“City workers are in Council chambers making their voices heard….” That was the news on KABC-Channel 7 today as more than 400 City workers jammed City Council.
“City workers say services may be hurt and emergency response times slowed if the city lays off 4,000 employees…. Workers who are members of the Service Employees International Union say job cuts would lead to cuts in services,” the report said.
“We are willing to work with you to show you that there are millions of dollars misspent so we can end this crisis together…. Please don’t take the easy way out by laying off employees,” said Public Works engineer Gus Malkoun.
SEIU members are calling for cuts to contractors, immediate collection of money owed to the city, and an end to banking deals that are costing taxpayers $10 million a year before City workers and services are affected.
Why not offer the ERIP to LADWP workers also, and move city workers into those open positions there by avoiding layoffs??
Please let me know if this is being considered.
Howiehughes@verizon.net
If all city employees would agree to a 5% pay cut before June 30, 2010 and another 5% pay cut starting July 1, 2010 for a total of 10% cut in salaries this would save just over $300 million. This would have to be an across the board pay cut for everyone, including the Mayor’s Office staff, Council Offices, General Managers, police officers, and fire fighters. Police and fire department staff salaries make up 70% of the general fund budget so they have to be included.
The Mayor and Council have to lead the way by pledging to make the cuts in their own offices and challenge the rest of the employees to make a similiar shared sacrifice to avoid massive layoffs. As it is now, they want only the “little people” in the City to make the sacrifices.
The budget crisis has hit not only Los Angeles but every city. I’m a team worker — I’m willing to sacrifice. I’ve already sacrified my hours, and my furloughs. I’m already multitasking–I’m doing the duties for other people who have left the department. I don’t mind doing it because I’m working.
I’m willing to do whatever it takes but at the same time there are limitations to that. Gardeners are one of the lowest paid positions in the city as it is. But that’s what keeps my family moving. Before I got a full time job, I was working 7 days a week. Now I’m able to spend time with my family. I was born here in Los Angeles, and when I was a kid I went to the parks where I work now. I know I do good for our community as far as providing clean and well-maintained parks. I take pride in what I do.
The city needs to find other alternatives to not have that 10% happen. This should be our last resort.
Jose Rincon, (gardener-caretaker) at Stoner Park
I dont know about you, but I can not afford a pay cut. The furloughs are enough. We need to see DWP share that sacrafice. We need our officials downtown to, make surgical cuts of fat from the top where the highest slaries are, recover the 100’s of millions of dollars owed to them, and abandon all hope of fixing the city’s credit rating in the short term as we have already crossed that bridge. We have made enough concessions as a union and a general fund. Now its time for others to pitch in. But council members and the mayor asking for more concessions from us… be it in the form of pay cuts, furloughs, and job cuts… its just absurd!