Control board approves first pact since lifting wage freeze
Buffalo's control board today approved a contract with school crossing guards, a pact that will provide retroactive raises in return for workers paying more of their health insurance premiums.
The three-year agreement is the first city contract ratified by a union to be approved by the control board since the panel lifted a wage freeze last year.
Mayor Byron W. Brown pushed for approval today, insisting the city can afford the $1 million in added costs over three years.
But three of the control board's nine members voted against the contract. While they agree the city and its school district face improving finances in the short-term, they said they're alarmed by escalating long-term costs the entities face for retiree benefits.
Chairman Paul Kolkmeyer said he's concerned that approving a contract which continues to provide heavily subsidized health insurance benefits for crossing guards, even after they retire, could set a precedent in negotiations with other unions.
Buffalo's 156 crossing guards will receive a 23 percent raise, a move that will put their salaries in compliance with Buffalo's living wage law. They currently make $8.25 an hour, and the new contract would raise their pay to $10 an hour retroactive to last July. Their salaries would increase to $10.15 by mid-2009.
For complete details, see Tuesday's Buffalo News.
I think they read it this time
the first time they just said no without reading it. Or so it would seem. It is a bad deal for the workers in my estimation. They are paying 10% annually, which would amount to between 900 and 1200 for their health care. That for a 2 dollar an hr raise, for a 20 hr work week. So a $40 dollar a week raise, over roughly 40 weeks = 1600. So they are netting between 400 and 700 for a yr. AT TODAYS RATES. That raise will be eliminated in a very short time. I would have recommended they held out, sued for the City to pay the living wage, and kept the health care as it was. That raise isn't life altering money. I'm still wondering why it wasn't approved last meeting.. Someone offers you a good deal, take it. What their Union agreed to was a good deal for the City, the CB was stupid not to jump on it, luckily someone, maybe it was Collins, saw what it was and it was approved.
maybe thats where we disagree
I believe the City residents are getting their moneys worth as far as City taxes. The City has to support a large PD, Fire Dept as well. Garbage/Streets and even Crossing Guards. I believe they are all essential. And I know there have been large personnel cuts in Police/Fire/Streets and Sanitation. I don't know how many Crossing Guards there were 10 yrs ago, but I'm guessing their numbers are down too. I would like to see proportional cuts in Administrative appointees, ie, Deputy Mayor positions. Does the PD need to pay 85k for a spokesperson ? That isn't a Union job. The City spent over 250k to recruit and administer a Police test that drew 2700 applicants. Talk about a waste of money. Where is our Control Board ? I thought the CB did the Crossing Guards a favor voting down that deal, then they revisited it and approved it. Now, if the City can get long term, concession filled contracts with the other Unions, all the CB has to do is reimpose the wage freeze, and get all the concessions while the workers, the people out there doing the jobs, get nothing in return.