AFSCME Local 2960

36 Responses to “Wage Concession Package for 2010-2012”

1. 

   Yoli 25 February 2010 at 2:09 pm #

   Are we going to add the concession that all maximum vacation carry over limits will be removed during the freeze?
2. 

   luvmykids 25 February 2010 at 2:03 pm #

   Thanks for fighting to save our longevity and Step Increases. I do appreciate that. At least with furlough days I get some down time and can schedule them when it is best for me and my budget.

   I know that we have great jobs and great pay. In this economy it may sound whiney to complain about these concessions but some of us are barely making it as it is. It’s a little hard to swallow but I am grateful for what I have.
3. 

   E Board member 25 February 2010 at 10:41 am #

   Unit III

   We did explore that option…however the savings were minimum due to only a small percentage of unit 3 people getting such an allowance.

   I agree with Denise about the DROP program as well.
4. 

   E Board member 25 February 2010 at 10:39 am #

   Tonja-

   Perhaps you are the one that needs to do some more research. ASPTEA makes double the amount of money that we do, have less employees losing their jobs and more deferred compensation to give back. So yes, ASPTEA had more choices and all of them were changes to their deferred compensation package. Our members have voted year after year after year to NOT want deferred compensation but to have all our package put into a wage increase. Other units have taken less of a wage increase in the past and increased deferred compensation instead.

   Just a little more information…only ONE unit had OPTIONS on the concession package….ASPTEA. Fire, 2384, the other labor unions etc….have ONE option just like we do and just like all units have had year after year for wage packages and ratification. Please dont judge this board that has worked for months, many times past midnight to save YOUR merit increases…YOUR longevity….and the jobs of our members.
   • 

     wantsomethingbetter 26 February 2010 at 11:20 am #

     I don’t agree with this concession. Until you can walk a mile in my shoes then you can tell me whats right for me. I know there are many like me who are single parents who are having a hard time to make ends meet in this economy, and now we are forced to take six days (or 48 hours) off without pay. You claim it saves jobs but the bulk of jobs that are being saved come from the food tax in April. I think a lot of employees would rather give up DCP then to take 6 furlough days. I rather take the roll of the dice and let the council determine what our concession should be. Because you and I don’t really knows what they might propose. All you can do is assume and give examples. I too have been here over 15 years so I know the actives of this union. And we as the employees seem to get the short end of the stick.
     As Denise said above So far, I think the concessions 2960 is requesting is garbage.
5. 

   Unit three 25 February 2010 at 10:34 am #

   Since technicians have given up clothing allowances. Could more people not in the public eye give up their clothing allowances? Maybe some of the sworn officers that receive clothing allowances but dress casual everyday to work could do this also?

   I like the point of the drop program being eliminated per Denise. The officers are simply cashing in on this program.
   • 

     Birdseye 26 February 2010 at 1:28 pm #

     As a resident and taxpayer in the City of Phoenix, the uniform allowances for employees who have no public contact make me FURIOUS! What a waste of money that could be used elsewhere. Uniforms are the most expensive solution to what is essentially a supervisory problem. What an embarrassment and a demonstration of poor management decision making.
   • 

     watchman55 26 February 2010 at 7:09 pm #

     I absolutely agree about the DROP and the uniform allowance monies. Police officers have a demanding and difficult job, however, I think that paying people to stay at work longer and paying for their uniforms is over the top regardless of the economic climate. Talking from experience the officers also seem to be the first and loudest to complain when they are asked to give up 3.2% when they have all these other benefits that civilians and most private sector citizens do not have especially when they received at huge increase last year. They screamed when the Department changed the take home policy. Too bad, so sad – pay to drive to work like the rest of us. As far as furlough days, I’m going to make the most of it and volunteer at a different local charity each day. Not that it is the reason to do it, but it will come back to you. Spend time with an elderly neighbor, help out at a local food bank, etc. Finally, thank you to the union for working through some tough negotiations.
6. 

   Tonja 25 February 2010 at 8:40 am #

   Why do we have 6 work furlow days when other union only have 3 days such as ASPTEA and PPlea. Also these other union have three to four choices to vote on but we do not how fair is that. it basically is you do or you dont.that not a choose. I too think the union board memebers need to be replace if that is the only choice they could come up with. We don’t make as much money as employees who fall under the ASPTEA and PPlea groups but we would have to give up more people do your research we are getting scammed big time with this concession.
7. 

   Denise 25 February 2010 at 8:18 am #

   I realize the DROP program is not part of this Union’s issues, however, is there a possibility that the sworn DROP program can be eliminated? Seems pretty foolish to offer this incentive to get patrol officers to stay on past 20 years yet they are in a hiring freeze and possibly laying off officers. Certainly this will save a few dollars for the state retirement program. Otherwise they should get a mandatory retirement at 20 years and save a few dollars without going into DROP. It’s been a lucrative program for them and the top sworn managers. I would compare it to a pyramid scheme.
8. 

   Unit3 24 February 2010 at 8:07 pm #

   I am not unhappy with the concessions you negotiated on our behalf. I appreciate the furlough days instead of a greater pay cut, as sometimes management seems to not want to let us out for no pay, they want us there 40 hours of work, (even if it results in less savings to the city) but yet the suggestion is out there to donate cash to the general fund? No pay, no work is what I say. But do we have to watch a certain council member on Horizon talk about how extravagant our benefit package is? With public safety taking up 70% of the general fund, this council member should start at the top of public safety in the efficiency and privitization analysis, or perhaps look at the vehicle allowances etc of upper management which have been put on the web.
9. 

   E Board member 24 February 2010 at 5:38 pm #

   Can’t Retire-

   This will not help with anyones income and is happening across the country. Local 2960 cannot improve the U.S. economy. I am not sure what you want the union to do to improve the economic picture across the nation all we can do is lessen that blow to our members. We have suggested many cost cutting ways for the city and the city group looking into that has already found 10 million in savings.

   Also a suggestion to the potential retirees is that we have arranged that you can buy back your furlough days so that it doesnt affect your pension. We are working out the details but this is a potential savings to the retirement of our members.

   Also keep in mind that 6 furlough days and 1% wage is considerably less than has affected most other cities and MUCH less than has affected the private sector. We try to do all we can to lessen the impact to our members and we apologize and sympathize that your retirement is affected and your mortage is on the line, we are doing all we can to help our members during these difficult economic times.

   The food tax has helped somewhat and our concessions has helped even more, however, keep in mind that there are still hundreds of people who will be losing their jobs outright in 5 weeks. There is no retirement for them, for them their next stop is the unemployment line. We want to save as many of them as possible.
10. 

    Cant Retire Employee 24 February 2010 at 3:33 pm #

    As a potential retiree (next 2 years) this is not going to help w/ my gross income. Thanks to this I have to stay another 2 years. What is wrong with this picture?

    There are other ways to get revenue than taking it virtually out of my pocket. Who will pay for my morgtage payment that I am losing?
    • 

      Birdseye 26 February 2010 at 1:44 pm #

      I think this economy is making us all face some harsh realities. If a 1% pay cut is going to affect your ability to pay your mortgage, then it sounds like you were ALREADY on shaky ground financially. Somehow this doesn’t sound like a failure of the union, or a failure of the concession proposal. Just sayin’.
11. 

    Denise 24 February 2010 at 2:39 pm #

    Ok, two years ago the contract gave us about 1.5% increase, then minus more $ for medical, dental etc. We basically stayed the same financially. Now we are to give up another 1% plus 48 hours and other listed concessions? This puts us in a negative position for any type of increases acquired by the last contract. In comparison, the sworn who got 13% two years ago and other incentives, they are giving up 3.2% and have to give up 40 hours over the next two years! Clearly they need to make more concessions than the civilians. It doesn’t seem that this department is giving up much in the sworn end. Civilians seem to be carrying the load and always take the brunt of the changes. Why is that?

    Also, the comments of saving “brothers and sisters” job is insulting. For my last three years of working here, I had hoped to max out. I don’t feel we need to save positions which are less than 5 years on. Those of us who have been her for 20 years or more have given up plenty to reach our retirement goals. I don’t feel a need to save jobs for those people with less years on. Yes, it might seem selfish but we earned this right and have been dealing with the daily nonsense for many years. The “new” people will have years to make up the difference financially. The rest of us don’t.

    So far, I think the concessions 2960 is requesting is garbage.
    • 

      E Board member 24 February 2010 at 5:55 pm #

      Denise,

      You are right, I agree that the sworn positions should give more. We have argued that point for the past 3 months, frequently screaming at managment and have argued for the past 2 years that their raise compared to ours was wrong. However the city has responded that consistently this year in dealing with a wage concession is the only way to go. In fact some city council people want more of concession given back than 3.2%. ALL units have been required to give back 3.2%, and i cant argue with you that it is fair….its not.

      As for saving jobs, the point of a union is to represent ALL of its members…not a select few. While those that have been here for years are more protected (due to the unions fight for seniority rules) all are affected during bad times. Your 20 years have secured for you your job, your longevity, and your pension. ALL of these have been fought for and protected by the UNION. To ask for a 1% reduction in wage and 6 furlough days to protect others from hitting the streets is difficult but the morally right decision. But I respect your opinion never the less. Please understand that ALL the units are giving it back. There is NO option to give back nothing. Even if we did want to, the option of giving back less than 3.2% is not on the table.

      While you may disagree with the concession we have agreed upon and may want to vote no…consider the alternative. If it does not pass, we go back to negotiations and hire a fact finder…it then goes to city council where THEY will determine the concessions. THEY will determine the % and THEY will determine how to get that % out of the employees.

      I dont….the union doesnt..NONE of us is happy and filled with joy at these concessions. However the alternative is worse. So if you dont want to vote yes to save others jobs..that is your right… however I ask you to vote yes so that in 4 months we are not discussing how your longevity has been suspended for 2 years and your wages are decreased by 2%. Thats the reality.
      • 

        Susan 26 February 2010 at 1:23 pm #

        Keep in mind, it’s called a “UNION” for a reason. It’s not called “Me, me, me!” If there weren’t newer people who had come on board after you, you’d still be at the bottom of the heap, so show a little solidarity.
12. 

    Jayson Wilkinson 24 February 2010 at 10:47 am #

    Noted in the concessions
    “Compensatory time conversion suspended”
    The way I understand comp time will not be used for cash.
    Comp time can still be used for vacation use?
    Thx
    • 

      E Board member 24 February 2010 at 2:16 pm #

      Jayson,

      Yes it can still be used to vacation use, just getting cash for it is suspended.

      Thanks for the question..its a good one.
13. 

    Jacquelene Kennedy 24 February 2010 at 10:34 am #

    Can the furlough be broken up into partial days? As an example taking 1/2 a day every month instead of 1 full day every other month or two furlough hours every pay period as long as it equals 48 hrs in the end.

    Also I attempted to register for the 2960 forum but could not as HSD is not on the list of departments.
    • 

      E Board member 24 February 2010 at 2:15 pm #

      If staffing and scheduling can permit you to take a half day, then yes that can be done. Some departments can and others cannot. It is up to you and your department if it can be worked out. There is nothing written in stone that says it must be 8 hour increments.

      Let me know if it is a problem in your area.

      I will make sure they add HSD to the forum list of departments.

      Yours in Solidarity,
    • 

      Steve Ryan 25 February 2010 at 11:41 am #

      Jacquelene,

      HSD is now a supported department in the Forum, although there are currently no discussions specific to your department taking place. (The forum just started about a month ago.)

      I’ll contact you privately to complete your registration. If this is a tool that you’d like to use for ongoing discussions with members of HSD, please let me know.

      Thanks for your comment!
14. 

    BM 23 February 2010 at 2:20 pm #

    Is there a way to ratify online or by email instead of going in person? If not, this would be helpful if something could be developed in the future to somehow securely vote without physically having to go union office.
    • 

      E Board Member 23 February 2010 at 4:02 pm #

      BM-

      I wish there was, the International AFSCME Constitution says that it must be an in person vote to verify union membership. We do have our Constitution Committee looking into somehow changing it and it will be a discussion in our International Convention in Boston this summer.

      Thanks
15. 

    BM 23 February 2010 at 2:11 pm #

    Will you please explain how the 1% wage reduction will be based on, (e.g. hourly, annual, etc.) Will this reduce our current wage per hour? If ratified, when will it become effective? Thanks.
    • 

      E Board Member 23 February 2010 at 4:00 pm #

      The 1% will be based on your hourly rate and will begin July 1st 2010.

      Thanks for your question
16. 

    LORA L CASH 23 February 2010 at 12:52 pm #

    I understand that we, as a unit, must give inorder for us to move forward.
    Why is it that we only have 1 option to choose from? Why 6 – 8hr forlough days? I can live with a 1% wage reduction and even a day forlough, but not 6. Instead, why couldn’t we offer to cut Tuition Reimbursement. Instead of paying for full-time tuition ($5,998.00)for two semesters, cut it back some. Perhaps give up paying for textbooks and lab fees ($175.00). And last, give up “blue card” (Seminar/Workshop/Professional Membership Reimbursement – $150.00). We could possible offer some of these benefits up for this short period of time instead of the 6 days of furlough. Times are though, we all know that. I am disapointed that we will be having to take more furlough days than supervisors will have to take, who makes more money than us.
    What happens when this Wage Concession Package is not ratified? Do you have another proposal in the works?
    One last question, what is happening with the law suit that the field unit is filing?
    • 

      E Board Member 23 February 2010 at 1:27 pm #

      Thank you for your question and your knowledge that we need to give concessions to save jobs. We had considered tuition as well as workshop fees. However the amount we needed to reach money wise in the package was over 6 million dollars in total. The 1% wage package was around 1.5 million which still left about 4.5 million. 6 furlough days were 3.5 million dollars. (these are all the rough numbers) Vacation buyback and the rest made up the difference. However giving back ALL the tuition combined with workshop was under 800,000 dollars and therefore wouldn’t have made a dent. Only a small number of people take advantage of the tuition reimbursement therefore the cost is not that great to our package. To reach the 6 million without all those furlough days would have caused an increase in wage concessions or taking from longevity and merit increases…both of which our member made clear they did not want touched.

      Supervisors and management are able to give back their contributed compensation money to make up for the difference. Year after year our members have wanted wage increases and not city deferred compensation so we have very little (.1%). If we had more to give we would have given that back and not taken as many furlough days.

      If it is not ratified then we go to impasse. We meet with the city council and ultimately after a time of bringing in an arbitrator and doing some fact finding the council could impose a concession package on us for 1 year. Our fear is that the impasse procedure will force the city to let go of the 70 jobs we saved in the concession package and that we have no control over what the council will come down with as a concession package. Furthermore with only a 1 year contract and with possible state shared revenue not coming in, next years contract could be worse than 3.2% if we are not locked in.

      This is the only proposal, city council needs budget numbers by next week. All units either ratify or start the impasse procedure next week. Our choices on packages are limited as we do not have the flexibility to give up deferred comp.

      The other bargaining unit had a different negotiator for their session with the city so we are not aware of the details of the status of their charge as they are not in our local. We support our brothers and sisters in their choices that they make however we had a different negotiator.
17. 

    E Board member 22 February 2010 at 6:31 pm #

    Thanks Chris and Joe. It is NEVER easy to give back money that we fought so long to get and rightly deserve. BUT if it helps our brothers and sisters keep their jobs, it will have been all worth it
18. 

    unit III employee 22 February 2010 at 2:50 pm #

    A reduction in wages and 6 furlough days! Is this legal? What happened to the good old days when we had a 0% raise negotiated for us? Also management only has to do 1 furlough day. I’d say it”s time to replace the AFSCME Local 2960 Executive Board.
    • 

      E Board member 22 February 2010 at 6:26 pm #

      Unit III member,

      The good ol days are exactly that..OLD…have you seen what other cities are doing. City of Chicago: 15 days in 2009 and 24 days in 2010. City of Los Angeles: 26 days in 2010. Or haven’t you noticed Mr/Mrs Unit III that the country isn’t doing well economically. Hmm. I also seem to remember in the last several years before the economic downturn…4,5 and 6% raises…were you complaining about the E Board then?

      As for furlough days management is giving up merit increases and longevity as well as comp time (which we do not have)…the Board felt that furlough days were better than giving up anything in longevity, merit increases and wages.

      I also wonder if you realize that if this isn’t passed than city council will determine where your decreases will come from… I assure you they will not allow furlough days and vacation buy back. You will be facing a 3.2% wage concession out of merit and longevity and wages and who knows what next year..as you will be working with a one year contract and not a two.

      As for legal…do a bit of web browsing…most major cities and states are doing this….and in most cases have won in court (there are some exceptions to mandatory furloughs) If you can negotiate a wage increase you can negotiate a wage decrease. NO ONE likes it…I assure you the board fought long and hard to have it be 2%, but the city would not accept it. For 2 months the Board has yelled, debated and fought for a lower cut, we have also consulted lawyers to try to figure out if we can fight it legally but the union felt that in the end saving the jobs of our brothers and sisters was more important.

      Our concession and the food tax will save over 170 jobs in our bargaining unit. 170! Does that not mean anything to you. 170 families will still have a city income…170 families will not have to go on welfare…170 families will not have a parent searching for a job in April. A union is a family that is supposed to stick together in difficult times and well as times of prosperity. Could you face your brothers and sisters and see them lose their careers because you were too greedy to give up a 1% wage concession and 6 furlough days? Perhaps you need to look into what being in a family and a union is about.
19. 

    Chris Inspector 19 February 2010 at 5:59 pm #

    Ditto the Thank You for all your hard work.
    Tough tough year all around.
    I hope all members understand.
    I do.
20. 

    Joe Employee 19 February 2010 at 10:32 am #

    Thank you all for your hard work.