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February 20th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I would like to demand less service just because I can not afford much more! The city has properties all around the city that need to be consolidated. I would start with all downtown properties like the school department, family literacy center, parent center, etc.. The words lease and rental need to be cut from the city budget. We should also cut the CC pay in half for the half time they put in. We should ooutsource our cleaning services. Cut the number of people on the streets department and find out why so mant city vehicles are parked on Mammoth Road half the day.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:42 am
Whhat a breath of fresh air! The firefighters are a proud group and deserve to be thanked for this gesture. Now, wouldn’t it be laudaable if any city employee, earning over $100,000, offer to gice up, in a one time deal, $1,000 of their salary. If a firefighter can give up $600, why couldn’t the more well paid people give ujp a little more?
February 21st, 2009 at 8:53 am
A few years ago, it seemed that the previous city manager, who gave and gave and gave to the unions (as evidenced by the union support for “I’m for Cox” - and some of the salary bumps for “friends”), would basically ruin any relationship his successor could develop with the unions, because that person would have to correct the way the city negotiated with the unions (the city manager, after all, works for the taxpayers not the unions, and that sort of behavior by the CM was unsustainable).
However, I think there’s been a nice balance struck of shared sacrifice and truth telling, along with trying to do one’s best to treat the employees of the city with respect. Sure there’s been bumps and some disputes along the way, but it’s not a negotiation if you just agree all the time. I think this display by many of our city’s unions is a credit to their maturity and to the relationship between them and the CM, and his honesty.
February 21st, 2009 at 9:19 am
Fran,
Agreed!!! The firefighters are truly to be commended for taking this action as are the city’s engineers that agreed to a three day furlough. I also think we should recognize the non-union employees that are taking the three day furlough and have gone without raises over the past few years when other employees had negotiated raises. This covers the people that you suggest give up $1,000.
Now if only we saw some sacrifice from the teacher’s union.
February 21st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
walking: hey look, it’s the Easter Bunny!
February 21st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I am in AFSCME 1705 and our union reps have told us we will be asked to do the same three-day furlough. We will be voting on it soon I believe. I assume that most people will vote for it as to not jeopardize the jobs of newer hires. I know I will vote for it, and most of the members in my department will do the same.
February 21st, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Lynne- You do not know what you are talking about when it comes to Cox. I worked there. I know……..I can also tell you that this is very typical of the FF union and the Lowell firefighters in general. They are a great group! As is the Engineers Union and Keith Rudy of 1705.
February 21st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Ok, why don’t you correct me, instead of just saying I’m wrong? Why did the unions come out and run a political campaign to save an appointed position? Most ridiculous thing I ever saw.
February 21st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
—–> I’m NOT anonymous
February 21st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Ok I’ll throw in. Cox didn’t ask for much back from employees, but he didn’t give the store away either. He generally held the line giving the same general wage increase percentages to all unions and I don’t recall many added “perks”. He actually could be difficult to deal with holding the line for the city on some issues, disciplinary actions taken on employees comes to mind. Why, who knows?
However many people had long term relationships with Cox, knew what they were getting and that they could deal with him. Lynch was an outsider, an unknown. The last time an outsider (Campbell) was brought in it resulted in serious cuts to city workers jobs (853 and 1705 the most I recall). Can you blame anyone for weighing in? It’s the devil you know vs the one you don’t. Believe me it was hardly an organized campaign. Basically someone dropped off bumper stickers - some of which were artistically converted into less savory, somewhat comical statements. Of course most city workers didn’t realize how things were being run at the time or that the city was in trouble…. you know like the councilors that were responsible for being in charge!
The employees now might even put I’m for Lynch stickers up if the council tried to remove him today. Its not an either or proposition. I’ll agree that the way a career professional manager deals with the unions has been a positive experience. Let me sum up the difference between the two three year deals negotiated with the two managers:
Cox: 3 yrs, 9%
Lynch: 3 years, 8%
1% difference is not exactly earth shattering. Both had to deal with unexpected cuts in local aid and budget shortfalls during the deals. they negotiated. How they dealt with the cuts was the real issue not how they dealt with the union negotiations. I don’t see a big difference on the receiving end of wage increases/benefits and in reality that is ALL its about to the workers. I see Lynch taking hard looks at systemic savings, efficiencies and presenting a picture of economic reality that didn’t significatly hurt the workers and made any changes easy to agree to. Lynch is a sharp guy, knows the ins and outs of managing and has done very well for the city as evidenced by the fact that there is a large majority of workers who are willing to work with him and agree to cut their own pay. He built the relationships on solid principles: being forthright, honest, facts and fairness. Hopefully this is long term and beneficial for the public and the workers.
Lynne I agree with your second paragraph, but not your first. The appearance of support does not mean that special favors and improper treatment was given, though the appearance is often just as bad. To draw the conclusion that unions couldn’t deal with Lynch because we dealt with Cox is very insulting. The employees work for the taxpayer too. We just want good faith bargaining and fairness.
Lastly here are a few preditions:
Teachers won’t give up anything. 1705 will step up as the others did to protect their jobs and city services in the short term. It will be hard to get concessions from the police since they have already received their holiday pay disbursement budgeted in this fiscal year and can’t be furloughed without impacting public safety. In addition since the Patrolmen have not had a raise in 2 years like some of the other unions, they likely already view it as having done their part. In some ways it’s hard to argue the point since they are 3-4% down this year on the superior officers, firefighters and others. Unfortunatey I’ve heard it was their own negotiating stance that cost them the same 8% 3 year deal everyone else got by negotiating last year, before all economic hell broke loose.
February 21st, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Teachers’ union has to be part of the solution. If not, they should take the fall and suffer the most if they’re not willing to pitch in. Time for them to do their fair share as opposed to several years ago when many City-side unions took no pay increase when Cox asked them not to while teachers’ union got theirs and weren’t willing to pitch in.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
May I also point out that Left In Lowell had this news up a day before the Sun. That my friends, is called getting scooped. This is the same Sun whose website is currently down on a Sunday morning when people want to read the news. Mr. Richard Howe should be smiling!
As for the teacher’s union, they have far less political accountability because of who they negotiate with, despite receiving the lion’s share of government spending in this city. People tend to forget when the rest of us take zeroes, even from Mgr Cox. The schools won’t take nearly the hit the city side does because of the funding requirement called “maintenance of effort” and the impact of the stimulus money.
Lynne do you know which unions led the I’m for Cox campaign? I’m curious, I know it wasn’t mine. I was always under the impression it was led by a select few friends.
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
The Sun was not scooped. It is a newspaper — the information has to be there the day BEFORE the paper actuallly hits the streets. AND the blog did not have the info on te enginbeers,
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Tryin to Stay Anonymous Says:
February 21st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
—–> I’m NOT anonymous
Ohnoes, mah head esplode!
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
To further put “Tryin’s” figures in perspective, the 9% over three years came after some period - might have two years, might have been three - of no raises at all. So it was really 9% over five or six years.
February 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Joe- You are absolutely right. It was atleast 2 years that we went without raises after CM Cox asked us to forego them. Meanwhile, we sat back and watched the School Department ask for more, more, more lest the CC and City Manager be accused of being “anti-education”. The School Department never seems to get or just does not care that there is only so much money to go around!
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:30 pm
As a former member of 1705 from it’s formation, I can verify that there were at least 3 times over a period of several years when we went without raises to “help” the city while others did nothing. We need to keep the firefighters and police. I know the police are down several patrolmen ( about 40 , I think) that could make all the difference in our crime and fire statistics. “Trying” is right in that the teachers won’t give up a thing. That is why I would love to see their bargaining become a public affair as John Leahy wants. Seeing Georges in action could be very interesting.
February 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Anonymous,
Yup. I’m not exactly an “I’m for Cox” type, but the idea that he was Mr. Union Handouts just isn’t so.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I remember back to the last time the SD went into bargaining and there was a “gag” order placed on negotiations. I thought then as I do now, that ALL negotiations should be made public…that goes for all unions, not just the SD.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Sorry Molly, The Sun has a website, a bad one, but when you get the news you should post the news. They didn’t - LiL did a day earlier. It works for a lot of other newspapers. Boston.Com has an outstanding website with breaking news.
The vote took place two days before the Sun ran the info and the Sun article had almost no data to put it in any context. Its not like the article had so much more information that the extra time was warranted. God forbid they do any original analysis when they can just wait around to get a quote or two and combine two different stories into one.
Of course that is assuming they had the info quickly to begin with. When does the Sun hit the streets? Is it the morning afternoon paper or the afternoon morning paper, either way the info is a day behind. They need to get with the internet age quickly or they’re not going to be around much longer. If I can read the same information earlier on a free blog by unpaid writers why would I ever buy a newspaper?
My take is that the Sun seems to think holding stuff back makes the paper more valuable not less. Either that or they don’t have the resources, connections and ability to do the job.
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 am
Tryin’ - as I recall not too long after that they started the “Breaking news” section…LOL
As to the union generalization RE Cox, yeah, I take your meaning. I guess I should have said “some” members were the ones to show up to fight for his job, but a whole lot of people did not, and therefore, sorry about that.
There was, as I recall, a certain list of people who got exorbitant raises as he was walking out the door…but they certainly were not rank and file people.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Not to gang up on you Molly but Tryin and Lynne are right.
It’s only a scoop if you pass along the information first and not only do they have a “breaking news” section on their website, but when they first went to the afternoon morning paper…or is it a morning afternoon paper? One of the justifications they gave to subscribers that don’t get the morning paper until the afternoon is that it would give them time to update the news. When was the last time they did that?
Tryin I think your last sentence hit it on the head. They don’t have the resources, connections or ability to do the job!
KRS I have to disagree with the “transparent” contract negotiations idea making the rounds. It’s a bad idea. A lot of things are said at the bargaining table that are just meant to be used a positioning and bargaining chips and nothing more. Most people these days do not belong to unions and I don’t think they really have an understanding of how nasty the talk at the bargaining table can get. It’s mostly bluster but if you make it “transparent” then people (voters the public) will remember the nasty side of it and forget that in the end both sides agree and neither is completely happy.
This comes from sitting in on more than one bargaining session in the private sector. Just my $.02
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I agree with ER on “live” negotiations being a bad idea, though I see less harm in putting the documentation of proposals and meeting minutes out there after the fact, for review. Mimi can probably reference the thread on collective bargaining that was written a while back. The collective bargaining process works, it is the best compromise both sides feel they can bring forth for a vote. It is the accountability of those doing the city/school side neotiations (via the election) that doesn’t seem to work, no fault of KRS there, since she tried to run for office. The general public doesn’t vote much locally or understand the mechanics of how local government operates.
ER my last point is exactly what is happening. Wonder if any of the reporters who could have covered this story were out on furlough this week? My guess is yes. And when I say ability, I don’t mean talent. They have some talented people, who probably feel like the one legged man in the ass kicking contest. You need time to build the relationships with the people on the beat you cover. If you are short staffed, covering multiple assignments and underpaid you can’t pull it off. Not to mention when your editorial staff regularly takes positions aimed squarely at the people reporters need to talk to, it doesn’t exactly make them roll out a welcome mat for you.
Problem is this can become a downward spiral. Because of heavy media competition the paper loses circulation and resources, they try to do more with less and feel the need to take sides to increase buzz. The quality declines because people don’t have relationships with the reporters they trust and don’t want to deal with them. They then become more polarizing and so it goes. I won’t predict the demise of the paper, because ultimtely there will always be something, quality not withstanding. To me they would be better off if the Eagle Tribune and Sun were combined into one Merrimack Valley regional paper. That just makes more business sense than the Sentinel and Enterprise which is really for Central Mass.
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I agree about the talented people at the Sun. Unfortunately, based upon conversation with ex-Sun employees my sense is that morale there is abysmal and the reporters are too often chasing down the personal agenda of the editor instead of news. Bad enough to be in a rapidly changing industry in a terrible economy and then have to deal with carrying out someone’s personal vendettas.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Lynne- I have to ask: Who is the “certain list of people who got exorbitant raises”? Maybe you don’t want to mention by name. How about identifying the department and/or position. I don’t feel the need to “correct” vague, broad statement that are never backed up with stated facts. Please provide.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Once upon a time I had a spreadsheet somewhere, or someone did. I saw it and reviewed it myself. If you must know. And yes, it was legitimate and yes, it was packed full of interesting names.
If I find it again (mind you, I’ve switched computers among other things since then) I’ll be happy to post it.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
What Lynne is remembering happened a few years ago and the raises of some of the top-salaried people were in the range of 8-9%, whereas the average person was about 3%.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I have a copy of that list kicking around. Would be happy to dig it out and send it along
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Found it! Lynne, will scan it and email it to you. Some of the figures are astounding with dept heads, admins and so on, receiving in some cases a 15% bump in pay over a period of two years. Wish I had that type of bump in pay. I’m in the wrong business and obviously not kissing the right person’s a**.
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Also, as was apparently pointed out by Waittil…this doc. is posted in LiL archives…http://leftinlowell.com/city/cityemployee_salaryincreases05-07.pdf
Thanks Wait
So really, anon, we do not just blather…or at least we blather using our real (or known) identities
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:25 pm
I know a quick way that our CC could assist in closing the budget…since they all voted to go from meeting, formally once per week for 52 some weeks, to meeting just twice per month, perhaps they could cut their salaries in half..that would save us $75,000…wouldn’t that get us closer to closing our deficit? I’m sure the health insurance benefit for some far outways the salaried benefit..wouldn’t you think?
February 24th, 2009 at 9:08 am
KRS I’ve been saying that since they decided to cut the meetings in half. I bet we all wish we got a 50% raise for the same work or double the time off for the same pay.
February 24th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Also somewhat related to #17 Maggie’s post:
The Fire Department is only down 3 unfilled positions right now, not including injured and long term sick leave cases pending retirements (at least 3 more). This is because the city took a Federal (SAFER) grant to increase staffing by 8 a few years back after the early retirement eliminated a dozen or so postions Otherwise staffing levels would be much, much worse. Even the 201 budgeted firefighter positions can’t keep every truck open all the time. At the time (2003-4) it seemed like a shrewd move to eliminate the jobs for a short while, then use the new program to recreate them again with Federal help.
The city is required to keep 201 positions on the books or pay the money back while the grant is in effect (Currently in the middle of a 5 year package for $500,000). The city reportedly asked FEMA if they could leave positions unfilled due to the budget crisis and was told to pound sand.
In effect the city had to continue hiring knowing the guys could be laid off in the long term. So if the city has to lay off or even leave positions unfilled, it appears currently they also have to pay back the entire cost of the grant, plus the unemployment compensation. That means the cuts have to go even deeper.
You would think the stimulus package might have provided some relief to municipalities on the grant requirements. Thus far it has only resulted in eliminating the municipal matching component of FIRE Act equipment grants. Some political manuvering will likely take place to see if the requirements can be temporarily relaxed or suspended. Somebody better put Niki Tsongas on speed dial.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
C’mon people! To the rescue? The Firefighters work 24 hour shifts.In the 24 hour period they make more than $600. 1 day off for them would mean no work for a week!
Times are tough everywhere.The writing is on the wall people…the layoffs are coming, the layoffs are coming!
Let’s see the City Manager give back his $15,000 annuity and take a 3 day furlough himself..lead by example.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Oh Lola…no work for a week (I’ll play devils advocate), might mean they have one more day per week to devote to their other trades,,electrical, plumbing, extermination or any other job that our firefighters might hold on the 2 day on, 5 day off schedule.
Absolutely, with less state aid coming down the pike, lay offs are coming. Duh..Would you expect our CC to raise tax rates to keep everyone on the payroll? Umm…don’t think so…
February 25th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Lola:
Yes, the CM as well as all other non-union employees are taking 3 days off without pay. In an answer to a question posed by CC A. Kazanjian, the CM told the CC that this Friday is his first furlough day.
I think the majority of the CC, if not all, will also return part of their stipend.
At the end of the day, the firefighters have saved the City over $160,000 this year. I find it honorable and I hope other unions follow.
As for the taxpayer, we need to also do our fair share.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Now that winterfest is over the bear is…. oh wait that’s Lowla.
Sorry Lola $600 is half a weeks pay for a lieutenant, firefighters base is about 20% less. Go look at the city budget and see the firefighter’s salaries, then divide by 52, you’ll see what a weekly paycheck is. How much should firefighters have done? Taking a furlough was not an option to keep staffing levels safe for the public and firefighters, but don’t worry the city will likely be operating at a very unsafe level before too long, as you apparently are looking forward to. I guess its OK though because it will only affect the poorer more vulnerable population of the city. The fire station closest to KRS’s house never closes. Mimi’s neighborhood stations close regularly.
Not all of firefighters have side work. For the vast majority this is their family’s primary income. KRS may think otherwise based on her neighbor/s, but its not so. Good luck finding side work in this economy. Besides how many people do you think are looking for tradespeople right now, given housing and construction is at a standstill and people aren’t spending due to rock bottom confidence? If guys didn’t feel they had to work extra jobs do you think they would? I’m sure there is nothing better than coming off a busy 24-hour shift and dragging yourself to your second job or going home to take care of the kids so your spouse can work.
Firefighters did what was asked of them by the manager. No more, no less and no promises of special consideration either. I’ll forgive Mimi’s creativity on the title. Who had the guts to go first to the bargaining table and ballot box? Who stood up for what would work best (and fairly) for everyone, even if it would only work for a short while? You see any other major unions (three have more members than the firefighters) step up yet and make any sacrifices?
24 hour shifts are the norm everywhere in this country, not the exception. Chicago, LA, Florida, Texas, Georgia, the Carolinas, you name it they work 24 hours. I never understood the public’s fascination over it, or the focus solely on firefighters when most EMS workers do it too. Massachusetts was late to the party on implementing the current scheduling. In the early 20th century Lowell firefighters worked 6 consecutive 24 hour days with only an hour off for meals each day and church on Sunday. No one noticed or worried about their fatigue and safety then.
Now it is one on, three off. So if you went to work at 8 am today you would work 16 hours on Wednesday and 8 hours Thursday before you go home at 8 am again. Come back and do it again on Sunday/Monday. Is there down time? Sure, but you can’t predict emergencies, even though you need to be realistically prepared to respond. It comes with the territory. What is the legitimate (constructive) alternative? How did public safety and management professionals ever come up with this stuff without help from the public who always seem to have vast quantities to say about their of knowledge on public safety jobs? Consider that maybe, just maybe, they have a long history of doing this type of work and analyzed the best way to make the system work.
The weeks firefighters work 48 hours there is no OT involved either, everything is averaged into weekly salary. Does anyone think firefighters worry about teachers working side jobs all summer, or the IT guy who fixes computers on the side, or the newspaper reporter who does freelance writing on the side, or the salesman who puts in extra hours on the road to make some more money? I don’t think they do because its really none of their damn business. Firefighter’s personal lives are fair game though.
Firefighter’s 42 hour average week x 52 weeks = 2184 hours a year
everyone else’s 40 hour work week x 52 weeks = 2080 hours a year (some “fulltime” city workers even less)
You want to put firefighters on an 8 hour day and 40 hour work week? Get ready to hire more people to fill the extra shifts, 20,000+ hours worth(104 hours x 200 firefighters) a 24 hour schedule eliminates. Since the city underfunds the fire department already and can’t keep stations open 24/7/365, how well do you think that will work out for public safety? Let’s see the others work their full hours, put in another two weeks worth of hours as part of their regular salary, work the holidays and take a pay cut before we question the firefighters.
Lastly did anyone see the firefighters union leaders running around trying to take extra credit or pulling the woe is us, poor mouth act? Nope. I bet most people can’t name the union president of the firefighters but know who heads the teachers, 1705 and maybe even the patrolmen. The firefighters know what position the city is in and take their responsibility seriously. They did their part with barely a whisper or complaint. Think you’ll get that from anywhere else?
February 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Looked at the list. These are the same people that went 2-3 years agreeing to forego a raise. In that context, I don’t think they can be called exorbidant.
February 25th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Tryin’ to stay anon…I should have expanded upon my last comment and didn’t. You are 100% correct, not every FF has a side job.My response was the short version based on Lola’s comment.
And yes, having worked years pulling 16 hr shifts, it’s not easy coming off those shifts and then having to tend children. Of course, when I worked those types of shifts usually eves into awake overnights, we didn’t have children. I certainly appreciate that the FF were the first union (if I’m not mistaken) to come to the table on this issue.
I thought the station on Old Ferry did close at times? If not, why? When there are other parts of the city that see far more activity?
Anon…the point of highlighting those particular pay raises, not everyone, including most folks who work in the private sector, don’t receive obligatory double digit raises and the rank and file received next to nothing, which likely just covered the cost of the increase in their health insurance.
Myself, my salary hasn’t budged since I started almost 3 yrs. ago. The reason, the money just isn’t there. However, count myself as fortunate, as I have no shortage of customers
February 25th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
KRS- The other City employees, because they are in unions, average about a 2-3% raise annually. And if you are in the School Department- even better! The people on this list that you are ALL non-union personnel (some with very advanced degrees) who had gone WITHOUT for several years, and who still do not make even close to what they would make in the private sector or even if they worked for the school department! I could make detailed comparisons between people on the city side v. those on the school side and you’d be pretty surprised if you considered education, degrees, etc. However, I don’t begrudge many in the school department. Good for them. But other people have difficult jobs too and should not be dumped on. We work hard too.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
It seems to me if we didnt have two asst. city managers in charge of operations, we would save money on their salary. Is the city manager giving up three days of pay? Maybe he should give up more he sure makes alot more than 1705 employees.