D&C PROVOKES CITY ADMINISTRATION AND IT'S LABOR LEADERS; VOICE REPORTER SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Rochester, N.Y.-- On Saturday, the D&C printed an article that implied city union "bosses" are angry, greedy and unwilling to compromise when it comes to a $50 million budget shortfall. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would have described our collective demeanor at a meeting on Friday as "stoic determination."  To the best of my recollection, at no time did I or any of my union colleagues ever say "we should get more" or that "they could do their jobs much better."

This pugnacious news article, if you want to call it that, distorted the facts and was molded to fit the long term narrative tonality that public workers are confrontational and should be viewed as the enemy of the taxpayers. Its point of view was written by two reporters who don't necessarily cover government and politics-- the two reporters who do were on unpaid furlough for the weekend. Relationships matter here; and the D&C had an opportunity to rightfully inform the public and instead chose to support their long term strategic agenda.  It's important to distinguish the difference between the reporters getting the details right while the editors shape the narrative.  There wasn't anything "sensational" going on here-- except for the media's coverage.

Wage freezes would violate existing collective bargaining agreements

Simply stated, what part of two-party legal binding contracts does the media, general public and our local municipalities not understand? And when does the finger-pointing ever stop? And if there is someone to blame for our fiscal woes at the City of Rochester and County of Monroe for that matter, let it be stated for the record that CSEA has always been a willing participant in finding solutions and making decisions that are best for our community.  Additionally, any savings for city taxpayers by freezing salaries and laying off personnel is incredibly insignificant when looking at a so-called 50 million dollar hole.

As we speak, CSEA is creating a document at the acting Mayor's request that will provide meaningful suggestions to help our city save taxpayers money while at the same time trying to minimize cuts to public services.  We are doing our part.  And, if you are so inclined, read my guest essay in the City Newspaper on how we can create a fairer budget for New York State.

The fact is the public workers for the City of Rochester didn't create this budget problem. We have been working "more with less" for several years and sucking it up. I must also say that the D&C has done us a huge favor by filing all the FOIL requests of late that drives their narrative, because it now shows it's readers that nonunion management/confidential employees are the moneymakers and the decision makers who are ultimately responsible for any payroll and budget choices. And when push comes to shove, it's always seems to be the most vulnerable unionized workers and our patrons who are asked to sacrifice the most for the benefit of our taxpaying public.

Telling our side of the story

On Friday, March 4, several city labor leaders, including myself, listened to a sales pitch by the acting Mayor, Finance Director, Labor Relations Manager and the Budget Director. While I applaud Mayor Carballada's efforts to bring stakeholders to the table, we heard nothing new and different from city administration.

The City would like its employees to take ownership of a budget problem we did not create nor should we be solely responsible for. In fact, we have given management many terrific ideas over the years to bring about cost efficiencies and better services (i.e.: switching healthcare to MVP experiential rate to save taxpayers nearly 31 million in 3 years). After all, we are the ones actually doing the work and our input on how we do our jobs is invaluable to our community.

Two of the eight $50 million gap closure possibilities offered up by management was "departmental efficiencies and reductions," plus "wage freeze and other labor assistance." The budget projections that we were given in a powerpoint presentation titled, "A Looming Structural Gap," were, in my estimation, questionable numbers provided to make rationale for softening any blow that might come in the future.

No one knows more about sacrifice and investment in our community than the management and workers of the Rochester Public Library. I surveyed several dozen Unit 7420 members of 11 different worksites and they all said the same thing-- we will not open up our contracts and change the present contractual obligations we have with each other. Our members will not accept a wage freeze come July 1, even if it means the City will threaten us with layoffs. The takeaway from the meeting is that no city labor union will open up their contracts to bail out poor decision-making on the part of bureaucrats and lawmakers at every level of government.

I personally told the acting Mayor after the meeting that we (CSEA) have done our part in lobbying Albany as well, trying to convince state lawmakers that we need to get our fair share when it comes to Aid & Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) awarded to local governments. I personally have been to Albany three times this legislative session, advocating on behalf of library services and other matters important to our members. I firmly believe that we all want the same thing-- and we can get there together if people have the proper information and data. Unfortunately, corporate-owned, anti-labor newspapers like Gannett's Democrat & Chronicle does a huge disservice to our community when they try to instigate a fight between the City and its unions and by writing drivel and using such hyperbolic coded language like, "angry union bosses." 

I reinforced in a one-on-one conversation to acting Mayor Carballada that CSEA has always been a good partner with city administration and will continue to be part of the solution.  The library community is very thankful for everything the Duffy administration and City Council has done during these incredibly difficult times-- they really tried to provide us with the tools and resources necessary to be successful and we can't thank them enough for being good partners.  We know, as Mayor Duffy knew, libraries have a good return on taxpayer investment. 

However, what we got at Friday's meeting is an "ask" to sacrifice service reductions in the form of a pay freeze and possible job loss.  I don't think the city library users will be very happy with that.  And, for some of the part-time people I represent who live paycheck to paycheck, loss of public services could mean not having food on the table or being one step away from homelessness.  Some of the CSEA members of this Unit are on public assistance because their employer will no longer offer a living wage with any meaningful benefits.  And, for the record and in spite of popular belief, most of these CSEA workers do not have a healthcare plan or a pension-- or even job security.  We are not even middle-class folk-- we are working poor.  You can't get blood from a rock.

What we heard on March 4 is that they have too few answers to our budget dilemma other than taking the easy way out by targeting labor costs and the workers and families who deliver the high quality services this community demands. Frankly speaking, our Unit expects more accurate budget projections and more creative budget and finance solutions coming from city administration-- other than opening up existing labor contracts, laying off rank and file workers and cutting public services.

In the final analysis, my members and I believe city officials should live up to their collective bargaining agreements just like we have since 1995.  This conversation would not of taken place just a few short months ago-- the anti-worker, anti-union climate in the United States perpetrated by those who oppose public employee unions feel the time is ripe and gives them permission to put us on the defensive.

If for some reason, the Mayor's office or City officials would like to change the terms and conditions of our employment, they can bring that up at the next negotiation session when our current contract expires in 2013. Until then, budgets should not be balanced on the backs of its hourly-wage earners, the workers who provide the necessary services that make Rochester a livable city for its residents. 

-Ove Overmyer
CSEA President, City of Rochester Library Workers Unit 7420
CSEA VP, Monroe County Local 828