Post by onthejob on Oct 20, 2011 21:02:09 GMT -5
Mangano to unions: Concede or see layoffs
October 20, 2011 by CELESTE HADRICK AND ROBERT BRODSKY. / celeste.hadrick@newsday.com,, robert.brodsky@newsday.com
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano Thursday dropped his controversial effort to reopen existing labor contracts and said he will institute "automatic trigger" dates for layoffs and furloughs if unions do not agree to $150 million in concessions next year.
Mangano announced that unpaid furloughs will begin Jan. 1 if he cannot get a labor agreement by Dec. 15. If furloughs do not occur because of union legal challenges, he said, layoffs will be instituted Feb. 1. County officials said it is possible, but unlikely, that the $150 million in savings can be achieved without layoffs.
The length of the furloughs and the number of total layoffs expected were uncertain Thursday, depending "upon whether the savings are achieved," said Mangano aide Brian Nevin.
Thursday, Mangano and Ronald Stack, chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the state board in control of Nassau's finances, met with the Sheriff Officers Association. On Wednesday, Mangano and Stack met with leaders of the Civil Service Employees Association and the Police Benevolent Association. Next week, Mangano said, they will meet with the two other police unions.
"The county and NIFA are hopeful that workforce savings will be achieved voluntarily, but remain ready to achieve these savings through the budget," Mangano said. Stack declined to comment.
But Jerry Laricchiuta, CSEA president, said he was uncertain that labor could come up with $150 million in concessions. "We just don't have that kind of savings," he said.
To help close a projected $300 million deficit next year, Mangano in September proposed more than 700 layoffs, a wage freeze and millions of dollars in union concessions. Mangano also submitted the Fiscal Crisis Reform Act -- county legislation that he said would have allowed him to breach existing labor contracts -- to force concessions if necessary.
More than 2,000 union workers rallied Monday in Mineola to protest the proposed law. Although Presiding Office Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) said the 19-member legislature would have passed the act if needed, union leaders say he did not have the votes.
Asked if Mangano dropped the law because he feared it would not pass, Nevin said, "The county executive's intent with the Fiscal Reform Act was to bring the unions to the negotiating table to voluntarily agree to achieve workforce savings. Those negotiations are proceeding."
Schmitt said he had not been briefed about Mangano's change in plans. However, Schmitt said that only the legislature can table the bill and that he could still move forward with it.
October 20, 2011 by CELESTE HADRICK AND ROBERT BRODSKY. / celeste.hadrick@newsday.com,, robert.brodsky@newsday.com
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano Thursday dropped his controversial effort to reopen existing labor contracts and said he will institute "automatic trigger" dates for layoffs and furloughs if unions do not agree to $150 million in concessions next year.
Mangano announced that unpaid furloughs will begin Jan. 1 if he cannot get a labor agreement by Dec. 15. If furloughs do not occur because of union legal challenges, he said, layoffs will be instituted Feb. 1. County officials said it is possible, but unlikely, that the $150 million in savings can be achieved without layoffs.
The length of the furloughs and the number of total layoffs expected were uncertain Thursday, depending "upon whether the savings are achieved," said Mangano aide Brian Nevin.
Thursday, Mangano and Ronald Stack, chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the state board in control of Nassau's finances, met with the Sheriff Officers Association. On Wednesday, Mangano and Stack met with leaders of the Civil Service Employees Association and the Police Benevolent Association. Next week, Mangano said, they will meet with the two other police unions.
"The county and NIFA are hopeful that workforce savings will be achieved voluntarily, but remain ready to achieve these savings through the budget," Mangano said. Stack declined to comment.
But Jerry Laricchiuta, CSEA president, said he was uncertain that labor could come up with $150 million in concessions. "We just don't have that kind of savings," he said.
To help close a projected $300 million deficit next year, Mangano in September proposed more than 700 layoffs, a wage freeze and millions of dollars in union concessions. Mangano also submitted the Fiscal Crisis Reform Act -- county legislation that he said would have allowed him to breach existing labor contracts -- to force concessions if necessary.
More than 2,000 union workers rallied Monday in Mineola to protest the proposed law. Although Presiding Office Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) said the 19-member legislature would have passed the act if needed, union leaders say he did not have the votes.
Asked if Mangano dropped the law because he feared it would not pass, Nevin said, "The county executive's intent with the Fiscal Reform Act was to bring the unions to the negotiating table to voluntarily agree to achieve workforce savings. Those negotiations are proceeding."
Schmitt said he had not been briefed about Mangano's change in plans. However, Schmitt said that only the legislature can table the bill and that he could still move forward with it.
