Yesterday, I received a news release from SEIU Local 668, the bargaining unit for NorCo's Human Services Caseworkers. Here's what it says:
County workers and community supporters will gather outside the Northampton County Council Chambers at 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 16, before the evening meeting. Participants will rally outside, then attend the meeting to speak during the public comment period about the announced layoffs and the broader funding crises driving them. Northampton County recently announced layoffs in its human services workforce, citing a lack of state reimbursements caused by the ongoing budget impasse in Harrisburg and the federal government shutdown. Workers and their union say those cuts are unnecessary and avoidable. SEIU Local 668 members are calling on Congress, Harrisburg, and the County to take responsibility for protecting critical public services and the workers who provide them.
Executive Lamont McClure assured me in a telephone conversation yesterday that he has no intention of laying anyone off and believes the county has enough funds to pay caseworkers through the end of the year. He explained that the union was given a 30-day notice because the collective bargaining unit requires it. He also told me and advised County Council last night that he's asked for an interest-free loan of $10 million from the state treasurer.
There's no denying, however, that if the state budget impasse continues much longer, the well will run dry, and the county will be forced to make difficult decisions. Instead of laying off caseworkers, I'd furlough as many exempt positions (these are political appointees) as possible and temporarily reduce wages to cabinet officials. I'd also sit down with SEIU and other unions to see if workers are willing to take a temporary paycut so that human services can continue.
SEIU would NEVER agree to a temporary pay cut. They threatened to strike during contract negotiations and are getting a cushy 5% raise in January. Administration didn’t care then about future budgets giving such a large increase. The union will say that’s what they are promised and administration needs to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteHe talks a lot to you. Did he tell you what his contingency plans are ?
ReplyDeleteHe did not but had them in place when SEIU threatened to strike. I did not ask him what these contingency plans are. For this situation, I'd act differently by keeping the caseworkers on and furloughing the political appointments and asking all unions to sit down and take a temporary pay cut so that everyone else can stay aboard.
DeleteOn a side note, at the Finance Committee Meeting yesterday there was a discussion AGAIN regarding the spending of the Opioid Settlement Funds. The Director of Drug and Alcohol was just at council on June 5 and gave a presentation on what the settlement funds were being spent on and council received copies of the PowerPoint. Do they need Robert Mace to show them how to go back and watch the video?
ReplyDeleteto your point, it is always the same "clowns" who ask these questions even though they have the answers. Republican stunts are getting annoying at best, can we just censure them all and have them shut up? We know its election time and you need to feel important LVH but come on.
DeleteLori plays dumb on these issues, but is stupid like a fox.
DeleteThe question on the opioid settlement funds that may be more poignantly asked is when is the board or committee going to be formed so that community members who have been affected by the crisis can sit on it and help decide how to spend it ? DA stated that 900,000 spent on chemistry kits was a waste of money and so was the huge amount of money spent on a campaign when money should have gone to the centers. DA was on point. The money wasted on Lamonts newsletter was denied by the opioid trust & Bernie you didn'tpublish this. Then he tried to appeal and lost. It is very interesting reading.
DeleteProperty taxes are killing us, but our so-called lawmakers will not do anything about it why don't you talk about this major issue to the people but not to the lawmakers who you usually defend.
ReplyDeleteFact: HS employees fear they will be furloughed, unpaid and lose insurance
ReplyDeleteFact: DHS Administrators and County executive are not being transparent with DHS employees
Fact: Vendor services are not being paid for services rendered
Fact: there is no current commitment to pay DHS vendors for services currently being rendered
Fact: NorCo citizens are impacted by and going without critical services
Stop playing politics with people’s lives. County officials and county council can and should do something and should.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/18/00.025.003.000..HTM
ReplyDelete