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Aldermen want answers on fate of school custodians
The Somerville Board of Alderman has requested a briefing from the administration on plans to explore outsourcing school custodial positions, a proposal that has prompted a barrage of phone calls and e-mails from concerned constituents, members said.
"These are our friends, our neighbors," said Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche at Thursday's regular meeting. "It's unfortunate that we're getting these phone calls and we really haven't received any information yet from the administration."
The board approved a motion requesting that the administration present its rationale at tonight's budget presentation, with labor counsel present. The motion also contains a clause requesting the city to "return to the negotiating table" with the union representing school custodians.
"These are our friends, our neighbors," said Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche at Thursday's regular meeting. "It's unfortunate that we're getting these phone calls and we really haven't received any information yet from the administration."
The board approved a motion requesting that the administration present its rationale at tonight's budget presentation, with labor counsel present. The motion also contains a clause requesting the city to "return to the negotiating table" with the union representing school custodians.
Ward 3 Alderman Thomas Taylor, who coauthored the original resolution,
said he and other members of the board are unequipped to deal with
calls and e-mails asking for information on the outsourcing plans.
"It's very difficult to respond to my constituency because I'm not well-briefed in it," he said.
The city sent a letter to the custodians' union on May 25 outlining plans to outsource school custodial jobs in order to close an estimated $8 million budget gap for fiscal 2011, which starts July 1. The letter asked union representatives to submit suggestions on how to close the gap without reducing the workforce.
The move would save an estimated $1.3 million, according to figures presented by Mayor Joseph Curtatone. Currently, the city spends $3.3 to employee 49 custodians at its 10 schools.
As the policy-making body for the city, the issue of outsourcing an entire department falls squarely within the board's purview, said Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz on Thursday.
"It's not the type of thing when you lay some people off then, when times improve, you can hire them back," she said. "This is a total change in policy in how we would run our custodial services."
Gewirtz said she had concerns about the proposal, which places an undue burden on a specific group of employees.
"We talk about ... shared sacrifice, and to me, this strikes me as concentrated sacrifice," she said. "These are 49 or 50 of our people and I get very concerned about issues of outsourcing, and privatizing and jeopardizing the longevity of people who have dedicated their lives to the City of Somerville."
Alderman Bill White expressed similar sentiments, stressing the severe impact any layoffs would have on local families.
"If you lose your job, it's very unlikely in this environment you're going to find [another] one," he said. "A lot of us have gotten phone calls from folks worried about that."
Curtatone is scheduled to present the proposed fiscal 2011 budget to the board on Tuesday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alderman's chambers.
"It's very difficult to respond to my constituency because I'm not well-briefed in it," he said.
The city sent a letter to the custodians' union on May 25 outlining plans to outsource school custodial jobs in order to close an estimated $8 million budget gap for fiscal 2011, which starts July 1. The letter asked union representatives to submit suggestions on how to close the gap without reducing the workforce.
The move would save an estimated $1.3 million, according to figures presented by Mayor Joseph Curtatone. Currently, the city spends $3.3 to employee 49 custodians at its 10 schools.
As the policy-making body for the city, the issue of outsourcing an entire department falls squarely within the board's purview, said Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz on Thursday.
"It's not the type of thing when you lay some people off then, when times improve, you can hire them back," she said. "This is a total change in policy in how we would run our custodial services."
Gewirtz said she had concerns about the proposal, which places an undue burden on a specific group of employees.
"We talk about ... shared sacrifice, and to me, this strikes me as concentrated sacrifice," she said. "These are 49 or 50 of our people and I get very concerned about issues of outsourcing, and privatizing and jeopardizing the longevity of people who have dedicated their lives to the City of Somerville."
Alderman Bill White expressed similar sentiments, stressing the severe impact any layoffs would have on local families.
"If you lose your job, it's very unlikely in this environment you're going to find [another] one," he said. "A lot of us have gotten phone calls from folks worried about that."
Curtatone is scheduled to present the proposed fiscal 2011 budget to the board on Tuesday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alderman's chambers.
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