lost time or be declared truant if they fail to attend class.

In protests about a month ago, hundreds of students skipped class to march in support of immigrant rights, costing the Los Angeles Unified School District nearly $1 million in lost federal aid.

rick.orlov@dailynews.com

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