Communist
4th March 2010, 02:05
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Walker winning in privatization battle (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/86090727.html)
He invokes emergency authority to lay off county workers
By Steve Schultze
Journal Sentinel
March 2010
(http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Walker+winning+in+privatization+battle+-+JSOnline&expire=&urlID=421865702&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Fnews%2Fmilwauk ee%2F86090727.html&partnerID=380769&cid=86090727#comments)
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is winning his privatization battle by flexing his emergency budget authority, accomplishing by fiat what the County Board rejected in the past.
The first instance was his decision Friday to lay off the 27 county security guards at the courthouse complex and two other county buildings and replace them with lower-paid employees from a private firm. The board refused to go along with that as part of the 2010 budget approved in November, citing safety concerns.
Critics say Friday's move violated workers' union contracts and was on shaky legal ground. But Walker says his "bold, aggressive move" was legal under his emergency power to keep the budget in the black.
Walker says he's prepared to continue on that path.
"Nothing's off the table," Walker said, when asked what other steps he might take to balance the county budget. "Clearly, the biggest savings for us is when we can contract out for services."
He declined to say what workers might be his next privatization targets. In the past, Walker has lost fights with the County Board for more outsourcing of park workers, mental health case workers, airport firefighters and others.
His latest layoffs, coupled with 10 extra furlough days ordered Feb. 25, slice an estimated $3.7 million from a projected 2010 shortfall of $10 million.
That still leaves a budget gap of about $6.3 million.
The security worker layoffs were part of a larger layoff of 76 employees.
The rest include 25 park workers as well as smaller numbers of highway maintenance workers, airport custodians and engineers. None of those workers will be replaced by private contract employees, except a few engineering workers on a temporary basis.
Walker seeks concessions
Walker hopes to leverage fear over furloughs and more layoffs into union agreements on concessions that were imposed on non-union workers and managers at the start of the year. Walker characterized those givebacks - a pay freeze, higher employee health insurance costs and a 20% cut in pension credit - as reasonable.
If the rest of the budget hole gets filled by layoffs, that could mean 400 or more additional county job losses, depending on how soon the pink slips are issued.
The savings from outsourcing the security guards has been estimated at about $400,000 for the remainder of the year. That's not a huge amount and actual savings may prove to be even less, said County Supervisor Christopher Larson. The layoffs also will have a noticeable impact on county services - "like a huge kick in the gut," he said.
Kurt Zunker, president of the union representing laid-off park and security workers, said the latest job cuts come on top of dramatic reductions in recent years, including steep layoffs of seasonal park help.
"Certainly, nothing will be maintained to the standards of the past," Zunker said.
Walker disputed that. Other park workers can cover for the 25 getting laid off and similar steps can soften any impact of other job cuts, he said. The county executive prefers the wage and benefit concessions because he says they'll trim county costs more over the long haul.
Critics argue that the security worker layoffs were done improperly because they're contrary to the County Board's override of a Walker veto in November. But Supervisor John Weishan Jr. said it made little practical sense to mount a legal fight because the damage would be done by the time that issue could be litigated.
If his plan to forbid fast-track outsourcings had been approved earlier this year, the County Board would have had some say in the security contract, Weishan said.
The county has already hired G4S Wackenhut, a British-based international private security firm, on a temporary basis to help staff security checkpoints at county building entrances. The firm is being paid up to $45,000 to provide up to 10 workers a day to help supplement the county staff until the March 12 layoff date, said Jack Takerian, the county's interim public works director.
The county also has tentatively awarded Wackenhut a one-year contract for $1.1 million over three other bidders to take over security at the courthouse, Safety Building, Criminal Justice Facility, City Campus at 2711 W. Wells St. and the Vel Phillips Juvenile Justice Center in Wauwatosa, Takerian said. The contract can be renewed for up to two additional years without rebidding.
Wackenhut will pay its security workers staffing county buildings up to $10.50 an hour and provide health insurance, according to its proposal to the county. The laid-off county security workers were paid $10.61 to $15.02 an hour. The county workers will get a chance to apply for their jobs as Wackenhut employees.
Walker winning in privatization battle (http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/86090727.html)
He invokes emergency authority to lay off county workers
By Steve Schultze
Journal Sentinel
March 2010
(http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Walker+winning+in+privatization+battle+-+JSOnline&expire=&urlID=421865702&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Fnews%2Fmilwauk ee%2F86090727.html&partnerID=380769&cid=86090727#comments)
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is winning his privatization battle by flexing his emergency budget authority, accomplishing by fiat what the County Board rejected in the past.
The first instance was his decision Friday to lay off the 27 county security guards at the courthouse complex and two other county buildings and replace them with lower-paid employees from a private firm. The board refused to go along with that as part of the 2010 budget approved in November, citing safety concerns.
Critics say Friday's move violated workers' union contracts and was on shaky legal ground. But Walker says his "bold, aggressive move" was legal under his emergency power to keep the budget in the black.
Walker says he's prepared to continue on that path.
"Nothing's off the table," Walker said, when asked what other steps he might take to balance the county budget. "Clearly, the biggest savings for us is when we can contract out for services."
He declined to say what workers might be his next privatization targets. In the past, Walker has lost fights with the County Board for more outsourcing of park workers, mental health case workers, airport firefighters and others.
His latest layoffs, coupled with 10 extra furlough days ordered Feb. 25, slice an estimated $3.7 million from a projected 2010 shortfall of $10 million.
That still leaves a budget gap of about $6.3 million.
The security worker layoffs were part of a larger layoff of 76 employees.
The rest include 25 park workers as well as smaller numbers of highway maintenance workers, airport custodians and engineers. None of those workers will be replaced by private contract employees, except a few engineering workers on a temporary basis.
Walker seeks concessions
Walker hopes to leverage fear over furloughs and more layoffs into union agreements on concessions that were imposed on non-union workers and managers at the start of the year. Walker characterized those givebacks - a pay freeze, higher employee health insurance costs and a 20% cut in pension credit - as reasonable.
If the rest of the budget hole gets filled by layoffs, that could mean 400 or more additional county job losses, depending on how soon the pink slips are issued.
The savings from outsourcing the security guards has been estimated at about $400,000 for the remainder of the year. That's not a huge amount and actual savings may prove to be even less, said County Supervisor Christopher Larson. The layoffs also will have a noticeable impact on county services - "like a huge kick in the gut," he said.
Kurt Zunker, president of the union representing laid-off park and security workers, said the latest job cuts come on top of dramatic reductions in recent years, including steep layoffs of seasonal park help.
"Certainly, nothing will be maintained to the standards of the past," Zunker said.
Walker disputed that. Other park workers can cover for the 25 getting laid off and similar steps can soften any impact of other job cuts, he said. The county executive prefers the wage and benefit concessions because he says they'll trim county costs more over the long haul.
Critics argue that the security worker layoffs were done improperly because they're contrary to the County Board's override of a Walker veto in November. But Supervisor John Weishan Jr. said it made little practical sense to mount a legal fight because the damage would be done by the time that issue could be litigated.
If his plan to forbid fast-track outsourcings had been approved earlier this year, the County Board would have had some say in the security contract, Weishan said.
The county has already hired G4S Wackenhut, a British-based international private security firm, on a temporary basis to help staff security checkpoints at county building entrances. The firm is being paid up to $45,000 to provide up to 10 workers a day to help supplement the county staff until the March 12 layoff date, said Jack Takerian, the county's interim public works director.
The county also has tentatively awarded Wackenhut a one-year contract for $1.1 million over three other bidders to take over security at the courthouse, Safety Building, Criminal Justice Facility, City Campus at 2711 W. Wells St. and the Vel Phillips Juvenile Justice Center in Wauwatosa, Takerian said. The contract can be renewed for up to two additional years without rebidding.
Wackenhut will pay its security workers staffing county buildings up to $10.50 an hour and provide health insurance, according to its proposal to the county. The laid-off county security workers were paid $10.61 to $15.02 an hour. The county workers will get a chance to apply for their jobs as Wackenhut employees.