Despite this man’s last-minute effort to save them from sudden layoffs, six city workers will lose their jobs Friday.
Larry Amendola (pictured), the president of city Union Local 3414, joined an effort to save six women’s jobs that were suddenly threatened with layoffs last week.
That effort bought them an extra week, but tomorrow, the women will be terminated, confirmed Derek Slap, the mayor’s spokesman. Slap framed the layoffs as a result of dwindling federal grants. The women all held positions funded by federal Community Development Block Grant money, but were also guaranteed certain benefits under the city’s union contract.
That combo was hard to sustain, said Slap. CDBG money has been cut by more than 15 percent since the program year of 2004 – 2005, he said. “This represents a decrease of $691,414 and the City is concerned there may be more cuts for FY 2008.”
Because of union contracts, the women’s salary and benefits were due to increase by 10.45 percent, according to Slap. Department heads, mulling how to deal with rising salaries and sinking CDBG money, determined which positions could be cut, he said.
Six women — four from the Livable City Initiative, one from the Finance Department and one from Public Works, were chosen.
A struggle to save their jobs ended Thursday in a string of reportedly heated meetings between city and union officials.
As a result of negotiations, the other women’s benefits will be extended: They’ll be paid until March 19 and receive medical benefits until the end of April, according to the city. Friday, they’ll report to the Human Resources office to end their careers after 10 to 20 years.
Scheri Walker, an LCI data analyst who’s worked with the city for 18 years, responded Thursday with shock at what she saw as a whimsical, unexplained layoff process. If her position’s funded by CDBG, why couldn’t she continue working until funds expire in June? And why weren’t people with less seniority laid off first? She asked.
“I’m still in awe of the way the city could do it the way they’re doing it, with no explanation for what criteria” led to their layoff, said Walker.
“I believe I have been deliberately targeted,” said another of the workers, Georgiann Dogolo. “The immediate common denominator is that we’re all single women over 40 [years old].” She said she and other workers signed a labor grievance Thursday. Amendola could not be reached for comment.
Dogolo was particularly ticked off to hear that another woman had recently been hired under the same grant. Susan Mizzoni will soon begin as a legal secretary for LCI, confirmed Slap.
Slap said while the position’s funded by the same grant, it is not expendable. “The department’s in need of a legal secretary. Unfortunately, none of the people who are being laid off have the experience as a legal secretary or the skill set.”
Slap said the women will be invited to apply for any vacant general fund positions.
This is very sad ,you tell people two day's before they will not have a job? What kind of #@# is that? What kind of union representation is THIS.