DENVER (KDVR) — Despite a rally by Denver city employees on Tuesday morning, the Denver Career Services Board voted 4 to 1 to change how Denver's layoffs are enacted.

City employees, alongside a coalition of labor unions that represent city workers, say the rule change "will endanger the livelihoods" of Denver's city workers. The rule change means that a longstanding seniority-based system for determining layoffs will be replaced with a "merit-based" approach.

“Today’s vote was an insult to the workers who show up every day to keep this city running,” said Mike Wallin, President of AFSCME Local 158. “We fought hard to stop these changes and we did force the City to at least add back in some measurement of tenure. But ultimately, the City decided to betray both us and Denver residents with this decision.”

Only Ashley Kilroy, the board's co-chair, voted against the rule change. Stronger Denver, which represents Teamsters Local 455, Teamsters Local 17, SEIU Local 105, IATSE Local 7, the Denver Area Labor Federation, CWA and AFSCME Colorado, said that Kilroy called the new layoff framework "arbitrary and capricious," and said she warned of potential favoritism.

The changes approved by the board on Tuesday include:

• Refine layoff evaluation criteria: The city says that layoff decisions will be based on performance history, skills, abilities and length of service, "with exceptions for employees entitled to military service credits."
• Remove bumping rights: Employees can no longer displace or "bump" other employees in lieu of being laid off
• Add layoff protections for workers nearing retirement eligibility: Workers within 90 days of retirement eligibility now have protections
• Refine reinstatement rules: Eligible former employees will be listed for a year after the fiscal layoff, unless removed for cause. Employees will still receive 30 days notice, and the city will continue to recognize experience and military service

At this time, no layoffs have been announced.

"The rule change is an important step toward ensuring our workforce meets the needs of our residents even during difficult economic times," said Mayor Mike Johnston in a Denver Office of Human Resources release. "I appreciate the board’s careful consideration and the many city employees who shared their feedback and helped shape a rule that meets the needs of our employees and our community."

Stronger Denver noted that the Denver City Council has been vocal against the rule change, with 11 of the 13 members signing a letter opposing the rule changes. The letter noted that Denver voters decided to allow collective bargaining among city employees, and that collective organizing has been ongoing for the workers, with union negotiations "on the horizon."

"These changes are a necessary step to ensure we retain the best people to serve the residents of Denver, prioritizing performance history, abilities, skills, and length of service," said Kathy Nesbitt, Executive Director of the Office of Human Resources, in the city's announcement of the rule change. "Rule 14 is now better aligned with our merit-based system."

The city says the changes are designed to ensure the city can "meet the needs of residents with skilled, knowledgeable workers," as the city faces a projected $200 million budget shortfall next year.

"As workers brace for the impending layoffs, they will continue to organize, stay vigilant against managerial abuse of this new system, and prepare for the historic implementation of collective bargaining rights in the new year," Stronger Denver said in a release.

Rallygoers on Tuesday sought to have these changes discussed at the bargaining table with unions later this year.