In accepting concessions from local unions, the board of
supervisors called out fellow elected officials and county
managers, asking them to take cuts to save the county money.
Supervisor Robert Rivas in the most recent board meeting went as
far as calling the managers’ group
”
unacceptable.
”
In accepting concessions from local unions, the board of supervisors called out fellow elected officials and county managers, asking them to take cuts to save the county money.
Supervisor Robert Rivas in the most recent board meeting went as far as calling the managers’ group “unacceptable.”
“And it’s unfortunate,” he added. “We have to be able to share this pain.”
Each supervisor expressed dissatisfaction with the management group, about 40 employees who did not accept a delay in a one percent salary increase scheduled for October, and also the five other elected officials who have not accepted a moratorium on step increases and furloughs.
The cuts to the elected officials’ salaries would be more than 10 percent, County Administrative Officer Rich Inman said. None of the five officials have agreed to either cut.
The management groups declined to take a cut in administrative leave, which would have been a loss of 1 percent of salary, said Jackie Credico, a human resources official, during last week’s meeting.
“Unfortunately, they did not agree with the concession,” she said.
The Management Employees Group’s concession did include a delay in step increases until June 30, 2012, and the continuation of furloughs, according to county documents. The agreement will save the county more than $409,000 next fiscal year.
At the same meeting, the San Benito County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and Law Enforcement Management Group agreed to a moratorium on step increases through June 30, 2012, and a continuation of furloughs.
The savings from the Deputy Sheriff’s Association total $143,000, also affecting 40 employees. The total of law enforcement management concessions was around $9,500 for the upcoming fiscal year and it affects three employees.
The law enforcement management group agreed to forfeit five days of administrative leave.
The supervisors were unhappy with the lack of cuts from some.
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz accused the management group of “not willing to cooperate,” and asked Credico to return to negotiations with them.
“We need to get them back to the table,” he said.
De La Cruz believed the county had to agree to the proposed cuts but needed “more of it,” he said.
“I’ll be a fool not to accept $409,000 in concessions, but we need more of it,” he said. “The truth of the matter is, it’s not going to happen.”
Supervisors Jerry Muenzer and Margie Barrios hoped the management level employees would eventually reconsider, and called upon help from other elected officials.
“I do believe that the elected officials will come around and take reductions,” Muenzer said.
The board unanimously accepted the concessions from the three bargaining groups, but called on others for more.
“Every dollar we are able to save is a dollar that is going to save a job,” Supervisor Anthony Botelho said. “In the next budget year, that is what it is going to equate to.”
