Hello all, I am starting a postcard campaign to get at least 4,000 signatures to support 8 union give backs. I need your help! I hope I can count on you for at least your signature but if you would like to do more how about getting 10 other Hobokenites to sign???
Attached please find a PDF of the 8 demands. You can either print them off on BRIGHT PINK PAPER -or- get supplies from me (1027 Washington St., 2R). I would need them returned to me as we want to hand deliver them en masse with a tally of how many we've gotten.
Supporters, please print, sign and fax the postcard to 201-526-0460.
For your convenience, here they are. Collective bargaining agreement negotiations are expected to begin the week of January 26th. Please help us get the kind of givebacks that will be meaningful in making a dent in your real estate taxes:
1) “Right size” govt. Reduce number of workers per best practices determined by outside professionals.
2) Share benefits premiums - municipal workers must pay a portion of a High Deductible Medical premiums.
3) Eliminate 'special' vacation days (Christenings, Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, etc.). - All vacation must be deducted from the employee's regular vacation balance.
4) Eliminate the ability to accrue unused vacation and overtime towards retirement. Limit sick days to 10 per year.
5) Re-structure Management Pay - Employees with managerial responsibility must work 10 hours of overtime at the regular rate before they are paid time and a half.
6) Re-structure tuition reimbursement -Tuition re-imbursement will only be granted for degrees that will enhance employees' performance in their current job. The employee must give the town 3 years of service after degree completion or they have to pay back the reimbursement.
7) Require all departments which consider full time less than 40 hours a week to bring their work week to a minimum of 40 hours.
8) Require full adherence to Hoboken's Expense Policy and Procedures. Lack of adherence, whether deliberate or accidental, is grounds for immediate termination.
The State appointed monitor sent out an RFP to get a labor negotiator for the town to tee up against the union reps and get the contract process started. The RFPs are due to Tripodi on 1/21. I would imagine by that Friday 1/23 she will have had made a decision on who she will hire to negotiate with the unions on behalf of the city. We want to march into the town council meeting either 1/21 or 2/5 and throw them on the Councils desk on camera and read on the record what they say. We also want to have a rally at the opening of the negotiations that's bigger and louder than the last. 4,000 is 10% of the population, 20% of households. We are in a unique position this year in that taxpayers truly do not have the capacity to pay. These contracts will obligate us for the next 4 years and their benefits packages are outrageously rich; the types of packages you and I have not seen in 20 years. The council, nor citizens have a say in what happens. We want to make it clear that public's interests need to be represented in negotiations. Anything less is taxation without representation.
Can you help?
Donna Antonucci
UPDATE! You can also sign the petition online here for added convenience......
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Unioncontractdemands/ (you are required to make a small donation to ipetitions which goes to the website and not the organizer)
Here is the link to the pdf file to view and print on bright pink paper if you are not faxing the forms to Donna:
