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U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
There is no way that the UT would have negotiated a buy-out with a union. They want to send a strong message through the rest of the organization that union members are punished. When the UT built an employee gym, the management specifically forbade union members from using it, as it was a non-negotiated employee benefit. When the unions wanted to negotiate for the gym, the UT smilingly put merit increases (anathema to a union) on the table.— January 9, 2008 10:42 a.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
Don, You seem to want your cake and be able to eat it to. Of course the press employees would want a rich buyout. But they chose to be in a union, not the UT. They chose to forego plans that non-union employees get. And most importantly, they chose to agree to the CBA that the union proposed. A CBA that obviously had not agreement on severence. You can't in one breath say unions are great, then in the next breath, bust the company for following the guidelines of the contract. That is what unions do. They set up rules and regulations that are seperate from other employees. If they wanted non-union buyouts, sounds like they should have been non-union. I am a staunch liberal and anti-establishment lawyer, but the union argument is so baseless. You make your bed, now sleep in it. While there are so many easy opportunities to rip the UT, this is not one of them.— January 9, 2008 6:57 a.m.
City Employees To Hold Anti-Aguirre Rally at Democratic Meeting
Ah yes, BBH, twister of logic. To begin with, city pensions were absolutely meant to support the retiree. From the Municipal Code 24.0100 "The purpose of this article is to recognize a public obligation to City employees for their long service in public employment by making provision for retirement compensation." Social Security, on the other hand, was intended to be supplemental. That's why city employees pay in roughly double the payroll percentage that folks enrolled in Social Security pay in. Note how BBH uses the earliest possible retirement age for city workers and the latest possible retirement age for SS recipients. Why don't we look at the averages. The average city safety employee (who retires earlier than a general employee) retires at age 57. According the the Social Security Administration, the average American retires at age 62. So, once again, BBH is stretching the truth. BBH whines about the PD getting 9% (Not the 9.5% he quotes). He says that's twice as much as the average yearly raise. Um, it was stretched out over 2 years. Do the math. The 9% that the cops got didn't even make up for the takeaways from the previous three years. That doesn't include the health care takeaways because some cops did OK with that. BBH, you're entitled to your opinion about city pay and pensions, but you'd be a lot more credible if you actually told the truth rather than these wild exaggerations. Isn't that how you lawyer types do it? Find one hole in a story and use that to blow someone's entire credibility? Well, I found about a half dozen holes in your few short paragraphs.— January 8, 2008 10:34 p.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
The Business section of the Sunday edition of the SDUT just recently axed the Wall Street Journal contributions...I will sorely miss columnists such as Jonathan Clements who provides the calm and rational financial advice profoundly lacking in other outlets (e.g., the breathless James Cramer and Suze Orman on CNBC). Does however bring to mind a picture of David Copley giving Rupert Murdoch the boot!— January 8, 2008 8:43 p.m.
City Employees To Hold Anti-Aguirre Rally at Democratic Meeting
The City's ability to pay it's debt hinges on three factors in my opinion. 1. City leaders who squandered city financial resources on pet projects. (The Q upgrade, Ticket Guarantees, Petco Park, 1996 RNC, Russian Eggs the list goes on an on) 2. Low taxes and fees. San Diegans pay much lower taxes and fees compared to other Cities in California and the nation but have higher cost of living. Combine this with uncontrolled development and developers who haven't covered the TRUE costs assosiated with there developments. And we have the mess were in today. Total mismanagment and lies by excutives covering the collective butts. The old saying about San Diego, biggest little town in America remains true. We've only renamed this town to Enron by Sea thanks to those who were steering this ship for the last 20 years as it ran aground.— January 8, 2008 3:21 p.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
In reply to comment #1. The union presently has no retirement that they pay into and can get no money from. It did however have a co. sponsored fund which the co made deposits into a union fund. In the late 90's the co. quit paying into this account and deposited the money into an escrow account during the over 10 of contract negotations. The company after winning a court decision at the time(later overturned) gave the employees the money and told them they were giving them a pay raise!!!!! I am presently receiving retirement money from the union sponsored account so your are wrong in your statement of no way to get money from the fund. The co. wanted everyone to put their money into the co. sponsered fund, and tell new employees that the union had no retirement fund and they( the co.) did! Just another union busting tactic which seems to have worked on you too.— January 8, 2008 2:06 p.m.
City Employees To Hold Anti-Aguirre Rally at Democratic Meeting
Don Don Don... Well I guess this post was a bit biased maybe you should start a op/ed column. "Execessive Benefits"? City Employee may have opposed him, but it was the Court which has repeatedly ruled against his arguments. I'll add it was the City Executives and political leaders who offered benefits in lieu of pay raises so THEY could have the pet projects THEY WANTED. It was the City leaders who made the choice of underfunding the pension plan. The unions NEVER proposed it, and the record shows the POA SDCERS Board Member voted against it. THEN as is NOW our City Leaders chose NOT to raise taxes and/or fees for fear of repercussions from the electorate, i.e. getting voted out of office. But they sure let the developers go wild to the point when the Fire Department is 50% understaff according to National Standards. To heck with Public Safety but lets make sure we host a National Political Convention. So when American Citizens choose to demonstrate and express themselves and their opinions while exercising their first amendment rights, an admendment that also protects freedom of the press, maybe, just maybe you should support their right of free speech. And maybe you should point your boney finger, and word processor at those who caused this mess and hold them accountable!— January 8, 2008 1:01 p.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
Print is a dying art, or should I say "paper" print. Tims they are a changin. If the UT goes under maybe the LA TIMES will take up the slack????— January 8, 2008 12:39 p.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
f.uck the ut and f.uck the GCIU WERE OMMITTED FROM THE PREVIOUS ENTRY— January 8, 2008 11:20 a.m.
U-T Axes 14 in Pressroom Without Buyouts
let me be the first to say... the u.t. I too was let go and I cant wait till the paper goes out of buisness. gciu those leeches. They wanted new members to join a union that pays into a retirement fund they themselves can not receive. I give them a year and a half (wink Don) and then will renew my subscrition to the San Diego Reader.— January 8, 2008 11:18 a.m.