ANOTHER BLUNDER BY OUR COUNCIL

ANOTHER BLUNDER BY OUR COUNCIL

At Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting, there was a Supplemental Appropriation agenda item to cover wage increases for town employees.  In the past, wage increases were determined by how much the taxpayers could afford and this applied to the non-union personnel.  Whatever the percentage, was the basis for negotiation with the Unions.  However, this year the town first negotiated with the Unions and then the percentage was applied to the non-union personnel.  According to one of our illustrious councilors, this was done to strengthen the town's bargaining position with the Unions.

This new policy caused the council to knowing and deliberately violate our Town Charter.   

Once the town negotiated with the Union the town was legally bound to the percentage agreed upon.  This means that once negotiated the town is locked into the percentage and since it would not be fair to have Union personnel receive more of a wage increase than non-union personnel the town is compelled to pay the non-union personnel the same increase. 

This brings me to the point.  When the town establishes what figure can be used for a wage increase for non-union personnel, having the Unions know this does not weaken the town's position going into negotiations as stated by this illustrious councilor.  Union personnel are not second-class citizens in this town and whatever wage increase is available should be the same percentage for all. 

The critical part of any negotiations is that both parties come to the table in “good faith”.  Once the town has agreed on the percentage the taxpayers can afford, it should be a moot point during negotiations.    However in Lisbon, the Town Manager has gone into negotiations trying to get the Unions to accept a lower percentage than what was approved for non-union personnel.  This does not reflect “good faith” by the town.  Once again, Stephen G. Eldridge is the problem not the process.

By locking the town into a legal binding agreement, this eliminates the town council from taking any other action but to approve what was negotiated by the Town Manager, Stephen G. Eldridge.   

This should, in every world, be unacceptable at any time and all the time.  Also, the last few years when the town presented a figure for wage increases it was included in the proposed budget and the people were allowed to voice their concerns in this area.  Now the people have absolutely no input at all in the process and it is left up to the town manager to negotiate terms after the approved budget. 

This also forces the wage increases to come out of the Undesignated Fund which is below the 12.5% recommended in the Charter.  However the very next paragraph (Sec86-1 (C)) states the town cannot utilize the Undesignated Fund unless there is an excess.  On a side note, the Town Manager's contract states he receives the same percentage as non-union personnel, so tell me again why he should be in the middle of these negotiations?

This is why negotiating with the Unions first is a blunder.  Locking the town into a position where it has to violate the town Charter is just plain dumb regardless of who does it.  This is exactly what happened this year and the council apparently cannot see this.

I beg the council to take another look at this process and please do not force the town into a position that it has to violate our town Charter.

Larry Fillmore