While the city’s Labor Relations Department continues negotiations with municipal unions to achieve $2 million in total concessions the City Council plugged into this year’s operating budget to lessen a tax hit, 66 unaffiliated city employees including mayoral staffers have or will take 6.5 unpaid furlough days to help cut into the number. The savings represents $134,000, according to mayoral spokesperson Elaine Ficarra.
Close to the midpoint of the budget year the city’s asking union employees to agree to 6.5 unpaid furlough days or find other ways to achieve the savings. If they cannot come to an agreement, respective union workers could face pink slips. Reluctant union leaders say membership has stepped up on several occasions in the past to help close the gap on precarious city finances. They’re not inclined to give any more. Will bargaining units hold their ground?
So far eight unionized workers have stepped up on their own to accept the furlough days. If the city and unions do not come to terms soon, the city will likely issue layoff slips as a negotiating tool, a practice used in the past.
To review current salaries of mayoral staffers and calculate what they will each give back in 6.5 unpaid furlough days see here from city’s budget book.
Ronald Reagan used to like to quote an old Russian proverb that said “Trust but Verify.” This is the only way a union can deal with any City with negotiations. Bridgeport unions have been shown they “cannot trust” this mayor, just look at his words and his record. If the union had trust with Mayor Finch they “might” be able to talk things out but they see the mayor not funding their future pension; once again, “Trust but Verify.”
So we will save $134,000. How unproductive is that? Finch and the gog pound will spend that on lunches and travel in the first quarter of next year.
Ron is correct about trusting Finch. You just cannot believe the pressure that is placed upon your head about having to give in to this Mayor. He will cast you off in a heartbeat with no regard of your time and service. This pressure is not just at budget time, it is talked about weekly. If you are not liked by someone in the dog pound you will be the first to go. Like I said yesterday, he is one piece of garbage.
Lennie, stop being the administration’s patsy and ask, no, demand a breakdown of the hourly pay of each of the “66 unaffiliated city employees including mayoral staffers.” Divide $134,000 by 66 people and you get $203.32 approximately for 6.5 days. Divide 6.5 days by $203.32 and you get $31.28. I’m paid $16 an hour approximately or $128.00 a day which will total $832 for 6.5 days. That’s four times what these 66 SOB’s are giving up and keep in mind the mayoral staff alone got $195,000 in raises. These 66 people are among the highest-paid people in the city and if I’m wrong, just prove it to me by giving us the list of what these people are paid by the hour. I’ll bet my life if one checks their overtime, reimbursements, take-home cars, etc. one can conclude they aren’t giving shit to the City. Lennie, I’d appreciate if you do some digging and stop letting these folks put out press releases that are nothing more than bullshit.
[ed: Joel, your math is wrong. $134,000 divided by 66 people is $2030.30. Divide that by 6.5 days and you get $312.35, or an average hourly rate of $39.04 or an average annual rate of $81,212.11. People making more than this will give back more, people making less than this will give back less. So the average “SOB” is giving back almost 2-1/2 (2.44) times what you are.]
Joel, this information is not based on a press release. I asked the administration for the information in light of what they’re seeking from union employees. It took them a few days to compile the info. The info was not fed to me. If you’re a discretionary employee of the mayor earning $100K or more a year, that employee is giving back more than $2,000. I’ve spoken to several unaffiliated employees who confirmed they’ve already taken their unpaid furloughs.
As much as I want to believe what these numbers represent, fuzzy math! Try it again.
Joel,
Perhaps you misplaced a decimal? It is easy to do.
$2033.20 x 66 employees (if that is the correct number in this group–where is it listed?)equals $134,191.20.
I’d be interested in seeing the letter that went out from the Mayor’s office to the unaffiliated City workers. I understand it provided ‘new meaning’ to the common understanding of the word ‘voluntary.’ The point is still valid, What is a day of work worth? Six and a half days out of 250 days, give or take? It probably means the average basic cash compensation in this group is less than $80,000.
The unemployed and under-employed in the City worry about paying taxes to support the big and small earners. They don’t know what many do often. And they can’t tell whether they are worth their keep. And then you add a valuable health plan with big benefits and a retirement pension that are still counting (and often some overtime), and a chart would be nice, wouldn’t it?
And what is the policy for retirement benefits for the ‘unaffiliated?’ When were the salary increases approved and payable? Were there any more increases that happened this year we do not know about? Why doesn’t the City account for people in their financial record-keeping the way the Board of Education does? It does not appear Mayor Finch is a ‘lifetime learner’ in that he cannot spot quality practices when they are present in his own City. Time will tell.
*** Is the Mayor also stepping up to the plate and donating 6.5 unpaid furlough days as well? How about the rest of the Mayoral staff and administration? *** LEAD BY EXAMPLE, NO? ***
There are two jobs on the city website that add up to over $200,000. Why would the unions cough up any money?
Why not give back when the mayoral staff also works for Malloy or Himes? Double dipping was invented in our city.
Punisher, one of those jobs belongs to the employee currently performing the tasks. He is the union president too. Being punished for the Stratford driveway and not satisfying the city’s giveback demands. He is going to lose his position. It’s all payback from the dog pound. The pink slips will be handed out within the next week or so.
The City could easily recoup the $2 million by replacing the inept Labor Relations staff with qualified labor attorneys. Instead they pay millions to outside attorney “friends” like Dave Ryan Jr. and Don Houston’s firm to clean up Larry Osborne’s messes or to do Tom McCarthy’s job he is unable to perform because of “conflicts of interest.” And let’s not forget the money paid out in settlements for unfairly targeting employees who disagree with the mayor. Or how about the employees put out on paid leave for months only to return with no discipline because they never did anything wrong in the first place. It’s hard to get a handle on the actual dollar amount because Sherwood hides the money all over the budget and the City will claim “personnel” matters. Maybe the new Council members will delve deeper.
You’re so right, Fixer!!! If people only realized how much is spent on settlements and legal fees it would blow their minds, but hey, it’s taxpayers’ money so who cares! And look at how many employees there are now in the Mayor’s office compared to previous administrations. Ridiculous.
I noticed other people agree with me regarding the Dog pound and Finch. A side note, as an employee of the City you are told not to read or comment on OIB or you can lose your job. Just another form of pressure.
Told by whom? Do you have that dictate in writing?
Steven Auerbach, this is the main outlet, OIB, City workers have to make comments or to follow what is going on concerning City business. In a lot of City departments’ “Rules & Regulations” manual there is language concerning making false and bad statements against their department and the City that could bring bad light to the City and the department. It is also listed in the “bad conduct” section.
I remember back in 1983 when I first started writing letters to the editor of the Bridgeport Telegram and the Bridgeport Post about the Bridgeport fire department or about whoever then was mayor over the years and it was “suggested” I shouldn’t say what I was saying but nothing was ever done to me. Now that didn’t mean it wasn’t being taken seriously because every mayor would personally tell me they had read what I wrote.
*** Back to the city’s “Union Workers $ Well” with more future promises from the Mayor’s Admin. all will be made right in the year “2016,” no? *** YOUR PINK SLIPS ARE SHOWING! ***
I’m sorry but did I miss David Walker, CW4BB and Jennifer Buchanan comment on this topic or is it so unimportant or over their heads for their response. Time will tell.
Ron,
Your sarcasm is off-target a bit. I have been a member of CW4BB since it first met on December 6, 2012. Did you forget that, or did you just want to take a dig at Mr. Walker and Ms. Buchanan?
How’s your healing coming these days? It was a reason you provided to me several months ago for not being able to get out to meet me, or so you said. I am still waiting.
Dave Walker is moving around on crutches with a lengthy recovery from an injury to his leg. Did you read my comments and find them adequate? I asked a few questions I do not have answers for. Can you help? (Notice I do not suggest these issues are over your head.)
You write a lot about times from 25-30 years ago, exciting years in your life I am sure. And since many of the issues are of concern today, it is truly proof that … time will tell!
As George Santayana is known for his famous saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I go for a knee replacement for my other knee next month, that’s what 25-30 years can do to you as a firefighter.
John Marshall Lee, I might not agree with Ms. Buchanan’s positions but I enjoy reading her comments. Outside of you Mr. Lee, the other members drop in then fade away but they want CW4BB to be a player in Bridgeport. Maybe you can tell what candidates they supported in the last election came out and publicly said thank you CW4BB for your help?
As for your questions they are on point but I think you intimidate and overwhelm the Council members and you know there are those in power telling them not to listen to you. Sometimes we have to back up and reassess our position then move forward. Time will tell.
*** My, how much OIB readers and bloggers have to say in opinions and comments yet very little action when called upon to lead by example in overall city issues! The squeaky wheel can only get the oil if it’s heard and seen at the right places and times, no? *** WELCOME TO ZOMBIELAND 2014, HOME OF THE SOS. ***