Reply With QuoteGood job, now if only the unions would start being part of the solution...
The state's highest court has upheld a ruling affirming the city control board's power to freeze the wages of police officers.
The State Court of Appeals on Tuesday refused to hear an appeal by the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association in an attempt to exempt officers from the citywide wage freeze. The union had argued that the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority's powers did not extend to a police contract, because raises that officers were scheduled to receive were previously upheld in court.
After Tuesday's ruling, the control board confined its reaction to a brief written statement issued by Executive Director Dorothy A. Johnson. "The courts are validating the control board's power to impose the wage freeze, which was imposed to help relieve the city's cost burden while it re-engineers itself to achieve long-term financial balance," Johnson wrote.
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...05/1038374.asp
People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable.
Good job, now if only the unions would start being part of the solution...
We weren't too optimistic about that one. Even though we don't feel we were treated fairly, it goes back to the saying "life isn't fair" Buffy, I don't know how much more accomidating the PBA could have been or is regarding our contract. We are doing everything we agreed to in this contract. We are not receiving what was agreed on. Again, thats life, and it isn't fair. Too bad. We will continue to do our jobs in light of this, as we have all along. Life goes on.
contract, contract, contract....i'd like to know WHO approves these contracts and WHY...certainly it's not negoitiated with the taxpayer in mind (we don't need votes)!
The taxpayer is fairly represented.Originally Posted by buffy
If you live in the city of Buffalo the administration you elected to represent your interests negotiates with the Union officers the members elected to represent their interests. The legislative representatives you elected to vote your interests approves or rejects the negotiated contract.
So if the majority of taxpayers disagree they should elect other people to represent their interests. The responsibility lies squarely with them on election day.
Obviously city voters are not as unhappy with the contracts as some people would have you think.
OR
Insanity is voting the same people in and expecting a different result. Is voter apathy the tool of the devil?
The contracts are there and only one avenue remains to change them. Fair negotiations. Unfortunatley the city so far has not shown an inetrest to my local (264)to negotiate fairly. So the contract remains. The control board has set guidelines for the city in negotiations. Things like drastic cuts in medical coverage, no raises, decreases in sick and vacation time, reduction in paid holidays, unfavorable changes in manpower requirments and in safety issues.
Whats there to talk about? We will keep what we have thank you very much.
And the state has ruled we stay that way and has effectivley ruled out any attempts by the city and CB to get out of the negotiated agreements we have any other way than fair negotiations.
As far as this lateset ruling on the police wage freeze it was denied on a procedural issue not a legal question. The appeals court has rejected a plea to hear the case.
The wage freeze question is not settled. It hasn't been debated in court on the legal aspects yet and there are a few cases out there that haven't been rejected yet. I am positive once the legality of the wage freeze finally does get it's day in court, and it is getting closer, the wage freeze will be ruled illegal.
"If you want to know what God thinks of money just look at the people he gave it to."
By the way, what happened to biker? I miss the old coot.
This statment is about as misleading as it can be with out being called a blatant lie. The courts validated nothing. The court of appeals hears a small percentage of the cases brought to it. All they did was decided not to hear a case that was dismissed on a lower court level because of a procedural issue. The legality of imposing a wage freeze never came into play, it didn't get that far.
As I said, it's far from settled.
"If you want to know what God thinks of money just look at the people he gave it to."
By the way, what happened to biker? I miss the old coot.
There's always Burger King or McDonalds, I hear there's no wage freeze there.
I'll continue doing the job. Hopefully I'll make it to collect my pension. That is important to me. I want to go fishing.
They hate us till they need us.
Your from Amherst anyway...whats your problem?
Contract...contract??? If a contract is to mean nothing now, our whole way of life is going into the crapper. If we cant make deals and meet our obligations or stand by our words than we are a culture of dishonorable people.
Since the contract was worked out with Tony Masiello as mayor and since it was a forgone conclusion that he would have lost if he would have tried to run again I guess your right.
The tax payers did speak.
People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable.
thats for sure. its gets tough on a town when both sides negotiate on behalf of the union and nobody represents the taxpayer.
According to your profile, you live in Amherst. Why would what Buffalo cops make concern you?
I am curious; how would those sympathetic with the pay freeze react if their mortgage agreement was unilaterally altered? Or if their fixed rate car loan was suddenly no longer fixed? Or if the person who contracted your services decided not to abide by the terms of your agreement? Your mortgage holder, bank, and customer are all experiencing financial difficulties, and they don't want to abide by the terms of your contract until their financial advisor tells them to. Is that ok with you?
Last edited by fireman; April 5th, 2006 at 08:37 PM.
If my father worked at the bank and was the one who cleared my loan at zero % interest I'd expect it. Unless of course I was deluded enough to think that was the way business was done, then I guess I'd be pissed off.
According to your profile, you live in Amherst. Why would what Buffalo cops make concern you?
Because government employees like to use the "well look what they make in X town" we should make the same.
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Please don't hurt me for saying this, but.....
I understand why Buffalo police are so ticked. The way some of them express themselves on this site, and the whole zero-tolerance ticket policy, doesn't win them points.
But....
They did sign off on a contract which did involve concessions. I can understand why they are mad. But they work for a city that is going bankrupt. And police are always the most expensive component of municipal government.
So, I do agree they are caught in the middle. The real question is whether it will be worth it for them to stay. Let's face it, there are healthier regions -- although, the healthier the private sector region, the more the public sector lags behind, including police.
It's sort of six of one or half a dozen of another. Stay in Buffalo, and -- even with the freeze -- you have a comfortable lifestyle.
Move somewhere else, and maybe you make more money. But what are the chances your quality of life (the ability to buy a home, safe schools for the kids etc) will be the same?
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