Tentative deal reached with Warren union
By MARLY KOSINSKI Tribune ChronicleBy MARLY KOSINSKI Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - A tentative agreement on concessions was reached Friday between the city and members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2501.
The union represents 23 employees who are considered ''middle management,'' including Community Development Director Michael Keys, Environmental Services Director Renee Cicero, Packard Music Hall Director Chris Stephenson, Engineering Director Bill Totten and building official Chris Tanneyhill, as well as some department supervisors and data processing personnel.
Human Resources Director Gary Cicero said the concessions package for AFSCME Local 2501 will be different than ones agreed to by the fire department June 19 and city administrators on Thursday because only five members of the 23-member union work in general fund departments. The remaining 18 members work in enterprise funds.
''Their package had to be structured differently in order to filter all the savings into the general fund,'' Cicero said.
Union members are to meet with city officials again early next week after voting on the tentative agreement, he said.
AFSCME representative Debbie Bindas said Thursday that there is not a lot of ''fluff'' in the contract for Local 2501 because members do not have pension pick-up, and both AFSCME unions agreed to a wage freeze for 2009.
Attempts to reach Bindas again Friday were unsuccessful.
Members of AFSCME Local 74, which represents laborers and clerical workers in all city departments, and members of the police ranking officers union are to meet with city officials Monday on concession talks.
The nonbargaining policies and procedures union, which represents about 30 employees, agreed to a concessions package Thursday that will save the city $118,000. It includes elimination of pension pickup, a 2.5 percent wage cut, a change in the health care plan design and elimination of longevity pay.
On June 19, the International Association of Firefighters Local 204 agreed to a contract addendum through Dec. 31 worth $473,000. It includes the same concessions, but also eliminated an attendance bonus, a yearly $400 uniform allowance and 15 minutes per shift of overtime for roll call.
The agreement averted the layoffs of an additional 18 firefighters on Wednesday.
Eleven firefighters along with 29 other city workers were laid off Jan. 1 to help trim a $3.2 million general fund budget shortfall. The recent concessions and layoff of 15 employees, including four police officers and 11 members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, that took effect Sunday are aimed at cutting an additional $1.5 million shortfall caused by lagging income tax receipts.
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anniemae
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06-27-09 10:37 PM
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turi 57. I was working at Packard when YOUR jobs slowly moved out. I, personally, didn't control that, so watch who you blame. Wish I'd have made the big bucks like you think I made. Management was to blame to give you crybabies everything you wanted in good times. Then when hard times came, you didn't want to give up anything. I gave nothing up....it was taken from me. I've seen first hand what the union folks do 8 hours a day. Were you one that made arts & crafts or sold jewelry on company time? I wasn't. I was in an office on a computer all day & got no breaks in the morning & afternoon. Your union did absolutely NOTHING for salaried workers, so go pat yourself on the back for being a UAW employee. You judge me & I'll judge you...but the result will be the same when the doors close for good.
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smokey
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06-27-09 5:15 PM
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hey everything has good and bad points,but if you look back into history unions done alot for this country! some unions are worse than others but ya can't blame the whole system.
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turi57
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06-27-09 12:38 PM
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UNION MENTALITY my dear annie is trying to save whats left of our jobs...while you...the anti-union are trying to destroy worker's rights including the livable wages...in doing so you're destroying the American way of life!
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turi57
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06-27-09 10:55 AM
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when we're asked to compete with those that can't afford the products they make ...we become like them. HOW LOW CAN WE GO!!!
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turi57
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06-27-09 10:52 AM
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Annie...you don't see us union guys bad mouth those that make a livable wage...we pay our taxes and shut up...while you ***** and complain every chance you get... you bad mouth those that support your local businesses and pay most of your taxes...blame the unions? when union jobs existed in this area we didn't have any tax problems... where were you when corporate America decided to ship our jobs to slave lobar countries and your Toyota republicans just stub by? where were you when GE announced the closing of the Niles and Warren plants and ship those jobs to China? keep blaming the unions...when we're gone so will this city of Warren and the rest of this country!!!
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turi57
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06-27-09 10:41 AM
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Yea...Anniemae: perhaps what we need is a few more jobs paying wal mart wages....that will boost our tax base...or maybe could ask those Koreans, Mexicans and Japanese workers that build the 3 million imports we buy from them to chip in our tax coffers. BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!!!!!!!!!
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anniemae
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06-27-09 10:33 AM
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turi 57. I see we anti's have hit a sore spot!!!! Where did ALL your union dues go? Obama has that union mentality, too, so guess he'll take care of you guys & let the rest of the world go to H---............
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anniemae
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06-27-09 10:28 AM
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Good comments moonie. Maybe the unions can thank themselves for the demise of this country. But Obama is on YOUR side, so you're good. Just keep their wallet open!!!!
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turi57
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06-27-09 8:27 AM
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Why don't all of you anti union move out of this area...since this union mentality bothers you so much...move to China...there you don't have to worry if your house burns down, if you survive the government will give an other...or Mexico...there you can hire your own cops...ops...wait...you HAVE to hire your own cop to protect you from the other cops who will try to kidnap you.In either country you don't have to worry about your home or your possessions..you won't own either of them anyway!!!
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TrollingDrones
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06-27-09 7:47 AM
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FLUFF,lots of FLUFF in City Hall.Waht a revalation....InsiderDrone;Must really blow,to be so far off the mark,over and over...as you are with your Overpaid Crusade.
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insider
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06-27-09 7:21 AM
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Once again, any union, offering concessions, is admitting its members were overpaid to begin with. I think the people of Warren have a right to demand refunds from these "union" employees.
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OldManGrump2
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06-27-09 5:59 AM
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Talk about valley union mentality!
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moonie
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06-27-09 5:38 AM
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It's ridiculous that a "Director" of ANYTHING and "middle management" are union jobs. This union is another example of an antiquated, outdated union sucking things dry.
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LieutenantDrone
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06-27-09 2:40 AM
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An engineer belonging to a union, lol. (-:
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