September 2011

SEBA President
Laren Leichliter

Negotiations

Since the vote was completed last month on the County’s offer to both Safety and Safety Management groups, several members have asked me what the next step is for the Safety unit. The answer to that question is preparation for the negotiations that will begin again in November. There are no current talks with the County occurring at this time and none will start until November.

The other question I also have been asked is have we hurt ourselves by not taking the offer. That answer is a little more complicated due to the fact that everyday something is changing with the economy and economic projections. It will be hard to tell where we are until the negotiation process starts in November because of these changing economic issues in the Country, State and County. I, like the rest of the membership, hope that things will improve between now and that time so that we can move forward instead of backwards, like so many other departments and agencies have had to do to save jobs over the last year with concessions.

I would like to address some other questions I have also been receiving about what the County has asked of the bargaining units that are still in negotiations or have already completed negotiation. The biggest question has been about the retirement pickup portion the County is asking each group to pay. The County is asking that each bargaining unit pay the employees portion of the retirement contribution that the County is currently paying for retirement. Some of the members have heard that the County wants us to pay 100% of our retirement contribution. This statement is not true at all. The County will still pay the employer’s portion. They have only asked the units to pay their portion which is no more than 7% depending on the bargaining unit that you belong to. I understand that this is a large amount to all of us but it is a very large difference from the 100% number that is being talked about by some members.

During the last few months many of you have met or seen me at your station. I have been there to discuss where SEBA is with the County talks. Now that the talks have stopped I will continue to make station visits to answer questions that the membership may have and also to meet more of the membership so I know them and they know me. I will try to make these visits during the briefing time so that I will be able to see a majority of the membership that works both the shift starting and the shift that is ending.

On that note, please feel free to call if you have a question, if you may not want to wait for me to make a station visit.