UPDATE
: How does Mayor Bill Finch achieve concessions from city unions with a multi-million dollar budget hole to close? You use the layoff hammer.
More than 100 members of Bridgeport’s Supervisors Union voted Wednesday to agree to concessions centered on paying 25 percent of their health benefit premiums, in addition to two furlough days. Members of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) also agreed Thursday to similar concessions to pay 25 percent of health care premiums. In doing so jobs of 14 members that received layoff notices have been saved. This is not a happy holiday season for city union personnel knowing they’re being asked to give back more on top of recent concessions, but more tolerable knowing they’ve saved jobs.
Let’s see, Lennie! Out of 100 members, 14 are facing layoff. That’s a potential 14% loss of union dues. Which really won’t be, because the administration would later hire their boys and girls to fill the positions. So they agree to pay up to 25% of their insurance cost. What happens when the insurance company increases their price and want more money for the same coverage? For one, the Supervisors will be paying 25% of the higher cost too. Does this sound “Super?”
You make it sound like we really have or need 100 Supervisors. Among this group of 100, there is the Supervisor that supervises–or at least is supposed to–a Supervisor who supervises a Supervisor. How “Super” does this sound?
What the fuck ever happened to the workers with minimum or no need for supervision? Very few City Employees are supervised in the true meaning of the word, despite the fact that the greater majority of the city employees are not the types or workers who don’t need supervision or require a minimum amount of supervision. In most cases, the minute a supervisor takes action against a city employee, it turns out they are politically connected, thereby protected. The supervisor is then left powerless. So what’s the sense of so many supervisors? Now you have a good idea as to why things are just “Super” in Bridgeport.
*** So who’s left to be laid off, maybe 10 city employees making $20,000 or less a year; some savings? *** A dollar saved today is two dollars spent tomorrow, no? ***
Maybe Union members should be reading the fine print. Where is the PROMISE of no layoffs? There is no promise, just a carrot dangling in front of everyone and if there isn’t this, and if there isn’t that, then there will be no layoffs. Any bets on how soon after Jan 1st there will be layoffs? Does anyone believe the Mayor won’t declare it a fiscal emergency in the City? Come on. The administration is laughing at the Unions behind closed doors. They are getting what they want.
Lennie, have you seen the door of Labor Relations? It’s an insult that smacks right in the face of all Bridgeport Employees. Will anyone be suspended for poor taste? OIB and CT Post where are you on this one? Gomes and Caruso will you still remain quiet?
nothingshocks // Dec 16, 2010 at 11:47 am
to your posting
Perhaps you might consider that any comment from Caruso or Gomes would ignite the kind of petty retaliatory actions this administration is known for against its employees.
Please let us get through the holidays and let the employees who have survived this mess have a moment or two of peace … before the next swing of the FINCH-SHERWOOD axe.
Will someone please explain to me what Elaine Ficarra does? Is her job really necessary in this economic climate? Last I checked, Herbst, Flatto, Harkins, etc. don’t have PR flaks costing their towns $100,000 a year.
WittyUserName: When you use the Finch/Sherwood accounting system there is plenty of money for political hires.
I’m just wondering why the writers here attach all of their efforts to the COB employees as opposed to the 140k constituents of the city. The largest municipality in the state absolutely needs a communications director … and truth be told, Elaine Ficarra should get a raise for all she does … she does more good on behalf of the people off the clock than most do in their paid career. Maybe you should come out from behind your never-witty usernames and try being sized up … it’s mean and you wouldn’t like it either. Man up for 2011, it’s really liberating not being a coward.
Pure and Utter BULLSHIT.
Absolutely. Elaine must be a client of Dr. Lynne.
Over $100k a year with salary and benefits and Elaine still can’t stop Finch from sticking his foot in his mouth.
city hall smoker // Dec 17, 2010 at 7:57 am
to your post …
Nothing surprising about that … nobody can.