Tonight, during a fifth informational meeting about Gracedale, this time in Wind Gap, an AFSCME Gracedale worker indicated they had all voted to offer $6 million in concessions many months ago. But for some reason, union agent Justus James never proposed these give backs to Northampton County. Instead, on the day of what was supposed to be the second negotiating session, a giant inflatable rat appeared at the Courthouse, and James walked out of talks.
I have been unable to confirm this with any union officials.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
35 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Given your track record on this topic. bullshit!
ReplyDeleteOf course any reporting by O'Hare, Angle and Stoffa on the union actions is seen as completely honest ands unbiased; NOT!!
ReplyDeleteThe Union wants to deal but they don't trust the Stoffa Administration and they certainly don't trust Angle. All the propaganda in the world won't change that. History has taught them those guys are not trustworthy.
The Administration and Angle have not played straight with these guys so what do you expect.
By the way, time to amend the big lie. The actual projected real cost of Gracedale in 2011 as of today is closer to $4 million than $6 million. So you are still selling inaccurate shit to the union. In fact if the County had to amend the budget to fund the entire year they could add no more than $1.3 million to the existing line item and be in good shape.
Other than union bashing bait. This blog has zero credibility on this subject. Much like the current County Administration.
We The People
so they put you outside the court house
ReplyDeleteIS THE MEETING AT COURT HOUSE AT 630 IM A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY WHO ME AND ,MY WIFE WANT TO support the sale we cant afford tax hike
ReplyDeleteYes. There is a meeting tonight, 6:30 PM, at the courthouse.
ReplyDeletewell if you support the sale because you cant afford a tax hike then you need to vote against the referendum..Secondly if you cant afford a county tax hike which is a hell of a lot less than most municipal and school taxes then you need to think about moving into an apartment, seriously..What bullshit! And stay away from the casino..
ReplyDeletehay we live on a fixed income just like most of the elderly were not like you that make big bucks at gracedale and all the overtime you guys get.maybe when your my age you will understand oh by the way we signed the paper to save home only cause we were mobbed comming out of a senior center and the said you need to sign at that time we thought it was right but now no we are not voting to save home the union and managment are the problems there.get rid of the dam union and you might save the home.oh keep the dam rat at home tonight.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your current dire position in your golden years.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to consider the next step in your journey through life. If and I am assuming you by your commentary you are not in a good financial situation, you and or your wife is in need of elder care. Your limited money sources will be spent in short order in a private nursing home. At that time you would be transferred to a facilty like Gracedale. While NO ONE currently at Gracedale under those conditions will be kicked to the curb as a result of a sale, however, in the future, people in that financial predicament will no longer have the option to go there. I respect the fact you have the right to your opinion and will exercise that right in the ballot box, however, I ask you to please make a well informed choice and be cognizant of its consequences.
touche!!!! anonymous 1:58. You hit the nail on the head. Everyone needs to realize this very real situation.
ReplyDeletedj
big bucks!? yea maybe managment,
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:58
ReplyDeleteYou said "in the future, people in that financial predicament will no longer have the option to go there."
Not true.
4:31
ReplyDeleteHow can you compel a company to keep taking those cases?
You might engage them for a period of time lets say 5 years
However what is to prevent them from closing, changing the mission to that of a temporary rehab facility (highly likely) no longer taking long term care patients, up to and including using the place for offices, knocking it down, building a mall. Yes I know those are radical and unfounded suggestions however , YOU can not make your statement and back it up with ANY FACTS as well.
The fact is the private owners have a bottom line they are profit driven. If the profit is not there they will adapt and find some other avenue for income. Sorry you are misinformed.
Another current update
The company currently poised to take over is making alot of demands for the county to make expensive non-critical capital improvemnts BEFORE the sale. This cutting into the profit margin yet again.
Caution
Look before you leap.
If this is the case, maybe you should take it easy on the union workers and not call them greedy union pigs anymore. If the membership voted to give $6 million in concessions, and AFSCME reps failed to bring it back the County, then how is it fair to constantly ridicule them for being greedy. Seems like they were generous, and AFSCME itself played the political game here, not the workers.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you, and many of your readers, truly understand what it is to be a Northampton County employee. The media portrays us as greedy public sector employees who only care about our paychecks. None of us are going to retire as millionaires. Many of us are one paycheck away from applying for the very services that we provide. To call us greedy, especially in the light of this news regarding the concessions, that's just not fair.
Anon 8:36
ReplyDeleteYes, but public sector employees are among the few with guaranteed pensions and medical benefits. Private companies mostly have 401Ks How long can we afford to pay for this? When you are retired, you'll figure this out.
" At that time you would be transferred to a facilty like Gracedale. While NO ONE currently at Gracedale under those conditions will be kicked to the curb as a result of a sale, however, in the future, people in that financial predicament will no longer have the option to go there."
ReplyDeleteThis is a complete lie. There is no other way to put it.
"If this is the case, maybe you should take it easy on the union workers and not call them greedy union pigs anymore"
ReplyDeleteI rec'd some news fro a friend today and need to talk to him.
" At that time you would be transferred to a facilty like Gracedale. While NO ONE currently at Gracedale under those conditions will be kicked to the curb as a result of a sale, however, in the future, people in that financial predicament will no longer have the option to go there."
ReplyDeleteThis is a complete lie. There is no other way to put it.
So Brenda if a company buys the place and goes out of business or decides to become a rehab facility they will continue to take the poor medicade patients?
I think you are the one stretching the truth.
No one can ensure that a proivate company will abide by an agreement. You would know this from your lawer days all contracts can be broken
In two words
you lie
The statement that indigents will have no right to go to a privately-owned Gracedale, and that is what you said, is a bald-faced lie. There simply is no other way to put it.
ReplyDeleteOne point everyone is missing. Not only are counties getting out of the nursing home business, but the United States of America is also doing same. Take some time and do your research.
ReplyDeleteIs it a coincidence that the state is no longer supplying new nursing homes with new medicaid licenses?
The answer is no.
Funding is being put into homecare instead because it is the least restrictive environment for elderly people. The USA is against human warehousing, which is what skilled nursing facilities do.
Small nursing homes that were once stand alone, family owned facilities are joining ranks with the conglomerates of nursing care. There is a reason. Look at the history of HCR manorcare and Genesis Healthcare.
Brenda......11:32am
ReplyDeleteIf what you are saying is true....all the more reason to keep Gracedale protected as a County Home. I am faced with a situation of having one parent in Gracedale because it is impossible for me to take care of them due to their physical condition. I am also presently taking care of my other parent at home, of which I am very fortunate that I was able to leave my full time job because it is truly a full time job of its own, with no pay of course! I am sure there are others that would love to take care of their loved ones, but are unable to financially leave their full time jobs. In light of the aging baby boomers, when you state your "facts" that the state is no longer issueing medicaid licenses to new homes, it is all the more reason to keep Gracedale as a county home. Also, I find the statement you say of "Human Warehousing" extremely offensive and speak for yourself and not the USA! Your comment is right up there with Mr. Chris Miller's statement of "Rat Hole" at a county council meeting. It is just really ashame that some think of the Gracedale issue strictly as a money issue and completely lose the concept of what is morally right!
dj
Least restrictive environments compel the homecare industry to flourish.
ReplyDeleteIts less restrictive, less expensive and the infection rates are far less
You are fortunate to be able to quit your job and stay home to take care of your parent. There must have been a reason you decided to do this.
I assume you have a roof over your head because the nursing home industry is prohibited from quarantining a home of a medicaid patient as long as their spouse still lives at the home
meaning, now you have a home. When your parent at home passes away, please have your bags packed and ready, because that home will be taken right out from under your feet.
Ignore the Brenda
ReplyDeleteAnother attempt to shout her down. Additional personal attacks will be deleted.
ReplyDeleteWow Brenda.....you assume way to much!!
ReplyDelete"Brenda", cite sources pleases! It is not so much you are an O'Hare troll but you make statements that are just flat out, how would Bernie put it..Lies. No other way to sat it.
ReplyDeleteYou use a term Less Restrictive" that has been in use for decades and apply it in an out of context way.
Please cite you sources "Brenda". Other than Ron Angle and Bernie O'Hare.
Thank you
Taco Tim
I assume nothing. The conglomerates of nursing care actually perform those privilages that are afforded to them under the law.
ReplyDeleteThey will aggressively pursue assets to recover losses incurred from providing indigent care. This includes seizing homes.
Does gracedale seize assets? Do they actually perform the detailed 5 year look back that they are legally able to do? Do they look to limit their losses by using this process, or do they allow patients in the door who creatively hide assets to get a FREE ride?
Brenda, are you Bernie, sounds like his clone!!
ReplyDeleteCreativly hiding his assets its the
ReplyDeleteAmazing Bernie is Brenda Show
Nice Charade
Turn out the lights the parties over
solution
quit valiidating this man
Since Gracedale is such a fine facility the union folk should all agree to die there when there time comes. They should not be allowed to die with diginity elsewere and should agree under union cntract that it be in a room with 3 others.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather be in a room dying with 300 others as long as you are not one of them.
ReplyDeleteThere that is as stupid a statement as yours.
Brebnda the short answer is ..NO.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd want to die alone, if I had no family members I might be scared and want to hold someones hand. I might feel different when the time comes, however I won't be able to tell anyone. I'm a man and I'm afraid of death.
ReplyDeleteObviously most of the commenter's have never been in a real nursing home. Where the idea that all other "private" homes have one Medicaid resident per room is more Wizard of Oz flying monkey facts from the Angle, O'Hare, bagger bag of tricks.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunate that you need to resort to flat out lies to try and make a point that doesn't exist.
Correct and Proud
BO Iwonder if anybody that is bashing the unions knows about the Walker act .Tell them to check it out before they bash people!!
ReplyDeleteIt is time for teachers and other public sector unions to pay more for their pensions and health insurance. Most states experience a budget deficit precisely because public sector unions have enslaved us. That's not union bashing. It's a cry against forced servitude.
ReplyDelete