Raises? In this economy?
Does anybody else feel just a little un-easy about idea that we could be sending a bad message to town employees if we were to cut merit raises for non union members. To clarify, there was a conversation at the Gilford budget committee meeting last Thursday between the Town Administrator (TA) and Selectman Obrien that suggested that we couldn’t cut raises for non union employees because it would send the wrong message to them. Meaning, if the union employees got a merit raise and they didn’t then why not unionize. I suggest sending this message; you are welcome to unionize, that’s your right. Understand that if you do and due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the unprecedented economy we’re in, we are forced to make a decision between cutting raises or cutting staff, the union will force us to cut staff in their ranks.
I would think that is a fair message to send and one you’d want to send given the fact that the TA and Selectman Obrien were suggesting extortion by employees to simply threaten to unionize if they don’t get raises. Let’s be clear here; it’s not a cut, it’s an increase.
I can also tell you that the free dental benefits don’t sit well with the working stiffs that are paying for all this. Considering the fact that dental benefits are a bonus even if you get to completely pay for them. I’ve come to believe that these people are in a completely sheltered world of compensation. They are not greedy people or evil people. In fact, they’re really nice hard working people but they simply have NO CLUE what the private sector people are compensated. I don’t come to this conclusion lightly. I got my first clue when the school district’s Financial Administrator rebuked me during a benefits conversation by telling me that the town’s benefit package was commissary with the private sectors. How I’d love to work for that place!
This is a difficult pill to swallow because the Gilford municipal budget is proposed at zero growth. That’s not entirely accurate because it’s zero growth above the current budget which includes last year’s approved warrant articles. We can assume some of those were one shot deals and other items will re-occur.
I believe the TA and the Selectmen did a very good job of presenting a level budget but in this writer’s opinion, we are in unprecedented times. I know we are hearing that things are getting better but I’m not convinced. We have exceeded 10% unemployment with no end in sight and massive inflation looms around the corner.
Most companies are choosing to either DECREASE wages or cut jobs. I could live with keeping town staff at the same rate of pay and benefits but to provide raises and expand dental insurance to part time employees is rubbing it in the nose of the tax payers, in my opinion.
