Furloughs and Layoffs

PACE has worked diligently to come up with solutions that would help Union Members, City of Atlanta Employees stay employed without additional Layoffs in the City of Atlanta. PACE has learned that the City of Atlanta plans to RIF an additional 10% of the workforce with the Furloughs. All affected employees will be notified on 1 December 2008. PACE has scheduled a meeting with COO Greg Giornelli, Tuesday, November 25, 2008, to talk about the RIF’s and any other ways the city can prevent future layoffs of union members/City Employees.  PACE wants all member to hear what Mayor Franklin's accessment of the Cities crisis is.

In the past week several emails has been forwarded to PACE from persons eligible for retirement, or very close to retirement suggesting how they can help. PACE has written the following letter to the City Council in support of Union Members, asking the City Council to offer incentives for retirements. As noted in the letter long term employment does bring experience to the work force; however, the workforce retirees will be leaving, most in the next few years,  why not offer some incentives to encourage retirement now and save General funding for personnel wages. This would help keep struggling city services and provisions to be available for the citizens of Atlanta. President of PACE Gina Pagnotta wrote the following Letter to City Council members:

Honorable Lisa Boarders- Council President

City Council Members:

Felicia Moore, Carla Smith, Kwanza Hall, Ivory Lee Young Jr, Cleta Winslow, Natalyn Archibong, Anne Fauver, Howard Shook, Clair Muller, C.T. Martin, Jim Maddox, Joyce Sheperd, Ceasar C. Mitchell, Mary Norwood, H. Lamar Willis,

55 Trinity Ave

Atlanta GA, 30303

Greetings Council,

As you may know, PACE works and communicates a lot behind the scenes in efforts to be sincere in making a difference between labor and management.  We address issues publicly when we feel its necessary and we make it known our unhappiness with decisions that our City makes that are not beneficial to employees.  This is one of those times that PACE feels its time to be heard again.  I have been informed today that the administration has given a directive to departments to cut an additional 10% outside of the upcoming furloughs, to meet the remaining deficit.  To my understanding, this means they are preparing a list of employees that will be cut.  Although I am to meet with the Administration on this matter the first of next week, I am writing to you for your support in not allowing this to happen. As much as I have been trying to get our members as well as all employees informed on what is going on with our City Government’s financial woes, it has become almost ridiculous to keep telling employees to be positive, stay professional, and maintain quality customer service, when they not only are being faced with furloughs, but they are now in the fear of  losing their jobs, especially during the holidays.

I am well aware that our economy is at an all time low, and we must make decisions that may not be popular to make ends meet.  However, we are still trying to maintain the same services for the City with less people and now we may have lesser people with the additional cuts.  We will not be able to do it without cutting services.  What about the people who will be left behind.  As it is now, they are working to the bone. Some are getting sick from overload of working.  Contrary to what some may believe about City workers, we do have quite a few employees that work diligently and goes beyond the call of duty to get the job done. But even with those employees, they are only human, not robotic.

Council, with due respect, WHEN WILL THIS STOP? How does it stop and who stops it?

PACE would like to know if there can be an incentive package that the City could offer to potential retirees?  Please understand that PACE is not trying to push any employee out of work.  Retiring is a big decision for an individual to make.  And, we know they cannot be forced to retire.  However, from the phone calls and emails that I have been receiving from employees, they are ready to leave if they can retire. If we are worried about expertise leaving, some of them are leaving anyway because they are dissatisfied with the instability of our City.  Some are inquiring about how and when they can retire and wish to leave if they are allowed to with minimum penalty.  So maintaining our expertise employees is about to be a thing of the past.  Who ever is left behind will have to carry forward regardless.

PACE is requesting for Council to consider some type of incentive program for those that can and wish to retire to be allowed to with minimum penalty.  Departments can then reorganize with the employees that are left, but will be furloughed, to carry out city duties.  It may be enough retirees to close the gap that is needed to help save the employees that cannot retire.  Please consider this option before having another cut.

In solidarity,

Gpagnotta

President

PACE/NAGE Local R5-50

Union Members should attend the next open City Council Meeting to let the City Council know that we support this action, as Councilman Maddox has once stated City Employees can make suggestions that could benefit the City of Atlanta.

PACE would like to Congratulate Lynda Byrd on her December 1, 2008 Retirement and thank her for her dedication to the PACE Union and the City of Atlanta for a Job well performed.