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Tensions have been increasing recently for City of Aurora employees with negotiations on new labor contracts with two unions, AFSCME Local 3298 and 1514, a few hundred city "frontline workers."
On Tuesday, viewers report union members showed to fill the city council chambers for the Aurora City Council meeting and represenatives used the public comment period to make statements saying the city must be "fair" to employees.
Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner responded to various complaints by union represenatives by saying the city is in the midst of economic challenges, but the city is being fair and will be applying cost-cutting moves to all other employees as well.
Union reps complain executive-level employees have been receiving raises averaging 10%, some getting 20% raises at times, but Weisner said that average was only about 3%.
The City of Aurora is eliminating a few vacant positions, but instead of major layoffs and staff reductions, negotiators are asking for 9 unpaid furlough days over the next 18 months, larger contributions to health insurance, elimination of retiree health insurance for new employees and a salary increase lower than previously received.
Previously, AFSCME employees received annual salary increases as follows:
>2003 - 4.00%
>2004 - 4.00%
>2005 - 4.00%
>2006 - 3.75%
>2007 - 3.50%
>2008 - 3.40%
Weisner says executive-level employees will be getting a 0% increase for next year and city officials say other unions, including fire and police may even be asked for rollbacks and adjustments before their current contracts expire, so AFSCME may be the among the first, but all unions will be asked to sacrifice.
"Salaries & Benefits" is the largest part of the city's budget, so percentage savings on costs has an impact on the overall budget, which is about $435 million for 2009.
Many say city employees, at all levels, have enjoyed years of stable wage increases, growing employment, benefits and security, but with the fiscal situation of the city, economy and reduced revenue streams, the concept of guaranteed employment and raises must end.
Union reps say they recognize there must be adjustments, but say frontline workers are the wrong target to hit first. They question the city's fiscal situation by saying the city is not only spending large amounts on items like the new police station, Shodeen project and the proposed RiverEdge Park, but they point to deals that have given large cash incentives or rebates to businesses and projects such as car dealers, restaurants and numerous donations to organizations and social-service agencies.
Weisner says the city has been forced to make big infrastructure expenditures in areas such as sewers and bridges to make-up for a period where little was being done. He says these investments will be necessary for future growth.
Is everyone correct to some extent?
City needs quality workers at all levels, but should they have automatic raises and guaranteed positions? Would trimming the workforce, getting early retirement for some of the more inflated salaries of longtime employees and adding furlough days help the financial situation and efficiency of the city?
City needs to invest with infrastructure and capital projects, but should the city take a comprehensive review of all spending, change the habits of the past and reshape priorities so that funds are focused on the most important investments for future growth, transforming the city and increasing revenue streams?
What changes would you implement for the City of Aurora workforce? Which "frontline" or "executive" areas could be trimmed? Which executives should go and/or replaced?
AFSCME represenatives and the city will be entering into third-party mediation. What would be fair for all union contracts?
Most importantly, what is in the best interest of taxpayers and the future of Aurora?
44 comments:
I wanna be at the top of Aurora City gov't - any lower and I'd get paid peanuts which is what monkeys get paid... something's not right here...
Who's paying the 3rd party mediation? I say take it out of exec pay!! And you might as well meet in the serene green park, where the $$ is buried...
There is an anecdote that reads something like this, “You watch the pennies and the nickels and dimes will watch themselves.” The pennies were represented by the $300 thousand plus that was just approved.
Everett Dirkson is credited with saying, “A million here and a million there and pretty soon you are talking real money.” Well in this case it will come in the form of hundreds of thousands and maybe millions. The taxpayer can no longer afford the largesse to which this and all governments seem to be addicted.
I realize that implementation of any ideas is much different and more difficult than coming up with an idea and writing about it, however the council needs to wake up. A good start on budget cutting would have been to eliminate the park idea all together. Please tell me why this city needs a park in that location in any event let alone a park with Tom Weisner’s name on it?
Here is an idea that I am sure will be loved by one and all. If the union representatives and their constituent employees cannot come to their senses on this issue, then I suggest that an alphabetical list of all city employees be made up and every third name be fired.
The Washington Times reported yesterday, “Record plunges in household net worth and soaring job losses have also been affecting foreclosures and home sales. During the 18-month period ending in December, the Federal Reserve has reported that household net worth plunged nearly $13 trillion.”
And
“The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home-price index plunged 18.7 percent in March from a year ago. A separate S&P/Case-Shiller national home-price index sustained a 19.1 percent decline through the first quarter compared with the first quarter of 2008, the biggest descent in its 21-year history. Nationally, home prices have fallen 32.2 percent from their peak level in the second quarter of 2006.”
What more does this mayor and council need to know? And by the way the tax assessor should pay attention, he also seems to be blind.
M.I.A. Georgia Butler...AHA executive director. Last seen May 20. $100 reward for information leading to her return.
Stop your complaining at least you have a job. they should be happy in what ever they get.
All of the city's salaries should be published. THis way the average taxpayer would have something to compare his own salary to. Also the benefits of retired personnel should be posted at the same time. You people have no idea what the retired people from the city are costing you. I think you would be quite supprised to see the retirement pay of ex policemen and firemen. Living like the much hated wall street executives. If you want some balance to the arguement just check out the wonderful state of California and see what helped bankrupt them. Retirement pay as high as 350 thousand dollars for fire chiefs and police chiefs and school teachers. My personal opinion would to not give any raises as long as the economy is so weak. The 30% they got for the last six years should be enough as there wasn't any inflation for the past couple of years.
Let's be realistic here. The city employees work hard and deserve good benefits. They are not asking for big raises, they are just asking that the city doesn't take away the benefits they already have.
The city on the other hand is wasting money like Leonard says, why do they have to pursue the park project now? Is the riverfront property going somewhere? Maybe if the city trims some of it's middle managers, of which there are many, that would be a better solution to the problem.
Let's not forget that the employees in this union keep your streets maintained, your water running into your houses, the fire, and police departments responding. Do we really want them to make cuts to these jobs??
Oh my friend Leonard. Easy to talk a big game when you live in a 4000 sq ft house in the prestigous near west side with every convenience one could want....hmmmmmmm?
There is some good news my fiscally responsible friends. Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas is thinking about reducing the number of top line supervisors in order to save the tax payer money. He has done a heck of a job reducing crime and realizes that there are too many high paying supervisory jobs. Keep up the good work Chief.
The concept of furlough days is a very good one for the Police and Fire departments. The mayor just may go out a winner after all.
City employee wages should be published. Compared to private sector, city workers have it good.
City workers get:
* generous paid vacation (up to 5 weeks)
* 13 paid holidays
* excellent health insurance
* a defined benifit pension plan that allows them to retire at age 60 after 30 years of service at 55% of their salary with a 3% COLA increase each year
* dental and vision insurance
* city subsidized health insurance for retirees
While city employees complain about the contribution that they make toward their health insurance, it is low compared to the private sector.
Unions are always talking about solidarity, brotherhood and sisterhood. However, it is interesting to watch their reaction when the choice is unpaid days off for everyone or layoffs for some. At that point solidarity usually gets lost in the discussion.
City workers deserve fair wages. However, they need to realize and understand what is happening in the real world of the private sector: layoffs, wage freezes, benefit reductions, rising unemployment.
The first step would be to cut 15-20% of the executive-level staff.
There are several people who do little and get paid a lot.
If Weisner does that, he will have credibility to do the next step, which is to cut the rest of the city workforce by at least 10-15%.
Unions see the wild spending on the police station and other things that benefit cronies and are wasteful. The city wastes a ton of money in ward funds and donations to this and that organization.
Unions say if the city has money to burn, then burn it on the employees.
As a taxpayer, I say all of it needs to be dealt with. Union cushy job security and raises must stop and so should the wild spending all over.
The city would save a bundle of money just by firing so-called corporation counsel Alayne Weingartz because she costs the city hundreds of thousands in legal fees each with her adversarial and unprofessional conduct.
The other day I saw the entire Mayor's staff sitting at the city council meeting. My question is were those staff members being paid for being there? There appears to be waste all around. I agree unions need to make big changes and many of their jobs should go, but I say the mayor should lead by example and cut the fat around him first from his own budget and staff to the massive donations, lobbyists and other wasteful expenses that he controls.
The Aurora Fire Department has so many middle management people. There's one example of where to find a million or two per year.
Let's see Weisner rollback the fire contract and then I'll believe he's serious.
The best interests of taxpayers is to cut the workforce across the board, cut spending in stupid things like the police palace, park and donations. Eliminate the ward funds.
Spend on streets, infrastructure and necessary capital projects like the new library and technology. Move the park idea to Shodeen so we recoup the money we wasted there.
To 10:49
The mayor's staff are on salary. They are not paid on an hourly basis. They receive no additional pay for attending meetings.
The question that needs to be answered is: "Why does the mayor need such a large staff?"
Like non union people arn't capable of cleaning, repairing streets, putting out fires, police work etc? This is like the argument that politicians are the smartest people ever Huh? Get rid of the hold up artist unions and reduce at least the costs of dues to a bunch of hoodlems.
Clean house! start the lay offs now!
I am a retired city employee and feel that I have earned my pension and benefits. I worked hard for 30 years and left a little of myself behind due to injuries on the job. Unless employees see cutbacks in city hall patronage jobs, ward slush funds, and the Broadway(Weisner) Park idea put on hold, they should never, never agree to furlough days or wage cuts. This park idea is not necessary and can be put on hold until times get better. If you have employees not holding up their end of the deal, get rid of them and the supervisor that is not supervising them. Aurora was a good place for me to work but I am very glad I am not there under this mayor and have to play his politics.
The sweeping vast majority of city workers are way over compensated for the work they do. Pensions should be eliminated for new hires as well as the lifetime healthcare crap and replaced by 401k plans that match as in the private sector, affirmative action should be eliminated, overtime eliminated for office workers for a start.
Why should the union employees have to take furloughs and wage cuts when Weisner and his buddies are stuffing their pockets as fast as they can?
Over a million dollars for Weisner's park? Ridiculous in this economic climate. Stop immediately and sell the property if possible. Get rid of at least three of Weisner's personal staff members; that will save over half a million a year.
Why didn't the executives and exempts get pay cuts in January? Instead, some of Weisner's cronies got raises of over 10%, and the rest got 4%. Didn't Weisner realize that the economy was bad in January?
Weisner claims that 3298 is the start of the new cycle, but that is incorrect. They did not support him in the election, so he is out to punish them.
We have another 4 years of this clown.
Before we start cutting the front line employees, why don't we get rid of ridiculous departments, like the mayor's office of special events. If the city can't pay its workers, it certainly shouldn't be planning parties and hiring musicians.
The city had enough money for one of the mayor's buddies, Gina Moga, to take an all expenses paid trip to New York to listen to bands. Apparently she can't listen to bands on youtube like everyone else.
I wonder why everyone is complaining when this city elected this mayor. Some say a landslide but he only got 6000 votes. Where where the other 150,000 people that live in this city? I voted in this election and not for this mayor so for all that didn't vote this is what you get. It is a shame for a city this big that so many don't vote but yet complain.
If you don't like what is going on you need to vote and make a stand or this is what we will get.
So for all that complains this is what you get when you don't make a stand.
I say put together a fund to sue the City Council for complete mismanagement. It should be a class action by the ppl of Aurora.
Wipe everyone off.
And start a serious "Anti Corruption Campaign" letters, emails, postings, protests aimed at Obama to get him to do something.
What the hell is he doing messing around in the Middle East when he's supposed to be making peace right here at home?
I say put together a fund to sue the City Council for complete mismanagement. It should be a class action by the ppl of Aurora.
Wipe everyone off.
And start a serious "Anti Corruption Campaign" letters, emails, postings, protests aimed at Obama to get him to do something.
What the hell is he doing messing around in the Middle East when he's supposed to be making peace right here at home?
Allow me to explain Rick's problem. He is from the left coast and his brain is permeated with liberal thoughts. As a result he is naturally inclined to believe that Government is a force for the good though his practical business experience is to the contrary.
You can actually see how this works in practice with him. He favors private sector solutions up until the project is large(public education, parks, rehabbing blighted areas) and then his big Government liberal side emerges.
He is simply confused with a leg in both camp, but I think he is genuinely value conflicted and his dichotomy is based on instincts and not politics. This theory accounts for the vacillation.
The other problem he has, is he does not understand Aurora. He simply has not been here long enough to realize the city's reputation as a crap hole is well deserved and he thinks this city can be something other than a crap hole if the Government selects the correct liberal things to implement. Hence his reaching out to the Jericho circle kids instead of trying to drive those families from the city, hence the total waste of money on this stupid ass park, hence supporting and indeed engineering the massive tax increase for the public schools, and his embarrassing vote on "earth day".
It is too bad that weisner want to tear down the buildings across the street from Ballydoyle to build a Hotel on that site YES a HOTEL AND push out pesto that has great food if pesto knew that they would have to move before they moved in they would have never moved in to that location HEY Wesiner lets keep pushing the small guys out of town. pesto will open up in another city and I will follow them and spend my money in another city.
What the heck is Pesto?
Pesto ristorante Italian food at 31 W NEW YORK ST. VERY GOOD FOOD there is a review in todays beacon newspaper but the review was done before they were told that they have to move. just opened up in March and not the city is telling them to get out.
When Weisner fires his high paid buddy pay-to-play lobbyist is when he can start saying that he can't pay anyone. That guy does nothing for $89K a year -- I'd like that job. There is a lot of waste around.
I find it funny that my comment against Rick Lawrence is deleted. Nice Censorship Rick on your own blog. Afraid it was true?
dude, you got people at the police and fire department making 120k plus. Way over-paid folks.
Non essential departments like Special Events need less paid staff. Have more of this work done by volunteers.
The Personnel Department is responsible for less personnel these days. They should be able to make do with less paid staff or do they need all those bodies to make it thru the hiring freeze and attritions.
There could be less aldermen by eliminating the at large positions and making do with less support staff. I think they have 5 secretaries and is a bit much.
There are lots of middle people in the fire and police departments and lots of high paid people sitting inside buildings. Roll back the police and fire contracts and see how many lootenunts and captains there are watching and not really working.
There are lots of part time workers. Are they necessary or maybe they have a job because they know somebody.
The Election Commission is a relic.
Cut all funding, as in 100% to non-essential services and maintenance. That means not a dime to any social service agency, eliminate all festivals except the 4th of July, no more funding for stupid projects that do not have a lump sum for maintenance (i.e. no more swimming stones), eliminate the civil service diversity commission, Hispanic anything, black anything, minority anything, make this community color blind by eliminating all references to race or preferential treatment.
My guess is 60% of all city employees at a minimum could go away without effecting anything of merit. Go to a city council meeting and see what is spent on B.S.
There was an editorial in the Beacon today about the need for all City workers to feel the pain. That may be true but I'll bet it's hard for some of them to be the ones to suffer when we see so much waste with higher ups that do not know how to work and contribute nothing toward the tax payers. Some spend way to much time reading newspapers, talking to their families, gossiping, spending time in meetings where half the people there are all that are necessary and wasting time talking negatively about their workers to other executive people while they are actually the ones out in front working and getting their hands dirty. I think that 10:40 from 05/28 is right. There are several that get paid lots of $ and do very little. Some of these people know very little and think they know a lot but the only thing they don't know how to do is work.
My guess is that all top paid people working for the City need to punch time clocks and have their work activities spyed on. Their location for each minute of the day needs to be recorded by gis so we can be sure of where they are at.
1:59...Well put....Awesome!!! I could not agree more!
I would like to see the Mayor take a 20% pay cut like he's forcing the unions to do. Let's see it Mayor? Can't afford to loose 20K for your retirement benefits? Well, neither can I.
Actually the mayor's salary should be set at 120% of the median income for Aurora residents with a standard 401K plan, no pension, and the option to purchase health insurance at 100% of the costs of the policy in retirement(the benefit being the benefit of all group plans). That would be reasonable. What we have now is unsustainable and ridiculous.
when will some more tatoo parlors move in so the local economy can expand. Thats what this town really needs!
and Mexican restaurants.
Lets put some of those blue light cameras in all the city offices and departments and than put monitors on different corners around town so the people can see that they are getting their money worth.
Save money by firing idiots like John Dobran. Save money by closing the overtime candy store. Is Sherry still milking it ?
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