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Wednesday, NorCo Court Administrator Jermaine Greene was at a Personnel Committee hearing to seek approval of salary increases for six supervisors at the Juvenile Justice Center. That department has been short-staffed for the past few years. Caseworkers are paid $16.46 an hour, and the union representing them has rejected a contract containing a significant pay increase. It has demanded arbitration, but the union's pick for an arbitrator retired. While waiting for the union to select an arbitrator, Greene wants hefty increases ($10,000 and more) in the annual salaries of six supervisors. This went through committee without issue. But two Council members who failed to show up at the committee hearing - Kevin Lott and Tara Zrinski - threw up all kinds of roadblocks last night. This is just the latest in a long series of attempts to prevent the courts from staffing their operations, and Greene noticed.
Greene wants his supervisors, who must have college degrees, paid the same as Lieutenants at the jail. But this was clearly unwelcome news to Jim Irwin, who represents the union of caseworkers without a contract.
Juvenile Justice is down 32 caseworkers. It's a statewide problem, and many counties have no detention facilities. This shortage has prompted juvenile court judges to ask the Governor to pay more money to staff.
Lott and Zrinski seem painfully unaware of the statewide crisis,
Lott started the double team effort. He complained that the county isn't making money from the Juvenile Justice Center, as though it exists to make a profit. He then said an operational study for Juvenile Justice is needed, even though he opposed one for Gracedale.
Then Zrinski jumped in. She though it important to note these raises were for nonunion jobs, as though that is a sin. Then she said she was uncomfortable with the assertion that the Juvenile Justice Center should be making money, even though this was the point being made by Lott, not Greene. She also questioned whether the courts had money for these increases, even though Greene had already assured Council he had the money.
Lott also wanted a sustainability study, but denied he had any intention of closing down the Juvenile Justice Center. It would cost the county more money to ship juveniles out than it currently pays to keep them here, according to Greene.
After being in front of Council for nearly an hour, Greene finally had enough. "I'm coming before this Council, asking for an upgrade. ... The last time I was here for an upgrade, I was answering questions for 25 minutes from this side (pointing at Lott and Zrinski). Mr. Kostura (jail) comes up, he doesn't get one question. What's going on here? ... I think it's a little personal. It's politically motivated and I don't like it. It's not fair."
Lott and Zrinski are Executive Lamont McClure's most reliable rubber stamps, but he has offered the union workers exactly what Jermaine Greene recommended and was actually praised by Greene the previous day.
The rubber stamps apparently missed the memo.
The upgrades were then approved 8-0. Council member John Cusick, who was at an annual open house for his students, was absent.
At the end of the meeting, Lott again suggested he wanted an operational and sustainability study at Juvenile Justice. Zrinski huffed that "we should be able to ask questions freely without accusations of our intentions." She noted that, 20 years ago, she even interned at Juvenile Justice. "I did yoga with young men to try to escalate their anger."
I see.
Cuckoo!
If Lott or Zrinski really had good intentions, as they insisted a bit too strenuously, they would have been at the committee meeting.
(Updated 9 am)
49 comments:
Yoga to ESCALATE anger? Hmm. Maybe filling the room with hornets to de-escalate anger?
What further evidence do you need to show that McClure is Evil? You constantly report that McClure controls Zrinski and Lott and it's as plain as the nose on your face that Zrinski and Lott are doing McClures dirty work for him.
Oh Bernie, she is the gift that keeps giving. To think there is a group of people who want her to keep track of county tax dollars. That is cukoo! Also, your Nam has been submitted to her for Yoga classes to escalate your already Astronomical ANGER. So stretch big boy!
$10,000 raises??? This is outrageous! Who watches out for the taxpayers? This is why we need Ron Angle now more than ever! Get to work, you greedy bums!
Yoga with Tara would certainly escalate my anger.
When Tara defecates in her composting toilet it is always done in the lotus position
So asking questions about how our tax dollars are spent, being the only ones to challenge spending money is now a bad thing? Salary increases for public employees, right or wrong should not just happen without challenge. Its public dollars and someone should always challenge the efficacy and payback we get for our tax dollar.
You make it out to be a bad thing to slow down the added burden to the tax payer.
It is ashame to read about who makes decisions and controls our county government. I mean they really do not make much sense. I'm speaking of council.
Ahh these are the Democrats you were talking about last week who care so much about the working class. It all makes sense now.
"So asking questions about how our tax dollars are spent, being the only ones to challenge spending money is now a bad thing?" If either of these two hacks cared about how county tax dollars are spent, they would have been at the committee hearings.
I live in Lehigh. Thank you for my first laugh of the day, most every day.
"What further evidence do you need to show that McClure is Evil? You constantly report that McClure controls Zrinski and Lott and it's as plain as the nose on your face that Zrinski and Lott are doing McClures dirty work for him."
Ordinarily, I would agree that they were put up by McClure. The only reason I'd question it is that Greene was actually praised by Greene on Wednesday for offering the union exactly what he had suggested. I thought they were on the same page and that Lott and Zrinski just didn't get the memo. But you could very well be right. The union representing the caseworkers is obviously not serving its people well. It has not pushed for an arbitrator to get a contract settled even with higher wages offered in line with what COs are paid. If I were a unionized caseworker, I'd be asking why I am in a union that has done nothing for me, especially after seeing my supervisors get properly compensated. I am suspicious that union agent Lott and Zrinski, who depends heavily in union contributions, might have had a bug in their ear from union agent Jim Irwin or McClure or both.
If McClure opposes wage increases for supervisors, he should say so himself.
We need the Juvenile Justice Center. But it should only be for Lehigh and Northampton kids.
That place is filled with black and brown kids. Why is that ? Why is Mr. Greene not concerned about that ?
Local Civil Rights leaders have had reservations about the Juvenile Justice Center for years.
Jermaine welcomes the study, so Council is going to study it, right ?
The whole thing was a total mess. And the presiding officer, Kerry the Kreeper loved it.
I think Jermaine owes Tara and Kevin an apology. If your Boy Monty talked to Commissioners like that you’d be heating up the tar right now.
Don’t lose the forrest for the trees. There are serious problems in the JJC, and serious people need to be the solution of them.
Keep politics out of this. The Juvenile Jail can work, but changes have to be made. First suggestion is that Jermaine should be prohibited by the Court from doing anything related to it.
Jermaine Greene never comes to work. It’s amazing the Court puts up with it.
The word on the street is that Jermaine’s Deputy Ruth is retiring because she’s tired of doing all of Jermaine’s work.
"Local Civil Rights leaders have had reservations about the Juvenile Justice Center for years."
Can you provide any links to their statements? I am unable to find any but would be interested.
White supremacist Ron Angle is a privileged land baron that always voted for policies that he benefited from, and has never had to do real work in his life. He knows nothing about the working class. Him and his stupid dirty suspenders can stay up north with the rest of cretins in wahoo town.
"I think Jermaine owes Tara and Kevin an apology. If your Boy Monty talked to Commissioners like that you’d be heating up the tar right now."
Actually, they owe him an apology. For too long, they have put up roadblock after roadblock to anything he wants done. It certainly is politically inspired and personal, as some of the comments here make clear. They claim to be a check, but have never been anything other than rubber stamps and bobbleheads. Council members can and should be questioned when their motivations appear suspect.
Okay, cool. When the county collapses on itself and you can’t get your precious doe tags or license to carry permits because there are no employees left to offer them, then you can just pound sand.
"Okay, cool. When the county collapses on itself and you can’t get your precious doe tags or license to carry permits because there are no employees left to offer them, then you can just pound sand."
But Zrinski will do yoga with you.
The idea of shutting the JJC and placing the kids out of county will set the kids and families of those kids even further back. Imagine being a teen, hours away from your family. The idea that JJC is supposed to be a money maker shows how much they care about citizens, families and rehabilitation
I look forward to clearing my chakra with Zrinski…
so every day like today from 9:32 to 10:11 th McClure toadies, probably Barron and chucky are at the county keyboards defending McClure end attacking Jermaine. Hope you pay the taxpayer back for the time and usage. Surprised you never noted that.
Mr. O'Hare you are right it doesn't make sense that they would be pushing something McClure agreed to. There has been much talk about why McClure could get quick contracts with other bargaining units under control of his pal AFSME business agent Jim Irwin but not the Juv center. One opinion heard here is that McClure wants discord because he is unhappy with the management of the center and would rather he get control. His buddy Irwin could help by holding up the bargaining. So ultimately these council people could be doing what he wants by claiming the place is run badly. Not sure what to believe around here. It is weird that of all the units this is the one that has union problems with the same union boss. It would not be unusual for McClure and Dertinger to pull this.
interesting theory, but one I think is highly unlikely. McClure has enough headaches right now, and the last thing he needs is to be shackled with yet another department suffering from a manpower shortage. It makes no sense that he'd want another problem. He went along with Jermaine Greene's request for a contract offer, and that was rejected by the workers. I don't know if the wages are still too low or if it something else.
Also, factually, you are somewhat incorrect. It's true that the first round of AFSCME contracts went smoothly. It was more rocky in the second round at Gracedale. I know the union rejected one contract and McClure had to sweeten the deal.
Here's my theory. Greene wanted a nice raise for shift supervisors to bring them in parity with what lieutenants get at the jail. This also would gave caseworkers a position to which they can aspire. But it also must make them wonder why they are in a union that has been unable to arbitrate a critical position for 13 months. So I think union reps, possibly Irwin, complained to Lott and Zrinski. They probably complained to McClure, too, but he has enough problems right now and the last thing he needs is another problem.
You say this would not be unusual for McClure and Dertinger. You may have a low opinion of them, but they are not stupid. Only a fool would actively seek control of the JJC at this time.
"so every day like today from 9:32 to 10:11 th McClure toadies, probably Barron and chucky are at the county keyboards defending McClure end attacking Jermaine. Hope you pay the taxpayer back for the time and usage. Surprised you never noted that."
Actually, I did. At 10:22, I made this observation about Lott and Zrinski's "questions." "It certainly is politically inspired and personal, as some of the comments here make clear."
But I doubt those comments come from the admin. Jermaine is basically the boss of almost all the judicial employees. He has his share of detractors from their ranks.
I remember when Barron von Footinmouth wore a dress, stomped flowers at a local employer he was threatening (and who eventually took the idiot's advice and left, with their jobs). and stole county time to make some ching on a teaching gig. He's an insufferable, immature and nasty partisan hack. That he's on here each day puking his partisan bile from his large belly is expected. Diseased water buffaloes don't change their stench. Right Steve?
I can see why they call you the party of hate.
Both parties are guilty
Union and administration negotiate and make a deal. The bargaining is all for show. They go into it knowing what they'll get. But for the members and taxpayers they put on a good show. I've seen it first hand and was naive enough to not believe this happens. But then I saw it over and over again. It's not what it seems
What i don't understand is all non-union staff got a 3% raise in January. During a budget meeting that was aired, Cusick briefly mentioned he would have allocated for staff to receive a higher percentage but wanted to wait on the pay study to be done. Council are the ones dividing the county staff and the county departments. Every time Jermaine goes to council to request more money for his staff he gets it. His supervisors just got a raise in January and are now getting another one? Are his supervisors taking shifts in the detention center to help out the workers? What about the other supervisors in the county who also manage high stress operations? Why don't they deserve raises? Why aren't superiors in other divisions advocating for their supervisors? Council seems to favor Jermaine and the courts but shits on gracedale and other departments that serve the public. The detention/treatment center houses children in our own county and is managed by the county, but never has to present at council, yet a county run nursing home has to present every month and is often belittled on how it's run? sounds suspect.
Not sure who oversees the detention center but maybe hard questions need to be asked why they can't keep staff, particularly female staff from what is being heard from the county rumor mill.
It appears that when staff go out on a limb and present concerns to council, all they get is "talk to your administration - there is nothing we can do". You think staff don't watch the meetings and see the favoritism, but they do and it does not go unnoticed. I would like to see other departments request raises for their supervisors in future council meetings and see what excuses are given by council if they deny them. If you do it for one department, you should do it for others.
Bernie crop dusted a newly minted councilwoman Tara and blogged about it telrgraphing his patriarchal sadism from early on. Cusick has reaped the bountiful perks of a male dominant world give Zrinski the purse strings and allow an earth goddess to redirect this wayward vessel
Nah, no one spreads more hate and actively attempts to take rights away than the Republican Party.
They’re both slaves to the corporations, but only the party of “small government” does more to limit the individual rights of its citizens. And they do this ironically, through government legislation.
If you’re still poor and voting Republican in 2023, you’re a victim of right wing fear mongering propaganda. It’s that simple.
Is Ruth really retiring? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if the current director of domestics, who is retiring in March, is the next deputy court admin. Quid pro quo is big in the Norco courts.
1:51, You sound like a caseworker. Can you say why you rejected the contract? Also, just so you know, Jermaine has to jump thru hoops to get his upgrades.
That simply is not true. Read Facebook. See the democratic comments. Brutal and filled with hatred. Until we all admit both parties have issues we will never come together. As I see it my rights have been greatly limited by democratic leadership especially now . As for finances I was much better off three years ago. There's bad on all sides. Until we all admit that and work on treating each other with respect and opening up to compromise we aren't as a country going anywhere. They want us to be at each other. Then we're not focusing on the incompetence in government right now.
1:51, you sound like a McClure crony trying to shift blame. Your union reps and McClure decide your pay. We have been to council, and I don't recall them ever "shitting on any employees" that only comes from McClure and the unions. They tell us to stay away from county council. Everything Gracedale has wanted from council got passed. They can't pass what is hidden. Stop speeding lies. Stop trying to change the narrative. People have heard both the administration and the union tell council to not get involved in 'Employee matters" or they will be taken to court. Your problem is not them but the union and the administration in bed together. Lott and Zirinski are no hero's just rubberstamps doing what they are told.
Also, for someone who brags about being the one on council concerned for "people of color", she seems to always go after Mr. Greened who happens to be a man of color. He has a right to ask why.
I said a prayer this morning at St.Francis Rectory for you and Myers to attend a March madness game !
"Also, for someone who brags about being the one on council concerned for "people of color", she seems to always go after Mr. Greened who happens to be a man of color. He has a right to ask why."
I am friends with a person of color who works at the courthouse. She insists Zrinski is a racist. I have learned to pay attention when persons of color tell me they think someone else (or I) am acting insensitively. Zrinski does always go after Jermaine Greene.
"People have heard both the administration and the union tell council to not get involved in 'Employee matters" or they will be taken to court."
I have not heard either the admin or the union tell this Council to stay out of employee matters or you will be taken to court. The only person I have heard to even suggest that is your own solicitor and Councilmember Ron Heckman.
If a caseworker thinks you've been shitting on them, it's probably bc you do. I have seen numerous instances in which various employees, u8nion and nonunion,. have come before council to complain. You do nothing. The fear of an "unfair labor practice" that you yourselves always raise is just an excuse to prevent you from doing your job.
Doing a pay study for union jobs is NOT an unfair labor practice. Listening and responding to employees who complain about conditions is not unfair labor practice. You only do that when you interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights.
You need to stop using the specter of an "unfair labor practice" as a blindfold.
Proof?
Can’t offer rehabilitation when there is no treatment program offered due to staff shortages due to low wages with no raises!
You have a great Zirinjski video with the bullhorn Bernie. Her new one on her campaign page is just as great. She gave a speech to some dems about her run for Controller. It is CCCaaRRazy. you would think she was at an anti-war rally. Her qualifications she cites are mind blowing.
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