The LuLac Edition #1910, January 21st, 2012
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SOUND OFF SATURDAY
I had an “Interview” segment in the hopper but a story in the Times Leader on line caught my attention. Interim County manager Tom Pribula is at wits end trying to figure out what the County Council wants to do about the budget. Some would be open to a tax increase, others would not. The Homestead Act was also talked about too. But one part of the article really hit me regarding the employee unions (who after all work for us) at the County Courthouse.
“Pribula and several council members say they’ve essentially scrapped proposals to generate $2.5 million with a 12-day layoff for all employees and $1.2 million from a union pay raise freeze because unions aren’t embracing those options.”
My question to these people, (and I’m sure Pribula and the Council people have thought it) is this:
WHY NOT?
Taxpayers should not go to the meetings assailing the Interim Manager, the County Council members or the media who reports
on this. They should ask the unions WHY NOT?
I had an “Interview” segment in the hopper but a story in the Times Leader on line caught my attention. Interim County manager Tom Pribula is at wits end trying to figure out what the County Council wants to do about the budget. Some would be open to a tax increase, others would not. The Homestead Act was also talked about too. But one part of the article really hit me regarding the employee unions (who after all work for us) at the County Courthouse.
“Pribula and several council members say they’ve essentially scrapped proposals to generate $2.5 million with a 12-day layoff for all employees and $1.2 million from a union pay raise freeze because unions aren’t embracing those options.”
My question to these people, (and I’m sure Pribula and the Council people have thought it) is this:
WHY NOT?
Taxpayers should not go to the meetings assailing the Interim Manager, the County Council members or the media who reports
on this. They should ask the unions WHY NOT?
posted by David Yonki @ 12:03 AM
33 comments
33 Comments:
Yonk, with regard to the unions, you're being a complete ass! Pribula as you so proudly state is your cousin and you can't see that he has completely dropped the ball? Today he said in the paper that he has no more ideas and can go no further. Does that mean he will walk away from the job he admits he can't do or should he stay, continue collecting $2,000 a week for doing nothing? What a movie this would make.
Do you really have to ask "why not?" The answer is obvious, unions are sacred around here. While most of us workers and many professionals and managers have taken pay and/or benefit cuts,the public union sector tend to bleed us much like generational welfare recipients. It is time to overturn the damage of Kennedy and Johnson and make public sector unions illegal once again. Most of these jobs are purely patronage anyway, the folks doing them wouldn't be qualified to drop a fry basket let alone do the jobs they are supposed to do. Get these jobs back to low paying and little to no benefits so they will be taken by those entering the work force who will later move on to the private sector and get rid of career public leeches, I mean employees.
This is part of the union credo "never retreat" and will come back to bite them. Every must make some concession during this time. The unemployed public and those living paycheck to paycheck will resent this hard line. Some of us are still stinging from the reassessment and will remember this for years to come. Quite frankly those union members should individually let the stewart know to at least show up for compromise.
On the other side of the coin county leaders have not always been truthful about finances.
The public manta should be: come to the table or we will recall and decertify all parties.
Dave, in regards to the whole union pay raise and possible cutting of jobs.
If I am not mistaken you do not have a choice when you get a job for the county, if you want to be in the union or not. It is not an "open shop" as they say.
So why should an employee be chastised with a 2 week lay off just because they are in a union mandated job. I would bet most of those workers could not go the 2 weeks with no pay. Most live from pay check to pay check. Probably like the rest of us.
The other point you made about the $1.2 mil pay freeze. Why is this such a big problem to make this happen. The president of the United States mandated a pay freeze for 2 years for all civilian government employees. We are now in the second year of that mandate.If you are one of theses fed. workers if you do not like this you are free to leave and find another job. Maybe if the union officials where shown in black n white how this pay freeze would in the long run save jobs at the county. I would think if all the facts and figures were put on the table for all the union officials and workers to see I would bet the majority would opt for the pay freeze in lieu of layoffs and doing away with their jobs.I am in no way a union sympathieser but they do serve a purpose.Just ask this of that state were the governor did away with collective bargining!
IN RESPONSE 1:21AM
you can't see that he has completely dropped the ball? Today he said in the paper that he has no more ideas and can go no further.
HE HASN'T DROPPED THE BALL, HE'S BEEN HURLING OUT OPTIONS LIKE A RELIEF PITCHER AND NO ONE IS CATCHING THEM AND THROWING THEM BACK! THE TAXPAYER, THE PEOPLE WITHOUT WORK, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST GETTING BY ARE THE ONES GETTING NAILED BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO SACRIFICE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE COUNCIL AND THE INTERIM MANAGER ARE THROWING OUT LIFE PRESERVERS AS THE SHIP IS GOING DOWN AND THE UNION IS SAYING, "UH OH, ARE WE GONNA GET PAID FOR ADDING ONE MORE ITEM TO OUR WORK UNIFORM?" THERE'S A LOT OF BLAME TO GO AROUND FOR WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE COUNTY COUNCIL TOOK OFFICE, THE COMMISSIONERS GOING BACK TO MAKOWSKI AND PISANO AND THE "FINANCE HEADS" THAT SKREP HIRED THAT WERE CLUELESS, TAKE A PICK. BUT AFTER JANUARY 2nd, THE FINGERS SHOULD BE POINTED AT THE COURTS AND THE UNIONS WHO AREN'T BUDGING. IF THERE IS A STANDSTILL IN THE COUNTY, IT ISN'T BECAUSE OF THE COUNCIL, THE RANK AN FILE (WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR INSTRUCTIONS) OR THE INTERIM MANAGER.....322 JOBS WITH NEW ADDED HIRES BY THE COURTS AND NO MENTION OF UNION CONCESSIONS. BUT I'M AN ASS SO WHAT THE **** DO I KNOW????
Here's the bottom line. NEPA has an unemployment rate of over 10%. There are people I work with from the Poconos driving in to West Pittston for part time jobs that pay ten bucks an hour. Get rid of those unions and you'd have at least 4,000 people lining up for those County jobs. The problem with Pribula (the problem the people have with him I should say) is this: he comes from the real world where if there's no money in the budget for a department, YOU DON'T GET PAID. YOU GET LAID OFF. Or you make concessions. You get rid of those unions and you might upgrade the workforce.
and Dave, then there's this from the paper today: County union representative Paula Schnelly said unions also are willing to discuss an option pitched by the county that has not been publicly mentioned to date: voluntary layoffs with county-funded health benefits for a specified period of time.
Employees who agreed to participate must be guaranteed return to their positions after the layoff, with all the same benefits and status they had before they left,
So the unions are offering temporary layoffs but want reinstatement.....at full benefits. For 6 months. How in the hell is that going to help? And what makes them think that the tax base or the financial condition of the Courthouse is going to be any better in 6 months? This is a band aid solution that is not going to help and put us down the road to a state take over.
I agree with Junction. If the feds can freeze pay, why the hell can't the county officials? Last time I looked, there was no atomic proving ground on River Street. Every job has importance but you mean to tell me that everyone under the dome is an essential employee?
I think County employees should be left alone. After all, who's going to carry the bags of money from a mobster to the Judges up on the third floor? We need to keep the grease flowing and it has been proven in the past that it's a specialized skill.
I am a county union employee. I know of several of my co-workers who are open to 12 days off without pay. The fact is no one has even asked us. The union officers are immune from layoffs and don't seem to care if their fellow workers with less seniority are laid off. I think the 12 day layoff is an excellent idea. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. Also, I have been with the county for years and I am unlikely to get laid off based on seniority.
You are correct, Yonki. The unions need to be reasonable. There would not be union-hating, if they were reasonable.
11:36 am.....Well said. In none of David's articles and writings did he blame the rank and file. The reason why unions go awry is that they represent more of the leadership than they do the actual workers.
People are reasonable and would rather have a few unpaid days than no job. Public Radio did that a year ago when the state funding was cut...and guess what? No one lost their jobs. Thanks for writing to this site. And good luck.
When this new manager comes in and he is getting paid a good sum of money, is the same crap going to happen? Any suggestion Pribula has offered has been constructive. And as interim manager he has bent over backwards to hear all sides. What if this new guy doesn't have the same patience? Cooperation is the key and so far...it ain't happening. I mean if we aren't going to fix this, if we aren't going to listen to a council and manager, why the hell did we do this?
11:05 am......that was pretty harsh.
In the early days Unions were great
but it seems like in recent years they have done much to undo previous good. As pointed out, they dont represent the rank and file, they represent the officers of the Union! Better some concessions and a job than no job!
Carey Ave Jack
There are employees who are part of unions that are civil service positions. If you de certify the union and get rid of those people, services as well as federal and state reimbursements will suffer.
5:59 are you kidding me? Do you know how quick it would be to get the people backed up on the civil service lists for those jobs? You'd get back to full staff in 4 months! A ton of unemployed people in this valley, especially veterans are on those lists, ready to be called and report to work. The county wouldn't miss a check.
ooops..sorry, I meant you'd get back to full staff in one month.
RICK MORELLI SAYS WHAT LUZERNE COUNTY NEEDS ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO TAXPAYERS.
RICK MORELLI ALSO SAYS LUZERNE COUNTY NEEDS LEADERS WHO ARE TRANSPARENT IN THEIR METHODS WITH NO POLITICAL TIES.
ASK RICK MORELLI IF HE MEANS ELECTED LEADERS LIKE HIMSELF WHO ACCEPTED ENDORSEMENTS FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS.
ASK RICK MORELLI IF HE MEANS GIVING FREE REIGN TO GAS CORPORATIONS WHO WILL POISON OUR DRINKING WATER AND TAKE AWAY OUR NATURAL RESOURCES LEAVING US HOLDING THE BAG.
ASK RICK MORELLI IF HE ACCEPTED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A FORMER LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND SEE WHAT HIS ANSWER IS.
"The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them." – MAYA ANGELOU.
11:05 just doesn't understand that this is serious and peoples economic lives are at stake. Unfortunately, I think many people also seem to forget these are real people they advocte dumping.
The union has not had a meeting with the employees. The union has not even sent a memo of understanding to the employees. This is not my wondering, this is fact. I have many friends who work in various departments and they have not been given any options from the union officials. Why not? It certainly does not help the District union to have a hundred jobs come to an end because that is a large loss of union dues.
The problem as I see it is the lack of time to resolve these problems. I am strongly in favor of a temporary tax hike that will allow the county to operate under law (they must have a balanced budget) and then begin serious talks with the courts and the unions. People must realize that the courts are required to provide certain services and even the manning of those jobs is a requirement. Many jobs are reimbursed by the State or Federal government so cutting them makes no sense at all. A very good retired friend of mine told me that in the court system, there is legally no such thing as seniority that all court employees are "at will" employees. Regardless of contracts negotiated by the commissioners, the courts can pick and chose the dead weight and ignore seniority. I just think the judges don't have the guts to do that. Are these six new judges going to forego their personal staffs? Is anyone going to cut into these part time attorneys who also collect benefits? Serious negotiations must be held but time is the enemy and the county Council must buy time. I said a temporary tax increase and I was serious. Using an absolute date of six months or even 7 or 8 months to resolve all issues, the tax payers could then be given a rebate or credit on their next years tax bills even after the new 2013 budget is done. This is possible and I have no doubt. The council should hold immeadiate closed interviews with people of experience with budgets and unions to hire as a consultant to the Council to put this plan into effect. Just do it and stop the drama.
6:09 Another voice from the tree of no knowledge. You obviously think that these county positions require no training or expertise. Follish thinking friend, foolish.
Rick Morelli is on record for NOT raising taxes!
Rick Morelli did Not receive any contribution from any former county commissioner
Rick Morelli has been 100% transparent since the beginning. He forced the council to release the names of the candidates..
Maybe this person got the wrong council member.
They were probably talking about crony Brominski who is tied to former commissioner Crossin and also trying to get his friend Giamber a job in the county.
Thank God the professor takes weekends off or works double shifts at the convenience mart.
No offense prof, my wife works weekends at the convenient mart too. During the week she is the chancellor at a local university.
I drink beer and watch tv, myself.
12:17, that's funny ..... thanks.
Hey 12:17
May I point out that you seem to fit the Prof's profile. A real man wouldn't let his wife go to work unless he was unable. A woman of any caliber wouldn't stand for it - unless she needed the escape.
Time to grow up.
"The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them." – MAYA ANGELOU
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This is partly our fault for electing some of the wrong people on this council. Why the voters rejected people with experience, ideas and proposals is beyond me. Was there even ONE debate during the election on how to correct the budget problem between the candidates? No. You had people like Red O'Brian trying to get his buddies on the council to protect his own job. WE made this mess and the Urbans are on there to make sure the Council form of government fails.
6:51PM.......your comments are part of the problem. Sure it takes training and experience. But you and your ilk hide behind an Oz like curtain fooling the public that these are highly skilled jobs. PUHLEEZE!!! Your typical aging or social worker at children and youth are people who are collecting a check. The fallacy your comments promote is that these jobs can't be done by anyone else. I got news for you..it ain't brain surgery. There are jobs that require training but let's not forget about the clinical pyschologist that made $100,000 on "testing", the county detectives getting overtime of $100,000 too. Don't tell us how us regular folks are so dumb we can't replace the trained, annointed ones.
12:08 am you are living in a dreamworld if you think that norelli is doing taxpayers a big favor by getting elected to county council. he never does ANYTHING from of the kindness of his heart unless there was something BIG in it for himself
everyone from nanticoke to wilkes barre knows that this creepy dude from hazleton is merely playing leap frog to try and jump right into barletta's job...and how dare you criticize Bromo who has done everything to expose republican corruption..like a father and a son both running with the same name
3:38 "I got news for you..it ain't brain surgery" THANK YOU, THAT COMMENT SAYS IT ALL. YOU SIR ARE A TOTAL A**H*LE
YOU ARE DISMISSED ..... PLEASE LEAVE.
Hey 11:35
SARCASM, its called. Do you really think university chancellors work weekends at convenience marts?
Talk about fitting a profile!
12:17
Sarcasm really only works when someone can recognize it as sarcasm.
Too many sound like you when they say what you said and are dead serious. I require a more developed level when unable to see or hear the subject.
Sorry if I missed your point.
first of all, let me just say that number one..the professor is an insufferable fool who we have all learned to put up with here in yonkland..
number two..with regard to mr. morelli..methinks the main reason why he rocked the vote as my grandson says was because he said he wasnt going to take a salary..this is a classic example of how "if-its-free-its-for-me" mentality horribly backfired in the faces of voters....
number three..with regard to brominski, mclousky-houck, kelleher and mcginley..it seems that we need more former valley west union members on county council..
the less said about the urbans the better!
Mr. we can use a man like Michael Giamber again!!!!!!!
sung to all in the family theme.....
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