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LCJFS makes concessions to save jobs
Published Friday, April 3, 2009
IRONTON — Close to $300,000 in concessions between the union and Lawrence County Job and Family Services have been agreed upon with the goal of staving off further layoffs in that agency.
Two weeks ago, six caseworker positions from the children’s services section of the welfare agency were eliminated because of a continual decrease in funding.
The concessions almost equal the amount a 1 mil levy that was defeated more than a year ago would have brought to the agency. That levy was touted as a lifeline for the agency by its director Gene Myers. As a local match it could have brought in possibly four times that to the LCJFS.
At Thursday’s Lawrence County Commission meeting, following an executive session about collective bargaining, Myers made the results of the union-management talks public.
All employees will forfeit pay for seven holidays, for a savings of $90,000. There will be a forfeiture of a contractual 3 percent raise, for a savings of $127,000; and a suspension of a sick leave incentive program that should bring in $80,000 a year.
For the past two months, representatives from AFSCME Local 3319 and LCJFS management have had talks with the resulting package passed by the union in a 53-13 vote. The union also agreed that when the economics improve, the next step should be to reinstate the lost positions before revoking the concessions. Out of 89 employees 74 are union, working under a two-year contract that began August 2008.
“If things improve, we will bring those back, but not for a little while,” Myers said after the meeting.
All but one of the case workers had been employed from 2005 forward; the sixth came in 2000. The average salary was $32,000. The effective date for the layoffs is Monday.
Four of the six have displacement rights, which means they can “bump” or take the position of another employee of the agency. All four have exercised that right.
“It is difficult, but we just laid off six workers,” Terri Robinson, union president, said.
If the concessions can halt more layoffs, “this is what you have to do,” she said.
Commission president Jason Stephens commended the workers.
“This is evidence of the union’s commitment to Lawrence County,” Stephens said. “That is a big concession for the union to make, a major concession.”
The concessions will be in effect for management as well as the union workers.
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Comments
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Now, if the Commissioners' office and staff could follow their fine example!
I've not seen such a selfless act before. Especially in the middle of a contract. And at a time when CITY workers demanded raises.
They got 3% from mayor richer-than-I. So, I wonder, if they got 3%, how much did they actually ask for? Enough about the city.
And, for the people who always say the LCJFS employees are just in it for the money...eat a BOWL of beans.
Posted by skeeter (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DJFS employees, you are to be commended for your showing of support to your fellow employees. Losing 7 holidays and a pay increase is a substantial showing of support!!!
Well done!
Posted by family545 (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 5:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is LCJFS employees on furlough? 2 furlough days per month per employee is a proven way to save money too save jobs. It's better than no job.
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, family545, they just made a SUBSTANTIAL money concession. WAY more than any other office. Let's see other departments pony-up before they even THINK about LCJFS employees. Geeza, give 'em credit!
Posted by Vil (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not for many unions because they are money grubbing, but this union did the right thing to save jobs.
Too bad the union in Ironton is selfish and doesn't care about the city. That was evident when the garbage workers went on strike over Memorial Day weekend a few years ago. I can never forgive them for that selfish act.
Posted by favorite24 (anonymous) on April 3, 2009 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Concessions? Let's look at this. Read it well, the ones that are gone, had only been there 4 yrs., making $32,000.00, check the salaries of other county employees. Some have worked for the county for 20 yrs. and don't make that kind of money. So how did Job & Family Services get into this shape? Self exclamatory.
Posted by john_mushenhouse (anonymous) on April 4, 2009 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sick pay incentives. That means if you don't use them you get paid. The people should be honest enough to use them if they need them and not to lie and use them for days off (which I hope they won't do). Most people are not getting raises this year either. Many are not getting bonuses as well. They did what they had to do to keep their jobs. It is time that people are waking up to what is happening on the taxpayers money. How many of these workers are somehow related to the good ol boys or are their cronies. How many could get jobs on an even playing field. What are their education levels? Sure sure some take a test. A blood test would be what really shows the reason for their hire. One generation leaves their jobs to another who think a county job is their inheritance. The sad part is that they often are lousy workers.
Don't share my wealth
Share my work ethic
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on April 4, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shame on you guys! These people made REAL sacrifices, not token ones. They have now given up SEVEN paid holidays a year. "All employees will forfeit pay for seven holidays, for a savings of $90,000. There will be a forfeiture of a contractual 3 percent raise, for a savings of $127,000; and a suspension of a sick leave incentive program that should bring in $80,000 a year". That averages over $1,000 per employee
Sometimes its difficult to learn that an expected increase in benefits doesn't materialize. Its certainly much more painful to give back something you already have.
How many of you would give up YOUR annual or merit raises to help your employer stay afloat?
Have we become so hard-hearted during the Bush disaster years that even very generous acts only garner our disdain?
Posted by john_mushenhouse (anonymous) on April 4, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
chef I don't have too give up anything now as I would never work for the government. I was self sufficent to make it so far in the non-governmental world. Those sick leave incentives were for money given if not used. That really isn't a loss income. Most people in places outside of appalachia are even giving up raises this year. A friend is taking 2 weeks off without pay. That is 10 days and I highly suspect that is valued at way more than a thousand dollars.
These are hard times. You do what you do to survive. Some saw it coming and sacrificed years earlier so they don't have to give up now. Others saw the governmental job as their salvation. What skills do they offer in a competive world? They should have gotten an education which would provided skills in a changing world. No they sat around thinking their gravy train would last. The times they are a changin. It is up to the individual and not a county job to support themselves.
Although with the way we are rapidly going deeper into governmental interventionism( socialsm) , I guess a gov job might be the way to go for those whodare not trained to compete in a capitalistic world.
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give it to those who will not"
Thomas Jefferson
Posted by family545 (anonymous) on April 4, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At several companies they had no choice in the financial matter. They froze merit raise and gave 10 furlough days and probably another 10 the 2nd half of the year. Everyone is acting like LCJFS people gave up so much. Nobody gets sick leave incintives anymore in the first place (that wasn't giving up nothing for them). SO ACTUALLY THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN UP AS MUCH AS SURROUNDING COMPANIES/BUSINESSES. I just suggested this because furlough days are better than jobs lost. Most are taking cuts $2-3,000 per employee. Now hats off to those guys!! and LCJFS just took $1000?
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on April 4, 2009 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I admire any group, government or private sector, that voluntarily makes concessions to help their employer. Its a smart move by the employees, but still voluntary.
So, if anyone disagrees with me....FANTASTIC! Thats what is good about this country! I don't have a need to recruit others, but I'll aolways give credit where credit is due.
Have a good weekend, folks!
Posted by johnqpublic (anonymous) on April 12, 2009 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You know, I read some of the comments left by John and some of the others who are never satisfied, who assume things, and pretend they know what concessions people are making all over the country. They act like everyone is related at LCDJFS when most are not. Many have degrees, some jobs do not require them. I said all of that to say this - I feel sorry for the wives of those men who have nothing better to do that to sit at the computer and gripe about stuff that they make up in their own mind - but then again - their wives probably love the fact that they are doing that rather than bugging them. Why are they so unhappy?
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