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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Merciless Morganelli v. Bonecrusher Baratta

Bonecrusher Baratta with his cutman, Jill Cicero
One thing that really pisses me off during a public meeting is idiots in the peanut gallery who heckle or shout down other speakers. At yesterday's budget hearing, DA John Morganelli was taunted close to the end of an admittedly lengthy presentation about a disparity in wage increases for nonunion workers in next year's budget. I turned to tell this moron to knock it off, but changed my mind pretty quickly. It was our frickin' President Judge, Steve Baratta!  Having no desire to be sentenced to 20 years in the electric chair, which I probably deserve, I decided I really love the give and take of democracy. What I loved even more is that the District Attorney and President Judge were about to cross swords.

I had heard earlier in the day that battle lines were being drawn between Merciless Morganelli and Bonecrusher Baratta. These two guys are actually quite friendly. Baratta was Morganelli's First Assistant many moons ago. They both like to get to work early and can often be seen together early in the day, drinking coffee. But both are fearless advocates for their own departments, and tend to take no prisoners. So I loaded up on popcorn and waited for the show to begin.

In the DA's office, only 24 employees are left who don't belong to one or another of 11 different unions. Even the Detectives have their own union. Morganelli's 20 assistant DAs, two victim advocates and two secretaries are all that's left of nonunion employees in his department.

Earlier in the budget season, Executive John Brown met with Morganelli and asked him to limit his raises for these employees to just 2.5%. He was assured that all non-union employees would be getting the same raise. Wanting to be a team player, he agreed.

But that's not what happened. Nonunion judicial employees got a 4.5% raise instead of the 2.5% doled out to everyone else. Brown had apparently made the same request to Baratta, but the judge thought his nonunion workers deserve more.

When he spoke, Morganelli made clear that he thinks Judge Baratta's 4.5% request is "justifiable" and "understandable." But he was under the impression that "non-union employees were going to treated equally. ... I'm in favor of the 4.5% that the judge is asking, but I think it should be across the board." He warned Council that his assistant DAs could decide to unionize, as has happened in several other counties. He said there should be "consistency."

Morganelli's points were well made and he actually complimented Baratta for doing a better job of persuading Brown than he did.

Hayden Phillips has asked our new HR Director, Amy Trapp, to run the numbers on a 2.5% raise in Morganelli's office v. a 4.5% raise. He also wants a county-wide report on the difference.

"Why don't we just do 4.5% across the board?" asked Ken Kraft.

Brown stated that about 500 employees, 25% of the county workforce, are non-union. He warned that a 4.5% increase across the board would crate a "precedent" and "set an expectation." He said every percentage change in salary costs the County $1 million. So 4.5% across the board salary increase for non-union workers would cost $4.5 million, and in addition, would cost the County $2.5 million in benefits.

After Morganelli finished, he took off while President Judge Baratta had to sit and wait as Council went through several other departments. Recognizing that an independent branch of government should be given a little more deference, Lamont McClure asked Peg Ferraro to take the courts' budget ahead of when it was scheduled for review.

"I feel like the race started about an hour ago, and I'm just allowed to start running right now," he complained. Baratta explained that he made it clear to Brown that he wanted a 4.5% increase for his non-union staff, and Brown told him he could make his case to Council.

Baratta immediately went on the attack, claiming that Morgnelli just got a 4.5% wage increase for his secretaries in April. "Now they're also going to get 2.5, which will give them a seven per cent increase that the other non-union secretaries don't get. So I'm really not sure why it is that he takes offense to my coming here trying to protect my non-union employees." He went on to say that there is an "incredible salary compression" between nonunion and union employees. He said that Juvenile Center Supervisors, the equivalent of Lieutenants at the jail, have gone years without a raise. Unlike those Lieutenants, they must be college graduates and are start at about $38,000. A Lieutenant's starting salary is $48,000, according to Baratta. Union employees supervised by these Juvenile Center Supervisors make more money.

"It's not like we're being greedy or acting as though we're special," he said. "I think it's a little unfair of [Morganelli] to stand up here and try to take the high road and say we're being pigs about this."

I don't know what planet Judge Baratta was on when Morganelli was speaking, but it wasn't Earth. The DA only argued for consistency, and actually praised Baratta. For some reason, the PJ construed a request for parity as an objection.

He finished by saying he would be doing a disservice to his own staff if he failed to advocate on their behalf "for what I feel is a reasonable increase."

Judge Baratta has approximately 78 non-union employees. A 4.5% salary increase to non-union workers will cost the county $68,000.

Actually, the real problem here is not Morganelli or Baratta. It's a Human Relations Department that has failed to implement new pay scales on the basis of periodic salary studies In addition, it is an inexperienced administration that has been too willing to let union contracts be decided at arbitration instead of negotiating.. That's what causes the salary compression mentioned by Judge Baratta.

Still it was great fun to watch these guys go at it. I'd declare Merciless Morganelli the winner by decision. He kept his cool while Bonecrusher Baratta lost his. But if I see Baratta, I'll tell him he won and that Morganelli was very unfair. .

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

These overpaid, over benefitted and certainly under worked employees do not deserve even more money. Your two favorite looney man crushes, as well as the union puppet kraft, just said fuck you to the citizens.

Anonymous said...

Over paid? you go get a college degree and then come work for NORCO and make less than a day care worker and you tell me about overpaid. YOU are the problem with society not these hard working people who have not had raises in several years

Anonymous said...

Well, the citizens elected Krafty and he has no opponent in November. He voted against the tax increase yet is very willing to give away taxpayer money. Having a union boss on a county council is like hiring a fox to guard the hen house.

Anonymous said...

7:19,

quit bitching and get a real job or have you reached your peter principle?

Anonymous said...

Its been this way at the county for years. Union workers get raises while non union employees get min raises of 2.5% if that. Sometimes they go years without a raise. The county doesn't care about these non union employees because they can continue to treat them like crap. I applaud Judge Baratta for standing up and shedding some light on this inequity among county employees. Someone had to do it since county council doesn't obliviously care. If this trend continues the county will have a work staff of mostly union personnel. You would think the county would re-ward those employees who have not jumped onto a union.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Actually, BOTH Morganelli and Baratta are right. There needs to be more parity but people also need to be paid what they are worth. That is why I believe salary studies are mandated in the career Service regs.Jerry Seyfried is fairly knowledgeable on this point. Once the study is done and new scales are set, people aggrieved can file appeals. It takes nearly a year to sort through it all, but you arrive at more fairness than we have now.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Having a union boss on a county council is like hiring a fox to guard the hen house."

He does not hide who he is, and is actually pretty good when it comes to cutting thru bullshit and reading contracts. Don't forget he is a trade union rep, not a public sector union rep. There is a vast difference. But if his presence offends you so much, why not get a few rich snobby bluebloods together and field a candidate to run against him?

Anonymous said...

Union contracts + Gracedale's deficit = no money for anything else, including non-union employees and bridge repairs. The county has priorities. We can't have nice things because of those priorities.

Anonymous said...

"Brown stated that about 500 employees, 25% of the county workforce, are non-union. He warned that a 4.5% increase across the board would crate a "precedent" and "set an expectation." He said every percentage change in salary costs the County $1 million. So 4.5% across the board salary increase for non-union workers would cost $4.5 million, and in addition, would cost the County $2.5 million in benefits."

Interestingly, Mr. Brown doesn't think that the public nor Council is literate. The above statement, if accurately portrayed, is disingenuous. If anyone looks at page 14 of the proposed budget, Mr. Brown says that the projected increase for full-time salaried personnel with a 2.5% increase will amount to an additional $251,922.00. If you add an additional 2.0% increase for parity, that would bring the total increase to about $450,000.00. That is a far cry from $4.5 million. It's all in the numbers and who's numbers you use.

Anonymous said...

Bernie said : "That is why I believe salary studies are mandated in the career Service regs.Jerry Seyfried is fairly knowledgeable on this point. Once the study is done and new scales are set, people aggrieved can file appeals. It takes nearly a year to sort through it all, but you arrive at more fairness than we have now."
We saw what happened after the last pay study ( The Hay Study ) and it went no where. Not only did Council ignore it they wasted a lot of taxpayer dollars to have it done. Its only good if council follows through with it.

Anonymous said...

Union employees are a reliable voting bloc and should be cared for first. The objective is to elect Democrats. End of story. If you're non-union, form one or shut up. And isn't sleepy Baratta the part-timer who accidentally releases inmates before he knocks off at noon? What an embarrassment.

Anonymous said...

When Seyfried was executive the county had a pay study. He didn't like the results so he ignored some and implemented others. That cost the county millions for the study and all the lawsuits.

Anonymous said...

3:12 hit the nail on the head.

Anonymous said...

Seyfried was a government trough slopper all his adult life. We're still paying for his blaoted pension and utter mismanagement of the county. If you think your vote doesn't count, just look at the damage electing a single stooge like this has caused and will cause for years to come. Time to name a park after him.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it true that the County judges make more than a U.S. Senator?

Anonymous said...

"the objective is to elect Democrats"

I see. Nothing like ultra-partisanship on full parade. Oh wait, I'm sorry, only people who are not Democrats can be ultra-partisan. My mistake. Please carry on with your stated objective.

Bernie O'Hare said...

4:07, a common pleas judge makes $176,000.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Lots of disinformation in these anonymous afternoon comments. Baratta is neither sleepy nor part-time. As President Judge, he has worked his ass off to ensure that the courts are always open to those who need them. He has established problem solving courts and has revamped custody court . He has offered to rake over the row offices. He and Morganelli have made many enemies, but they are mostly behind bars. He is a good judge. He ruled against me on Gracedake, but I speak highly of his intellect and basic fairness. He's a good judge on a good bench. He was absolutely right to demand that his staff is paid what it is worth. What happened might help everyone.

Bernie O'Hare said...

5:22, the comment bothering you was posted by an R and intended as sarcasm.

Chris said...

Just curious. Did NoCo tackle the non-union overcharge issue with the ACA like Lehigh...I suppose I should first ask if it had the same issue in the first place.

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget about the step raises that should NEVER be held back. This is incentive in addition to COL raises to keep employees from finding employment elsewhere. Loyal employers retain loyal employees. We vote these leaders in and then they turn their backs on the workers. Healthcare raises no problem. Salary raises, PROBLEM. Will there be another huge amount of people leaving in 2016?

Anonymous said...

I'm one of the County non-union workers who at this point almost make less then some employees that we supervisor.But at this rate with union raise it will not be but a short time Union workers will make more than their Supervisors. So come on John Brown be fair and give 4.5% to all.Non union Employees we have not been treated fair for many years.I guess you don't care and will only be a one term boss of the County.

Anonymous said...

lol @ unions . lol @ county govt. both loaded with clowns who fleece the tax payers any chance they can and could careless about fleecing the tax payers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

If you wish to slam someone, and use poor grammar, it is you who looks like a clown. If these clowns could "careless", by which I assume you mean "care less," then that already means that they already care.

Anonymous said...

Out of curiosity, in which departments are non-union supervisors earning less than or close to the union employees they supervise? I'm a union employee and I haven't had a raise in years. The supervisors in my department definitely earn more than their workers, as they should.

Bernie O'Hare said...

You were given one example by Baratta himself. I have not and have no intention of going thru all 500 nonunion employees. I know it was that way in the Sheriff's Dep't as well. Don't know if that is still so. That is the whole point of a job study. Salary compression does exist.

Anonymous said...

I can assure you that it is a true statement that non union supervisors do make LESS than the union employees they oversee.