City Committee Prepares for meeting like the one we had way back in the day at the Plumbers' Hall with Willie Brown. This is for Real!

SF City Hall/February 9, 2010
This morning many city workers had to read in the newspapers that the financial condition of the City was deteriorating. This afternoon, the Mayor's Office presented to all of Labor (For us: Adrian Field - RPD 3422, Nikki Mixon - DPW C3417, Theresa Foglio - DPW 7514, and Vince Courtney L261) the projected figures for Fiscal 2010/11 here ! The document shows nothing less than dire news. The group discussed the pending pension reform measures for the November ballot, the SF Firefighters' willingness to contribute 9.0% into the pension, the fact that most the Building Trades Unions are in contract negotiations, the 1.2 billion dollar "discretionary fund" as it relates to the projected $522,200,000 shortfall, the doubling of the unemployment in SF from 2008, and the very, very difficult times ahead.
The story:
40 hours Current workweek for most city employees
37.5 hours New proposed workweek
$50 million Estimated savings per year
26,000 Approximate number of full-time city employees
$522 million Estimated 2010-11 budget deficit
$6.6 billion Approximate size of city budget
Given the overwhelming negative response from membership to the article in the Chronicle related to the massive layoff and the 37.5/hr week, the City Committee will be studying, investigating, and evaluating potential options (read "give backs") over and above the Departments' own 20% cross-the-board cuts already in motion. Unless and until a "state of emergency" is declared, the membership will always vote on contract changes.

Of particular concern may be the overwhelming negative public opinion of our plight. Here is the most popular citizen comment (of over 500 to the article.) We need ideas and positive stories about our service to the city and our meaningful work.
"26 THOUSAND city employees? Amazing. What the heck do all these people get paid to do? How about laying them ALL off and hire back about one-third of them and make them actually work? A novel concept, I know."
Recommend:(1159) Disagree:(374)
Please check the meeting schedule and be prepared to come up with ideas (the City has a figure of 50,000,000 it would save in the 37.5/hr work week were implemented.) This is for real, there will be an agenda, nobody will be saying what we want to hear, just the facts.