That may have ended things for DA staffers, but Executive John Brown and Trapp still want to force other courthouse employees to use them. Documents obtained from the Controller's office reveal that the county spent about $30,000 to purchase seven biometric time clocks from Kronos.
Where are they? For all I know, they are next to her $800 popcorn machine.
There would be too much heat to force them on county workers now. Obviously, John Brown is waiting until after he is re-elected, and then woe to the county worker who objects. It is Amy Trapp or her husband who, on this very blog, disparaged county workers who oppose time clocks as "entitled spoiled brat government employees who need to get on board."
Amazingly, this is the Director of Human Resources. Brown, her boss, never forced her to apologize for this slur.
How does Executive candidate Lamont McClure feel about time clocks? "[T]here is a right way and a wrong way to do this, and I believe the Brown Administration time clock plan is the wrong one for Northampton County," he said. "I would certainly not propose and/or implement it."
"The first concern I have is that a time clock program needs to be fair. And, by fair, I mean that everyone must use it. There is a widespread sense among county employees that not all of their fellow co-workers would be required to use it. That's just not right.
"The second concern I have is that in order to properly serve the public many employees need to spend large portions of their work week out in the community. There is some thought that the Brown system would not accurately or fairly reflect that important work.
"Finally, it seems to me having a system that is accessed by a fingerprint is disrespectful to hard working, decent and honorable public servants. After all, in our society fingerprinting is most often thought of in terms of law breaking. It sends a terrible message to the employees, and undermines the public's confidence in their government."
36 comments:
Bernie, good story. Check into the alleged meetings Brown and the council members had about the election. They will hold off on any controversy until next year. Once they have themselves all back in office not only clocks but lousy wages to help pay for the 150 million prison. Some solid Republican sources.
Supposedly they know they have Districts one and two easily and with at least three to four of their council members they can do their deals. Hears that even Werner is on board with these guys due to some grudge or something..
On the other hand, if your supervisor lies about you being tardy a time clock could come in handy!
This November county residents can make a difference if they vote. If we learned anything lately it is that it would be nice to have some people in office that know what the Hell they are doing.
Welcome to the world. Nobody likes time clocks.
The entire jail uses a time clock and has for many years. Never been a problem here. I say treat everyone the same!
So we won't have to use a time clock. Not a fan of a time clock so that's a positive. What else will Mr McClure do for the County employee if elected? I've read he will protect Gracedale and preserve open farmland but what else does he intend to do?
6:58 maybe run the county properly.
He didn't increase your taxes 10% while on council for over a decade but Brown and his 5 republicans sure did and they did it while McClure was telling them it was not needed.
But why should they listen to a stinking democrat and or common sense?
It's all Fake News, right?
In response to 6:58 the rumor among employees is that McClure is promising them that the non union folks will have their health care costs rolled back to what the union employees are paying. The contract for a number of employees has remained unsettled for a number of years as the workers reject increased health care costs. Thus they have had no increased costs (however also no pay raises). If the average non county employee knew how little the health care costs the employees they would be understandably upset. It is not unusual for a caseworker to earn at least 60,000 a year and that is without overtime. The vacation, personal time and sick leave is very generous and is never reported by the press. Employees always cite that it is not local monies because Pa. often funds 70 to 85 per cent of the costs. Duh! Last time I looked that still means local dollars. Much of what is done by employees is "busy work" and is non productive and demoralizing to the employees that really care about providing a needed service. If, indeed the rumors are true, is this really the needed change Northampton Cty needs?
Why do you continue to insist that she apologize and continue to speculate that she made the "spoiled brat" comments using her husband's account, when you have zero evidence of same? This is not consistent with your usual high standards for reporting.
Why should she apologize for something that there's no evidence she said?
Should Bill Clinton apologize for Hillary's mishandled e-mails? Since they live together, maybe he was the one who mishandled them, using Hillary's account.
"The entire jail uses a time clock and has for many years. Never been a problem here. I say treat everyone the same!"
Please. The time clock at the jail kept breaking. That went on for well over 10 years. I doubt very much that Keen is punching in.
Not sure it is needed, even there.
"Why do you continue to insist that she apologize and continue to speculate that she made the "spoiled brat" comments using her husband's account, when you have zero evidence of same? This is not consistent with your usual high standards for reporting."
It is completely consistent. The post was made by someone who identifies himself as Dan Trapp. Amy Trapp, in a text message to me, admitted the comment was posted by her husband. She in fact asked me to delete it. Without question, the comment came from "Dan Trapp."
The reason I suggest that it might have been her is that I know of severasl married couples who will post under each other's names.
There is no question that she or her husband posted that comment. There is no question that she refused to apologize for it.
"Should Bill Clinton apologize for Hillary's mishandled e-mails? Since they live together, maybe he was the one who mishandled them, using Hillary's account."
Not quite the same thing. But if Bill Clinton were President, and if Hillary submitted a comment to some online blog that disparaged American citizens, I would expect him to apologize and disassociate himself from those remarks.
"Finally, it seems to me having a system that is accessed by a fingerprint is disrespectful to hard working, decent and honorable public servants. After all, in our society fingerprinting is most often thought of in terms of law breaking. It sends a terrible message to the employees, and undermines the public's confidence in their government."
I used a time-clock, a "biometric", hand print time-clock before and never thought of equating it with "law breaking". Mr. McClure seems to be using the same old tried and true tactics which attempt to divide. Race, class, envy, etc... If one side "thinly veils" their messages, as Bernie states, they are not alone. A system accessed by a fingerprint is not disrespectful to hard working, decent and honorable public servants. Remember that they are PUBLIC servants, and the taxpaying public, who pays their wages and benefits, appreciates transparency and accountability in how their hard-earned money is spent. If there is no need for time-clocks, which are quite common, then the time-clocks which have already been purchased will show that and there will not be a need to continue down this road. Mr. McClure seems to be stirring up and manipulating his base. After all, fingerprinting and time-clocks do not bring up images of law-breaking to most. It does not, nor need not, send a terrible message to the employees, and it does not undermine the public's confidence in their government. It does the opposite. Unless, of course, Mr. McClure says it does.
Jeff, without question, the use of a biometric time clock presents questions of privacy.I do not like the idea of the county having a set of fingerprints. It already has too much information. What McClure is saying,and I agree, is that there should not be one set of rukes for the ruling class and another for lowlifes like you and me. For example, and this is totally unre;lated to Trapp, you won' find the assessment records of a judge online. They want to protect hisprivacy. How about a cop? How about a DA? Those are there for everyone. I can get a good view of your back yard and a diagram of the rooms in your house. This is something that people should have the right to bar from online viewing.
No more special rules for special people.
Of course the jail has time clocks because it's a control issue we get treated worst then inmates ....if we have an issue where do we go human resource that's funny they are the biggest crooks..why is it that you give someone a little bit of power and they become so unfair .
Does this make any sense we the correction deal with all kind of nasty things we are breathing the same air so of course we get sick so what happens are medical goes threw the roof we cannot afford the deductible and then they take some of are sick days away pretty pathic...and there response if you don't like it find another job real professionals
"No more special rules for special people."
That statement, I agree with. At least in theory. Reality tells me that some get different treatment than others. All throughout society. Some make more. Some make more because they work harder. Some make more because they are smarter than others. Some do not deserve more, but get more anyway. Is that "fair"? No. But no one said life is going to be "fair". The problem is not that it is not fair, the problem is that some tell others that it should be and they should expect it to be. Instead of lifting everyone up. Some want all to be equal. We are not all the same. We are each unique, with unique experiences and perspectives. We are not all "equal". Nor should we be. There will always be bosses and employees. There will always be salaried and hourly. There will always be management and laborers. There will always be law enforcement and law breakers. As an attorney, Mr. McClure knows that life is not always "fair". Sometimes guilty people get off on a mere technicality. Sometimes an innocent defendant is found guilty. That is never "fair" either. But it happens. I do not see the world as the ruling class vs. the lowlifes. I rather admire those who work hard and make it to the top and contribute to society. It should be applauded, not reviled. Something to strive, reach for, not as an impediment to economic equality. There are good people at each level and at every position. There are also bad people at each level and at each position. It is not the wealth or the position that is the issue. It is a "heart" issue. A behavioral issue. The privacy issue is a whole different animal. Indeed, a valid one. If that is the real issue, then the discussion should focus on the privacy aspect of biometric time clocks. The discussion usually seems to be about an attack against people and not the privacy aspect specifically.
You are working hard to justify special rules for the ruling class. Good boy! Bark! Roll over! Play dead.
jeff, do you have a job or are you just a retired bitter old man with nothing to do? Get a hobby or better yet, you run for office, you seem to be a great arm chair quarterback, probably a poor candidate but why not this is a democracy
Not justifying special rules. Just saying what is. Of course, there must be "rules" so some do not take advantage of others. Sad that such rules are necessary, but they are. Use of the term "ruling class" itself makes a statement. I do like to focus on the good and the positive instead of always pointing the finger and pointing out flaws or blaming others. We do have different world views. Comparing me to a dog does not make me such. I am not. I do not roll over. I do not play dead. I do, however, enjoy treats on occasion!
if you want to implement a change and you want the rank and file to accept such change ,the top dog gets to do the same as the grunt.
take drug testing for example.
when the rank and file see the CEO take the same test pushing such tests are more acceptable.
so when the top powers start using bio metric time clocks they can honestly expect the rank and file to get on board with the program.
when those on top are too good to do so they just generate contempt for themselves.
the rank and file see such examples of "elitism" for what they are and resent them for it.
as to morale the rank and file will be reminded every time they use that time clock about such elitism by their bosses.
1.34
" It is a "heart" issue. A behavioral issue."
so those in the lower economic rung cannot be trusted to show up on time and must be monitored to the level of a fingerprint scan as a punch card or magnetic card could be used by someone else to punch in?
the ruling class however can be trusted to show up on time simply because they are "elite".
that is laughable.
when the HR coven wants to discipline someone for attendance they should hold the moral high ground by being subject to the same system.
the rank and file would have some respect for the system.
life is unfair.
that does not mean that standards should not apply to some groups over others.
the measure of a person in not how many dollars one has.
While you've posed this as a class warfare election issue, I think it misses that political mark. You're supporting a candidate who supports government workers in their war against time clocks. I don't think that's going to play well for the government candidate. You're a much better writer and legal mind than a campaign advisor and/or political prognosticator. I enjoy your blog.
Though I love politics, my record of success tends to support your conclusion. I get your point. You're right. The public at large does not care one bit about time clocks. The public would be delighted to see county workers lose medical benefits so they see how things are in the real world, even though that kind of thinking is very short-sighted. But this post is not aimed at the public. It is aimed at the 6,000-7,000 votes that county workers command. Brown got a lot of those votes four years ago. Not this time.
What will inspire the public at large to vote against Brown is his secret plan to build a new jail, which will result in a 60-70% tax hike. He won't say where, but has visited a dozen sites. This is not going to win Brown votes, and his secrecy will cause him to lose votes.
Then there's $800 popcorn machines, trips to Vegas and New Orleans, abuse of expense reports, posting armed guards outside news conferences, his lies about what he did in the privatye sector.
I suspect it will be close. If Dems vote, he's done.
A few points about Jeff's comments. I agree that life is not fair. That being said, I think after that there is a divergence of opinion. People who work hard, are smart and competent don't always rise to the top of any field. Those that are lazy, not very smart and somewhat incompetent do infract at times make great amounts of money and hold high poso9tions. Much of life is luck and being at the right place at the right time, just as some people are at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Money buys power and influence, it always has and always will. Government can and should try to at least level the field in the sense of fairness and justice to all people regardless of position or wealth.
I guess the bottom line is of course life in unfair but we as a "society" can work to ensure that most amount of people can live a decent life with as many opportunities as possible. Great wealth will always ensure great justice and great opportunity, we need to do what we can for those who may not have those luxuries.
The old Horatio Alger idea of all the wealthy, powerful people worked hard and deserve their place is nonsense. Just as all poor and powerless people made themselves that way.
We need to get with a more civilized perspective and lees of the law of the jungle approach the wealthy have played us against each other with for millennia. Pointing this out is not class warfare it is the way it is and in fact, class warfare is exactly the "bumper sticker" tactic the powerful want most of us to believe so we don't really stop and think about the important issues at hand regarding disparity.
Bob
Put it to a referendum on the next ballot, let taxpayers vote on it. I bet they'll be using time clocks come January. And for those people that don't understand, management/salaried employees don't use time clocks, hourly employees do. Punch in Snowflakes!
7.56
"don't understand, management/salaried employees don't use time clocks"
and why not?
simply because they are in management that means they put in their full time?
not one management person shorted their employer by working less than the required hours?
try honesty.
Bernie, you're suggesting speculatively that she has culpability with zero evidence that she actually posted the comments. You can append any number of people to a list speculatively. It would be accurate but extremely unfair to introduce you to someone with the statement that "There is no question in my mind that Bernie O'Hare or Jeffrey Dahmer committed the crimes for which Dahmer was convicted." And you lead with HER -- "she or her husband" -- despite only having statements that her husband was the one who did it. It's misleading and non-factual to the point of dishonesty and it undermines everything else you write.
If you intend to apply this new standard consistently, tomorrow you'll need to report that Melania or Donald Trump tweeted that NFL players should stand for the national anthem and that Kim Jong Un is Rocketman.
An honest statement would be "Her husband called county employees spoiled brats. I believe it could have been her using his account, but I have no evidence of this."
The comment was in fact made by "Dan Trapp." She admits that it was her husband. She refused to apologize for and disassociate herself from her husband's remarks. Those are all facts. The only speculation is that she herself may have been posting as her husband, and I make clear that is speculation by using the disjunctive "or" when I discuss it. In contrast to the examples you submit, there are many husbands and wives who will post under one of the names. So this is far from far-fetched speculation. Also, the statements being made in the "Dan Trapp" comment are identical to what Trapp was telling courthouse staff. Just like Dan Trapp, she herself was saying that employees who failed to use the punch clock would receive no pay. So I am comfortable in suggesting (and this is speculation) that she herself posted that comment.
"all the wealthy, powerful people worked hard and deserve their place is nonsense. Just as all poor and powerless people made themselves that way."
Bob, I also believe that the belief that all the wealthy worked hard and deserve their place and all the poor and powerless people made themselves that way is nonsense. I agree with most of your comment. The question I have is only who decides and what is the definition of "fairness" and/or "equality". Depending on who you ask and the perspective from which they base their thought, the answers to those questions will differ. Everyone has their own unique perspective. It is not necessarily right or wrong, it is unique and valid.
"wealthy have played us against each other with for millennia"
The wealthy are not the only ones who have played us against each other. My "compass" is based on principle first. Those principles have been shaped by life experience. Those life experiences, together as a whole, are mine and only mine. As are those of each and every one of us. I do not live my life nor base my values and opinions on "bumper sticker" tactics. Class envy, warfare, inequality or whatever one wants to label such, does indeed exist. Always will. The path to lessening the "disparity" is where the divergence of ideas begins to take shape.
"The only speculation is that she herself may have been posting as her husband, and I make clear that is speculation by using the disjunctive "or" when I discuss it."
The word "or" does not clearly indicate speculation. "I speculate" would clearly indicate speculation.
Also, the amount of evidence you have that Dan and Amy Trapp both post under the name "Dan Trapp" is exactly the same as the amount of evidence you have that Donald and Melania Trump do so.
Anonymous at 5:07....(correction)
You make some assumptions from my comments which are not true. The use of words and phrases such as, "ruling class", "elite" and "coven" are adjectives which help to describe how one views others and the world. I do not see the world through such a lens. However, I do not disagree with all your comments either.
September 27, 2017 at 2:19 PM Delete
Late to this one but i find it funny how fearful people are of technology. Really the finger print reader is a huge step forward. Eliminating the need for time cards or magnetic access cards. Keeps people from punching in their co-workers too. They could also be used to secure areas as well, using multi factor authentication, a PIN number and a biometric is a substantial increase in security. Bet the DA and judges wouldn't mind feeling more secure. Bernie, McClure, get with the times. To those county workers not punching clocks now, suck it up butter cups, it's what people who put their big people pants on do.
It's not technology that people fear, but yet another invasion of privacy
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