Point Boro's Teamster Employees Say Yes to Fifth Furlough Day

Borough employees represented by the local Teamsters chapter are agreeing to the fifth furlough day requested by borough officials, said Fred Potter, president of Local Teamsters 469.

"But we want to see the budget to see if there is any possible savings," said Potter.

The council is working on the budget, which will be the focus of today's workshop meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.

The Transport Workers of America, which represents managers, is agreeing to take furlough days "until this is worked out," borough Administrator/Clerk David Maffei said Tuesday afternoon.

He was referring to how managers represented by the union are agreeing to take furlough days until there is more definitive information about the budget and exactly how many furlough days will be needed this year.

Last week, Mayor William Schroeder and the Borough Council had asked all borough employees, except police, to voluntarily agree to take five, unpaid days between last week and June 21, starting with a furlough day this past Friday.

Municipalities are prohibited by state law from furloughing police.

Because employees are agreeing to take the five days, the municipality does not have to formally apply through Civil Service, which saves time.

From the standpoint of the employees, it's better to get the five, unpaid days behind them, since they stand to face another 28 furlough days between now and the end of the year.

"They don't want to wind up with a large number of furlough days to have to take at the end of the year," Potter said.

The borough is furloughing staff as one way to make ends meet as it faces a shortfall of at least $1 million.

Potter said that at least some of the employees hope to find part-time work to compensate for the loss of .

"We want to have the same days off, consistently, each week because people want to get part-time jobs," he said. "It's hard to get a job if the days you're available are different every week."

The borough Recreation Department states on its website that summer camp is being extended from six to seven weeks, but that there will be no camp on Fridays due to mandatory furlough days.

And the department has already eliminated Fridays from its preschool program.

"Last year, the employees gave up a lot," Potter said, referring to last year when a different regime had a council majority. "Last year, the taxpayers were duped, the employees were duped, there was just total incompetence.

"Thank God we have different leadership now," he added. "Hopefully, they can find some solutions."

Finding some solutions is what the mayor and council plans to work on today when they hold another budget workshop session, as they work on crafting and, eventually, introducing a budget.

The Borough Council voted late Tuesday night, after a lengthy executive session with union officials, to authorize the local Teamsters members, including public works and clerical workers, and Transport Workers of America, representing managers, to start taking furlough days this Friday.

"They agreed to four, we're asking for five," Mayor William Schroeder had said on Tuesday night.

Maffei had said. "If employees agree to take five days, with one day off each week starting next week, that brings us to the next council meeting on June 21."

Maffei was referring to the next regular council meeting, not the workshop scheduled for this evening. By June 21, the council hopes to have definitive information about exactly how much money the borough has for the next municipal budget.

It's expected that departments will close on their employees' furlough days so all of their employees are off at the same time, Maffei said.

The other furlough dates still have to be worked out with each department, he said.

Negotiations with the unions are ongoing regarding future furlough days and other elements of contract talks.

Last Tuesday, the meeting room was packed with dozens of employees, including some from the police department, recreation, the tax assessor's office, the tax collector's office and public works.

Councilman Mitch Remig made a motion, supported unanimously by council, to cut council salaries by the same percentage amounts employees lose through furloughs.

Council members each earn $3,200 per year and the mayor earns about $4,200.

After the meeting, Councilman Chris Leitner said he does not accept pay for his council seat and Councilman Chris Goss said he had said when he was newly elected in November he only wanted $1 per year.

Leitner said council members do not get health benefits and are not in the state pension system.

Councilman  Bob Sabosik said in an interview on Tuesday that the borough is still waiting for an outside auditor and its borough officials to come up with exact figures on how much money the borough has and what kind of shortfall it's facing.

He said projections estimate that the borough is facing a shortfall of about $1.2 to $1.8 million, with some demotions,  layoffs and municipal service reductions still possible.

"We know things are bad, we just don't know how bad," said Sabosik, who was first elected to council in November.