New Haven Independent: Jobs Saved, For Now

Jobs Saved, For Now

by Allan Appel | February 2, 2007 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

The president of city Union Local 3414 was not in a smiling mood Thursday night as he worked the phones in the back of the aldermanic chambers. But Amendola did succeed in staving off five sudden layoffs of city employees pending a City Hall meeting Friday.

Larry Amendola, president of the union representing City managers did not know why four “special fund” long-time employees with the Livable City Initiative (LCI) and one from Public Works, all with more than ten years of experience and some with as many as twenty years, had been informed on Wednesday they were to be laid off effective Friday.

“I called the mayor,” Amendola said, “and told him I understand that grants can run out, but that there is no fairness in the way this is being handled: why only two days’ notice. And why target these long-time employees without first making legitimate efforts to find other slots for them?

“I think the mayor understood, and the Friday delivery of the layoff letters has been stopped. At least for now.”

Amendola, who is a recreation supervisor with the parks department, also secured a meeting on the matter with city’s labor relations manager, to be held Friday. “When the time comes,” he said, “I can fill the room with people.”

In the meantime, a letter addressed to the alderman, and signed by the affected women themselves “” Cynthia Brown McLaurin, Phyllis Marino, Georgiann Dogolo, Scheri Walker, all from LCI, and Carmen Mendez from the public works department “” was being circulated around the aldermanic chamber prior to the start of a session of the Community Development Committee devoted to reallocation of community development block grants (CDBG). All the threatened employees are funded through CDBG.

In their letter, the employees made the following points:
1. Why such short notice?
2. Were not CDGB positions funded through at least June 30 2007?
3. Why were they being given notice when, they assert, there are vacant positions and new people are being hired in their respective departments and elsewhere?

They are surprised, disappointed, and disheartened, they write “at such a cavalier attitude on the part of the City towards employees who have been so loyal.” They conclude by asking the aldermen to investigate and to vote “No” at this time on the reallocation of CDGB funds.

amend%202.JPG Cherlyn Poindexter (pictured), the chief steward of local 3144, added, “I think it’s terrible that all the affected employees are women, all over 40. The city should have come to us first to discuss the matter, not give people two days notice after twenty years of employment. But this matter still can have a god end. Our next step is to meet and to give the city an opportunity to find vacant slots to save these people’s positions.”

Mayor spokesman Derek Slap said Friday morning that for years the city has wrestled with declining block-grant contributions from the feds. Union contracts call for annual pay increases for city employees, while the federal grants that fund for some of their positions are cut. In other years officials have found other places in the budget for employees facing layoffs. This year, he said, the gap was too great, Slap said.

“With the squeeze on, you have to make difficult choices,” Slap said.

Comments

Posted by: Cedar Hill Resident | February 2, 2007 8:42 AM

I am so glad you saved there jobs. I got word yesterday about this and Carmen Mendez has been such a friend to our community. She helps us with our clean ups!! She goes above and beyond her job! Why would you lay off someone with so many years in, someone that works with communities?? She is a great employee.

And as for the LCI people are you crazy?? LCI keeps this city from total ruin. They have more than they can handle and you lay experienced people off people who have a repor with the communities?? Well I know our LCI person is amazing she's there the day you call she follows up and is at all our block watch meetings plus other meetings that she does not need to go to. So maybe we are just lucky but my expereience with LCI has been nothing but great.

You can not get rid of assets. It will cost you in the long run!!

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | February 2, 2007 10:00 AM

We Must Ask The Question How Come King John Mouth
Piece Derek Slap States That With The Squeeze On You Have To Make Difficult Choices, If This Is The Case Then How Come All The People That Work In
King John Campaign For Governor Now Work For The City Of New Haven And This Is Due To Political Patronage And When It Comes to Political Patronage
There Is Never a Difficult Choices!!!

Posted by: haircut | February 2, 2007 10:05 AM

The mayor needs the money for his new hair plugs

Posted by: Kris | February 2, 2007 12:14 PM

This is another reason we dont need a union at ynhh.Union contracts that demand so much will be what costs these people their jobs.Tell them to come to ynhh to get a secure non-union job.

Posted by: ann | February 3, 2007 12:01 PM

Ditto Kris!! The Mayor has double standards. I guess he wants to run his place of employment differently than he wants YNHH run. Mind you own business Mr. Mayor. By the GRACE OF GOD you didn't become Governor and by the GRACE OF GOD you will not be Mayor anymore either. Maybe you can apply to be a Union Organizer for SEIU Local 1199, but you will have to join the Union though and pay dues. On the other hand, they probably wouldn't even read your job application. You won't have what they want anymore. I say the people who live in the City of New Haven form a group against who's salaries they pay with their hard earned tax monies? Take your City back. I moved out of New Haven because I refused to pay the salaries of politicians who take monies from unions like the SEIU Local 1199. People need to take a stand and stay firm. Those poor women should apply to YNHH for a secure job. After all, I don't recall YNHH laying off employees.

Posted by: DeloresMariconde | February 4, 2007 12:36 AM

Playing Politics with Peoples Lives !

6 Single Women over 40 targeted for lay off. Emphasis on "Targeted". What else do these women have in common ? I bet none of them contributed to King John's Goobernatorial campagin! This can be veriified. People are still being hired from the BLOCK GRANT so where is the shortage? I bet all the new hires have a common denominator -
Goobernatorial campaign contributors.

In other words King John is ousting the peons to reward his patrons with Federal dollars. The deficit is artificial. This is an outrage. Demand a Federal Investigation!!!!

Posted by: Nancy Drew | February 4, 2007 12:09 PM

PLAYING POLITICS WITH PEOPLES LIVES

What else do these women have in common besides
their gender,age and marital status?

I bet none of them gave to the King John campaign
for governor!

Thats why this lay off was secret.

Why hasn't King John called Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Dodd for help to prevent this "pain"?

Because then they would have to prove the grant
shortage. If this is a genuine shortage how can the City continue to hire from the same federal block grant?

The conclusion: King John is punishing the peons to reward the patrons WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS.

THIS DEMANDS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION!

Posted by: cedar hill resident | February 4, 2007 2:18 PM

Hmmm I never even looked at it that way guys. Dang!!
Well I know this much a large group of us our following the progress of this one!!! And we are willing rather WE WILL be standing with these women if need be!!!

I will ditto you as well
THIS DEMANDS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION!

We need those ethic laws now!!

Posted by: can't divulge | February 4, 2007 9:06 PM

The mayor has no respect for honest hard working city employees. He drove me out vecause I wouldn't [help] his contributors.

Please New Havener's elect a new mayor. J

I also agree with the comment of why did Derek and Smuts get such special treatment. Why is the new deputy economic development director so unqualified. Just so everyone knows. The city is facing almost $50,000,000 in new revenue needed for the next fiscal year, and has no way of finding it. Taxes, due to the mayor favoritism, will kill out city economy. I kow this for a fact, but fear exposing too much, since the mayor is such a hateful and spiteful person. Again, notice how certain people got moved to Housing Authority to make a place for campaign workers.

Get a list of who has resigned...Department Head Traffic & parking, Treasurer, Assessor, Department Head of information technology, director of budget and management. This all happened because the mayor abandoned the city for three years then secired the jobs of the only people that supported his failed prectices. Those that left had credibility and a sense of values. Both of which the mayor and his mouth pieces lack. The New Haven Register being one of the most shameful organizaztions for failing to report the truths they know

Posted by: DeloresMariconde | February 7, 2007 7:19 PM

How can it be legal for John DeStefano to campaingn for govorner full time while holding the office of New Haven's mayor and continuing to be paid as a full timer? Perhaps this just demonstrates that the position of mayor in New Haven is part time?

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