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| NorCo Council President Peg Ferraro |
With approximately 100 workers crowded into Council chambers behind him, James did something unusual. He complimented an Administration he has previously castigated at several meeting. Acknowledging that he and Brown had a "very rocky" start, he lauded the reclassification of clerical employees who have been "historically underpaid" as a "positive move forward."
"It took us several months to do this," stated Assistant Director of Administration Cathy Allen, who stood beside James. Brown himself was absent.
The vote to endorse the payhike was unanimous. But Lamont McClure asked, "What about the other 1800 [workers]? Who is their voice? Give other people a raise."
Where's the Money?
Council was also skeptical of Allen's claim that the $307,000 cost of this raise was in the budget proposed for this year. Hayden Phillips asked Fiscal Affairs Director Jim Hunter to explain, saying he'd remember it had it been discussed as part of the budget process.
"It is in the budget under salaries," explained Hunter. He acknowledged that if the County filled all vacant slots, the money would not be there.
Calling the raise "long overdue," Scott Parsons stated the money was coming out of fund balance and isn't budgeted. "Where we get the money is irrelevant to me," he admitted.
Agreeing with Parsons, McClure stated that the reason for this raise is that people are "getting killed" by Easton's unpopular commuter tax and are paying more for health care. "I cannot sit here and pretend," he declared.
James Wants Equal Treatment For Public Nursing Homes
In addition to thanking the Brown Administration, James called on Council to approve several resolutions concerning Gracedale. The first of these called on Council and the executive to work together to make Gracedale as efficiently as possible. That resolution passed 8-1, with Hayden Phillips dissenting because, as his colleagues agreed, it's nothing more than an expression of good will. He also called on Council to support a bill being prepared by State Rep. Tom Killion to eliminate a state law that requires counties to pay ten percent of the cost for medicaid residents. No such requirement exists for privately owned homes.
If this legislation passes, James told council that $29.4 million in state funds will be available to the state's 23 county-owned nursing homes. He pointed out that this would ease the tax burden on homeowners whose property taxes help contribute to sustain nursing homes.
Northampton County Council has already adopted a resolution calling on the state to repeal this law, but it adopted the resolution again. Peg Ferraro stated that State Rep Marcia Hahn will support this legislation. James read a letter if support from State Rep. Bob Freeman. Scott Parsons said that State Rep. Joe Emrick will support the measure, and intends to ask State Senator Mario Scavello for his help, too.
"This is catching fire," declared James."We are all in. Let's get it done."
Mat Benol also insisted last night that he knows of no one on Council who is interested in selling Gracedale. "I worry about the press, about how this could be written up in the media." This is something he also said during a registration rally a few days before.
Finally, James lauded Bob Werner for his work in establishing a nonprofit corporation for Gracedale that can accept money to help sustain the nursing home. He pledged to contribute the first $500, and Peg Ferraro said she'd match him.
24 comments:
Thank you Councilman McClure for speaking for the rest of the employees!!!!!
Lamont McClure is right on track. Thank you. A lot of us have no voice and no one has our interest it seems. Great for the clerical staff and long over due, however, shouldn't everyone's position then get looked at and re-classified? Doesn't HR policies in the county say that HR MUST review all positions every two years. I don't know how they are doing this since not one HR person ever stepped in our office or spoke to any worker.
Hopefully, Lamont McClure will continue to look out for us with no voice.
Nobody wants Gracedale sold. But nobody wants to make the sacrifices to keep it. ALL COUNTY WAGES should be frozen and a temporary 35% tax increase should be implemented until the $7.5 million gap is eliminated. We're stealing from our children for less than 1% of our elderly who would be better served in a private home. Gracedales stays. Let's stop pretending it isn't ruining county finances.
Justus James and the union were bamboozled by Brownstain on this one! At the council meeting Jim Hunter admitted that the $300 K cost of these raises would be covered by continuing not filling vacancies. So for 4.5% employees will continue to be overworked with no end in sight, and the union will have fewer members to pay dues. And how the hell does James appease other union job classifications NOT targeted for a raise when they are working in shorthanded shops? This was either a sellout by James or he was simply bamboozled!
James in a tough spot here. Administration trying to play him and he may not be the person for the job. Brown plays hard ball and not sure JJ can handle his style of bait and switch. I hope he can walk this tightrope but there is no net underneath the big guy.
Scott is right--the money was never budgeted -perhaps someone should talk to the Budget administrator to verify
8:03, you don't have to be intelligent to be the head union puke - just a good bullshitter
McClueless, health care is not a right. Quit pandering to the uneducated masses of union crybabies and tell them the truth. YOU GOT TO PAY!!!!!!!
8:38, just down right laughable
You don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
James and union negotiators should be smart enough to know how to deal with the 4.5% raise if it comes up during union negotiations.
It is not discussed or recognized by the union as an arguing point, since Brown said it is "in addition" to anything negotiated.
"who would be better served in a private home"
That is complete and utter Bullshit, Do you have actual proof of that. Go to some private homes. You probably have never even been in one. Once you get past the smell, check out the doped up residents. Also check out the revolving door of minimum wage employees who are paid nothing with no benefits. Check out their dedication.
When you learn a few things and can do more than talk out of your ass, come back for a real discussion.
Privates rate consistently higher than publics and they get higher reimbursements. Everybody wins - except public unions.
Your comment is inaccurate. If you look at the DHS rating system, the worst homes are privately owned. There is high quality of care at some private nursing homes, but your statement is completely inaccurate.
Strange stunt for Brown's administration to pull before a primary don't you think? Just like the rabbit he pulled out of his hat at the last minute with the health insurance gap plan. BOTH of which he claims they were planning for months. It also does not appear that any of the DHS clerical staff are included. Maybe because Mr. James does not represent them? Clerical staff DO deserve a raise as they are at the low end of the pay scale. But it takes months to figure these things out and then whomever does the figuring forgets about an entire department. Does not pass the smell test.
Yes and lets not forget this raise will all be eaten up by the commuter tax and increased medical but its a good intention.
Also Human Services will suffer because the mega lease on the new Human Services building jumps another 2.5% this year. That will eat up any increase for services from the state.
That is paid for separately so you are full of shit.
If I am destitute and need care..I choose Gracedale over any of the privates. It is the only safety net we have. I know those employee's care despite their awful treatment by this administration.
I normally keep to myself on this, but a few years ago they took the pay steps away from the county employee's because there were many employees that reached their top step and was not going anywhere. So there went to steps for all employees. Now those that complained about being at the top and not getting any increases now are retired. So they took our steps away, increased our medical and now we get hit with a commuter tax. What we got was a 3% cost of living, which does nothing after all taxes are takin out. Now for some unions they are still working on the contracts, which I believe has been going on for the last two years, so within that time no one got their cost of living but yet another increase in medical, along with the commuter tax. You have individuals getting a 19% increase and others individuals just starting out with $10-$15,000 more than the last person that worked in that spot. And the current employees get nothing. I do agree on pay raises however I do think that it should be across the board and not just clerical workers; because there are individuals that are not classified as clerical that do clerical work. Then again if you will fill all the vacancies that the county has, there is question if there would be money to actually pay everyone if you give the clerical staff a raise, for that fill the spots at the current rate and then no one will complain about doing extra work.
I agree there should be an across-the-board increase.
"That is paid for separately so you are full of shit."
Actually it is part of the overall county allotment. How the county assigns it is up to the county. The more rent the divisions must charge back, the less they have for salary and service. It is the way it is regardless of what you want to believe.
No, the $ to pay for human services comes out of county tax dollars. You stated, falsely, it comes from the state.
Just heard through the grapevine that the South Whitehall Township Clerical staff voted to organize. The Teamsters are in now. Not sure of the reasons but word has it that the Commissioners over there have got way too involved and scared the staff. They are playing around much like the Lehigh County Commissioners. Absolutely no press coverage of this collective bargaining. Wonder why. Hoping you might get to the bottom of it!
The reason there is no coverage is The MC has no beat coverage there. MM lives there and hopefully can report about it. I've only ever been there once.
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