City and Town workers get their raises while NAGE stiffs you

A random walk through Google hits on "Town Worker raises" yields the following:

Chatham, MA 7% cola this year, 8% next year (unions have refused to reopen negotiations for signed contract)
Norwood, MA 2.5% COLA+ Longevity bonus
Pembroke, ma 1.5% COLA+ Longevity Bonuses
Newton, MA 1-3% COLA, varies
Edgartown 3% COLA
Andover, MA 8.5% Cola (over 3 years, 2007,2008,2009)
Rockport, MA 2% COLA+Merit bonuses
Danvers, MA (DPW workers agree to forgo 3% in return for zero layoffs, teachers union-no deal)
Tewksbury, MA (Teachers) 4% cola (Teacher raises have been growing everywhere in Mass at a much higher rate than elsewhere in the country....goood for them, but don't cry poor mouth)
Upton, MA annual COLA (not clear what rate)
Needham, MA 2.5% COLA ("Historically growth has been 4 percent to 4.5 percent annually, said Fitzpatrick. And Needham can afford the 2.5 percent increase that it has agreed to with the four unions that have already negotiated their contracts for the upcoming fiscal year.")....WAGE FREEZE NOT LIKELY

WOW, one can see why Deval is so anxious to hold local aid harmless!....they've got a lot of raises to pay for (not to mention how politically appealing layoffs of state employees must be to a Governor whose popularity is sinking like a stone)

Well, you get the point, I grow weary of looking these at these raises amongst the municpal unions..... They have unions that are standing by their negotiated contracts (unlike NAGE.)

Stand up on your hind legs for once and VOTE NO on these concessions..... take a page from the book of the municpal unions, grow a back bone for god sakes.... the adminsitration intends to throw you under  the bus anyway, don't take it with a smile from these prevaricators!

MOSES & State Police --NO DEAL.... Municpal Unions still livin' large...

MOSES is not so anxious to sell out their members as NAGE is (because, unlike NAGE they actually have to answer to the members.)

The MOSES negotiated agreement on concessions actually contained language that would ensure that NO CONCESSIONS would be made until the COMMONWEALTH actually lived up to their end of the bargain.

Specifically, MOSES took the position that NO FURLOUGHS would be taken UNTIL AFTER the Commonwealth filed, passed and IMPLEMENTED the promised Early Retirement Package.

Contrast that to the meaningless language NAGE has accepted: that the administration will only have to "file" the ERIP legislation (which is "filed" every year anyway, and never goes anywhere except the trash can.)

So what happened?.....   faced with MOSES language requiring that they would actually have to live up to their end of the deal in order to get the concessions, the Commonwealth promptly withdrew the "offer" of an ERIP ....why? (read about)
......I think it's fair to infer it was because they never had any intention whatsoever of living up to their end of the obligation.....

Remember this posting on the NAGE web site?, I do:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
JOINT STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK, SENATE PRESIDENT THERESE MURRAY,
AND SPEAKER ROBERT DeLEO
BOSTON – Wednesday, July 22, 2009 – Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo today announced that the Commonwealth will not adopt an “early retirement incentive” program, as it has during past fiscal emergencies.
The leaders do not support an early retirement incentive program, for either state or municipal workers, because, based on experience with previous efforts, such programs have not saved substantial operating funds and have proven too costly to the state retirement system.

So why the Hell would NAGE give any creedence whatsoever to the Governor's alleged offer to implement an ERIP...... you can't make this stuff up folks, NAGE and the Governor are just laughing at your gullibility....

If they lied about the ERIP, then they are lying about the layoffs....

Remember those 1,000 layoffs that will be "avoided" as a result of concessions, (oops, now it's down to only "hundreds" of layoffs, what's the next statement going to say "dozens" avoided, or a "handful" avoided?).... they are laughing at you

...it's nothing but baloney folks , you probably believe in the Easter bunny too

There is not ONE SINGLE WORD IN THE  CONCESSION AGREEMENT, THAT IDENTIFIES, QUANTIFIES, OR SPECIFIES... WHERE EXACTLY THESE LAYOFFS WOULD BE AVOIDED.....
IF THEY WERE REAL ...THEY WOULD BE SPECIFIED FOLKS, SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, IT'S NOTHING BUT SMOKE AND MIRRORS

In other words, the layoffs will happen regardless, yet you will have taken furloughs, cuts in optical and dental benefits, cuts in health insurance benefits, and wage cuts.... for NOTHING. NAGE has sold you down the river, for nothing....and acting in typical Judas Goat fashion, they have led the other weak sister unions (509 and AFSCME) down same road.

VOTE NO! on this underhanded scheme cooked up by NAGE.

The STATE POLICE UNION, LIKE MOSES IS NOT READY TO SELL THEIR MEMBERS DOWN THE RIVER....taking an even harder line, here's what they have to say about furloughs:

(The State Police Association) wants to see more cuts made at the management level before furloughs, because everyone is under tough times.

“Taking 3,4,5, even 6 days away from someone, especially someone new, you can cost them a mortgage or a kids school or some of the expenses we all have to pay.” – Jeffrey Gordon, State Police Association of Massachusetts

They are not slinging any of the NAGE BS to their members.....

CONTRAST THAT WITH THE KIND of SNIVELING, WHINING, and PRATTLING THAT WE HEAR FROM NAGE:

..."BOO-HOO ....it's not really a "GOOD DEAL" and we certainly can't call it a "victory" but it's the best deal we are willing to try to do for you fools who provide us with million$ in dues each year, for which you receive virtually nothing in return..... thanks chumps ....and keep those due$ coming."

By the way, I'm looking into recent municipal collective bargaing agreements across the state..... they continue to get fair wage increases, cost of living increases, even "longevity bonuses!"..... they aren't losing benefits, taking furloughs or pay cuts.... local aid is the Governor's sacred cow.... you are expendable..... more later

UPDATED---1% raise "officially" dead--Legislators take early Xmas vacation

Legislators take early vacation and that is the final kiss of death for your 1% raise. The funding bill the Gov. allegedly filed is now dead, dead, dead....and guess what that means he has fulfilled his obligation....and there is not going to be any raise....now or in the foreseeable future.
(By the way I have NOT been able to find the "funding bill" posted anywhere on line.... I am getting suspicious that maybe there was no such bill....anyone else seen it?..... post a comment if you have....)


Didn't seem as though the Governor had much luck with his legislative initiatives.... no extended 9c powers for example (for emergency cuts to local aid.)

That means there aren't going to be any cuts to local aid.... the cops got their Quinn Bill protected, the teachers union got their raises protected.

The Municipal Unions continue to get fair raises and no furloughs..... well good for them, but bad for you folks..... here come the LAYOFFs.

So don't debase yourselves for god sakes, don't vote to take furloughs and then get laid off.....you have already lost the 1% raise, no need to give it up again!

VOTE NO!.....on this stinkin' contract.... stand up on your hind legs for once.... you pathetic sheep!

UPDATE>>>>>Here's the budget item that the Legislature refused to fund (the Gov is required by law to file it after he signs the contracts....of course we know the Legislature can simply demure....and the employees are screwed..... that's what happened....again!
 find it at this link:
Unfunded Collective Bargaining reserves

Additional Collective Bargaining Reserves, FY2010 H.1 Budget

Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

Reserves.
1599-4281 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the commonwealth and the National Association of Government Employees (Units 1, 3 and 6), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and benefits to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $4,610,648
1599-4282 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the the commonwealth and the Service Employees International Union Local 509 (Units 8 and 10), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and benefits to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $9,874,949
1599-4283 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the commonwealth and the Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 888 (Unit 2), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means................................................................................................................ $3,008,405
1599-4284 For a reserve to fund alternative dispute resolution arbitrators to resolve employee grievances, as required in collective bargaining agreements between the commonwealth and various unions.............................................................................................................................. $30,000
1599-4285 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Society of Professors/Faculty Staff Union/MTA/NEA at the Amherst and Boston campuses, and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $2,112,924
1599-4286 For a reserve to fund the payment of the fiscal year 2010 incremental costs of contractual obligations of expiring collective bargaining contracts required by section 7 of chapter 150E of the General Laws; provided, that once an agreement has been reached between the employer and the exclusive representative, executed by the parties and ratified by the membership, the governor shall file a bill requesting that the legislature appropriate funding for the contract, a portion of which may be drawn from this reserve................................................................................ $15,363,074

NAGE declares defeat, offers one-sided concessions, decreases dues?

NAGE sells you out at the bargaining table.

NAGE declares they have been defeated, and has conceded the current contract will not be honored by Commonwealth....so they have negotiated and new even crapier contract with the same folks that have refused to live up to the current contract!

Here are the highlights

Agrees to pay cut (it's not a delay, it's a cut.)

Agrees to involuntary furloughs.

Agrees in cuts to Dental and Optical Plans

Gets NOTHING in return, except more phony promises (of the same sort that have already been broken.)..... the following

NAGE truly lives up to it's reputation as JUDAS GOAT of the unions... pathetic.

This is what you Sheeple get in return for the million$ in dues you pay to NAGE!

How about NAGE agreeing to a reduction in dues equal to the the total economic value of the concessions they've agreed to!....maybe they'd try a little harder at the negotiating table if they had some skin in the game!

Furloughs done deal NAGE sells you out

OOps! while the NAGE main web page is denying that they have sold out on the Furlough issue (Denying that Grunko was right to say that NAGE has agreed to furloughs)..... the Local 282 web page is proclaiming it is a done deal:

We got word back from the Governor that he has responded to our Counter Proposal. Our Negotiating Team will be meeting on Friday, November 6 to discuss the response and to plan next steps.Several previously planned Reduction in Force Meetings with State Agencies have been suspended pending review of agency budgets, plans and anticipated budgetary impact.

On Friday, 11/6/09, our Negotiating Team favorably responded to a compromise worked out with the Administration. Details with explaination(sic) will be posted on www.nage.org/state . A Notice Letter will be mailed (very soon) to all our members announcing a forthcoming vote, by ballot . Ballots will then be mailed, collected and counted. (That’s the formal and legal process we adhere to in matters pertaining to our Contract Bargaining Agreement.)



I believe that our members will quickly understand the value contained in the Agreement. It is a very smart agreement and it distinguishes us from other unions, while at the same time working in harmony with our brothers and sisters toward the common good.

Indeed.....what kind of crapola is that? Why not just put the govenor's letter up. Why not jsut put the proposed concession contract amendment up? NAGE distinguishes itself alright..... 1st union to sell out, the perennial Judas Goat.

What did the union get in return for the concessions?.... more domestic violence leave, another vacation buy-back that can not be exercised?......

Just remember sheeple, the layoffs are going to happen anyway..... these NAGE contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on.....

NAGE thumbs nose at LMRDA Annual Report Deadline .... again

The NAGE LM-2 (Financial Disclosure) report is due at the Department of Labor 90 days after the close of the reporting union's fiscal year.

The NAGE fiscal year closed on August 31, 2006 making the LM-2 report due by November 29, 2006.

It's filed electronically, on-line and can be downloaded on the DOL Public disclosure web site.

The NAGE Report is not yet available.... what a surprise. I'm sure they've been too busy getting ready for this year's staff Xmas party...to bother with the federally mandated reporting... The Burgin Parkway Bandits didn't get around to filing last year, until May......... what's that? six months late?

Let's see what the scoff-laws do this year, how late will it be?..... well, you'd almost think they have something to hide....

What Things may we find out from the LM-2 (when it's finally filed)...hmmmm?

1) What did it cost us in hard earned dues to throw a good time for the "hardly -workin" NAGE HQ staff at THEIR (as opposed ot OUR) Xmas party ?...., (it was $12,400 for a good time at Jasper White's in 2005..... do you think Cambridge Dave was able to out-do that soiree in 2006 ?)

2) What was the Tab for the NAGE support of Level 4 Reilly, the NAGE endorsed candidate for governor in the democratic primary.... how much did we dump supporting Reilly while idiot Holway was going out of his way to insult Governor-elect Deval Patrick..... way to go Holway, you dope....
....by the way, would you please confine yourself to worrying about getting me a decent contract for a change and leave things like who's going to be ambassador to Netherlands up to the real big-shots in Washington.... you tomato-nosed fly-weight! And don't pull your usual Judas Goat Act, low-balling the NAGE members and leading the bargaining units in race to the bottom....

3) How much did it cost us to pay for Holway's defense in DC as result of that fracas started by the wronged local?.... no award of legal fees to NAGE because the Judge couldn't really conclude that that the charges made by the aggrieved local were frivolous (unlike the some of the cases filed by NAGE HQ)

4) How obscene were the raises Pres for life Holway granted to himself and his cronies (I'm gonna stick my neck out here and guess he didn't sell himself and his toadies down the river for 2% raises, with off-setting cuts in Health benefits and increases in premiums to boot.... like he did to the State Employees)

5) How many more settlements (pay-offs) did NAGE have make in response to lawsuits like the mystery of the $100K it cost us for a pay-off to Celia Olaes and William F. Sink in Honolulu, HI in 2005.....

6) More general financial evidence proving that NAGE is operated for the benefit of of Holway and his merry band (at the expense of the membership), and that the interests of the dues paying members are the furthest things from their minds and their expense accounts.

I'll keep you posted........

Idiot Holway... NAGE alienates Deval Patrick...

Unit 1,3 & 6 Members will pay the price for Holway's arrogance..... at the bargaining table...... screwed again by NAGE incompetence!

David J. Holway, the tin-horn, fly-weight ,dictator of SEIU Local 5000 (aka NAGE), likes to think he is a real mover and shaker on the national stage. Caught up in the throes of a "delusion of grandeur", Holway went out of his way, and off the reservation, to insult Deval Patrick..... the next Governor of the Commonwealth! at the outset of the campaign...(while cozying up with Level- four loser, AG "Thom Who?" Reilly)

Patrick, of course, was not impressed with Holway's threats.... he scoffed.... but I'm willing to bet he remembers this episode when Holway (our "representative" at the bargaining table) sits down to negotiate the next contract.... JESUS! spare us.

I can just picture it when they sit down to negotiate our contract: ... "Oh hi, Dave Holway, hmmmm... yeah I remember you now.... you're the guy who was busting my ass over the ambassador to the Netherlands... (that reminds me... screw you AND your members.... ")

Folks, Holway has likely set us up for yet another crappy contract with his self-aggrandizing attempts to sound like a celebrity. Why can't this jerk, act like what he is: a local union president whose 1st concern should be for the Comm of Mass State Employees that fund his bloated salary?

The squash nosed drunk, is killing us at the bargaining table.... he has alienated both the the Legislature AND the new Governor .... this self-serving dolt must go!

MEMBERS of UNITS 1,3& 6....It is pretty clear:
NAGE is no longer representing YOUR interests...

DO YOU think it appropriate for idiot-boy Holway to to be insulting the future Governor (over who Bush is going to appoint as ambassador to the Netherlands???).... COME ON FOLKS, is that the kind of issue any of us care enough about to get into a pissing contest with the future Governor????.... talk about not knowing how to pick your battles!..... Holway is an utter FOOL!

While Holway was insulting Deval, he was selling us down the river to Willard Romney with below-the-rate-of-inflation contracts .... the two faced hypocrite!!!!

We have got to bring this dope and his toadies to heel!

Here's the Globe article ( a tip of the hat to "anonymous" for digging it up...thanks brother.... I checked it out, it's for real)

UNION IS PRESSING PATRICK TO RENOUNCE BUSH NOMINEE

Boston Globe, The (MA)
November 17, 2005
Author: Frank Phillips Globe Staff

A major Massachusetts-based union is calling on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval L. Patrick to withdraw his support for President Bush's nominee as US ambassador to the Netherlands, Roland Arnall, a controversial Republican fund-raiser and principal owner of a mortgage company that is under investigation in 30 states.

The National Association of Government Employees has also called on Patrick to resign as a director on the board of Arnall's firm, Ameriquest Capital Corp. The union said his backing of the nominee contradicts Patrick's campaign promise to offer a "fresh look" for state government.
"We view your backing of Mr. Arnall as just more `business as usual' and acceptance that important positions such as an ambassadorship should go to the highest bidder," David J. Holway, NAGE national president, said in a letter to Patrick this week. (Holway, you dope---please SHUT the hell UP!)

He noted Arnall's strong political financial support of Bush. Arnall and his wife, Dawn, were described by The Washington Post in January as "the single biggest source of financial support for Bush since 2002. Over the period, they gave and raised at least $12.25 million."

Patrick rejected the union's demands yesterday, saying he has committed himself to helping Arnall's company settle the investigations into Ameriquest's business practices, which critics say involved predatory lending aimed at low-income people, minorities, and the elderly. The company is in settlement talks with the investigating states.

"My commitment is to provide independent oversight that will help the company in its continuing effort to be the very best in the industry," Patrick wrote to Holway. "If keeping that commitment costs me the endorsement of NAGE, then I am prepared to live with those political consequences." (Way to go Holway... I thinks it's the NAGE membership who will be living with the consequences..)

Patrick submitted a letter last month to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee praising Arnall, telling the senators, "This is a good man." He said he disagrees with the nominee's political views but doesn't "regard political affiliation as the only possible measure of a person."

Edition: THIRD
Section: Metro/Region
Page: B8

Copyright (c) 2005 Globe Newspaper Company

Record Number: 0511170347

NAGE Funding Line item to be taken up

Word is the House Ways & Means Committee has today released a Supplemental Budget which includes the funding for the NAGE Unit 1,3,6....

....next stop Senate Ways and Means.

I understand that the supp can be passed in an informal session..... so it should pass without much fanfare.

I thinks it's apparent that someone made their point, but it was not appropriate to continue to punish the members for whatever the union may have done to piss someone off.....

you heard it here first.

Contract Funding: A Glimmer of Hope

The NAGE spin on the failure to secure funding for the Unit 1,3, 6 contracts-- a monumental screw-up, is that "NAGE was a victim of it's own success!"
(More on that in another post----NAGE as the Judas goat of the State Bargaining Units)

You've got to be kidding, right?... With success like that who needs failure?.... all the other unions were funded in the supplemental (Chapt 192) budget.... not NAGE.

(Other unions have already seen the raise in their pay checks, and they've gotten their retro....NAGE neglects to mention that on their web site)

What some people are saying is: that somehow NAGE offended the House of Reps and that it was no accident or misunderstanding that the House excluded only NAGE from the list of collective bargaining reserve accounts in the supp budget....who can say?

HOPE?
Word is that the Legislature has agreed to return for ONE DAY ONLY, sometime next week, to go into formal session for purpose of taking up the badly needed bond bill.

Now if NAGE manages to get it's act together, facts straight, and bare their throat to the legislature they offended, etc..... there may be a glimmer of hope for the members.

A supplemental budget item could pass (along with the bond bill) funding the NAGE contracts.... if that doesn't happen folks, it could be ugly..... the "L" word..... quite a sacrifce for the members to bear for the sins of Dave "Slobodon" Holway (whatever they may, or may not have been).

There are a number of members working on this for you.... they didn't offend anyone.

...... more to follow....

Units 1,3 and 6 Contract Funding Update: NO MONEY! SCREWED by NAGE again.

You folks in Units 1,3 and 6 are not getting any raises (Unlike MOSES,AfSCME, and SIEU.... they've already gotten their raises and their retro checks).....

Bad enough that NAGE sold you on a crappy 3% raise during a time of record high surplus revenues AND when inflation is running at 4.15%..... but you poor uninformed members are going to have to settle for a 4% pay cut instead of a 1% pay cut after all.....

You are probably too miserably uninformed to even realize you've been been screwed.

Sorry folks, there is NOTHING on the Legislative radar screen that indicates they'll take up a new supplemental budget to fund the NAGE raises....so expect to wait a looooong time....maybe sometime next spring.Don't believe it? call NAGE and listen to them babble.... they don't have an answer, yet the other unions have the money........

The raise, when it comes, if it comes, it may not even be retroactive....who knows???

What Happened?????
Chapter 192 of 2006 (the Supplemental Budget) contained funding reserves to pay all the unions except for NAGE 1,3,6. When the language in the supplemental budget came out lacking a reserve for NAGE contracts, the NAGE stood by and did nothing to have the language and the money put into the supp budget.... that NAGE legislative machine is really on the ball, huh?

While the other unions diligently attended to their knitting and made sure their members' contracts were funded in the supplemental budget....where was NAGE?.... planning the party in Vegas?

This is our punishment for being uninformed and putting up with an undemocratic, self serving union dictatorship....... more to come........