I keep getting emails wondering if I’ve fallen off of the face of the Earth or what. I think somewhere on this blog I mentioned that while in Gallup I developed Bronchitis, Strep and a sinus infection. I can’t seem to get rid of them. Combined with my FM, I’m just wiped out to no end. I manage to fit something in each day and sleep for the rest. So, I promise to try to get this blog caught up very soon. I know I owe you all more installments of “A History Lesson,” “San Bernardino Courts and Religion,” and the Navajo/Gallup trip.
In the meantime I’ve been asked to put some stuff up on the restaurant inspectors plight as well as the latest scheme by SBPEA to harm employees. I’m waiting for verification on both of those stories before I run them. I will tell you all that if the SBPEA story is true, it has dire consequences for all county employees. If true Mark Uffer will be getting his way about your medical provider. I’m sure you all know what that means. Keep your ears open and let me know what you hear so I can check it out.
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI got this sent to me at my county email address. Bob is answering why we have to use our time (vacation or holiday) in order for the SBPEA to work on our behalf.
—–Original Message—–
From: Bob Blough [mailto:bblough@sbpea.com]
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 3:40 PM
To: Fields, Gail
Subject: RE: boad of supervisors meeting May 6th
The membership will determine what a fair raise is by voting on the contract. We know that the cost of living index for the Inland Empire has increased 3.6% for the year ending March 2008. Already included in the CPI is gasoline which is up 14.1%, bread which is up 14.7%, and milk which is up 13.3% for the same period. We know that the new health care premiums will increase 4.7% (4.7% of the premium, not of your salary – for the average SBPEA member the premiums will increase less than one-half percent of salary). The bargaining team’s position has been that addressing the salary issues and benefit increases are the highest priority.
All of that having been said, the economy at all levels is in the trash. We know the County has enough reserves to fund a raise in the first year, but they don’t know how they will pay for it in the 2nd year or an additional raise in the 2nd year. If the CPI continues to rise, the second year is very important also. The bottom line is that a “fair raise” must be enough to offset the impacts of the increased costs our members are facing every year of the contract.
If the County doesn’t begin negotiating the salary on May 1st, we will rally here at the office on May 6th at 8:00 AM, then, if enough members have shown up, we will take the necessary steps to convince the County that negotiating is a less painful path for them to take. The rest is well planned but will not released until that morning, otherwise County management will know the plan. Everyone that comes that morning will know the plan before they take the first step. You are very correct, it is a request for a show of numbers and support and unity with the bargaining team (who are members just like you). On May 1st the bargaining team is prepared to do marathon negotiations. If that results in positive progress toward a contract we will notify everyone that RSVP’d to cancel their vacation requests for May 6th. If the County doesn’t place sufficient money on the table to make the bargaining team believe the negotiations are moving forward again we will go forward with the rally and job action on the 6th. We asked people to request the time off now because it is easier to do it now than it would be at the last minute. Vacation can always be cancelled, but frequently won’t be granted if requested at the last minute.
If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thanks,
Bob Blough
General Manager
San Bernardino Public Employees Association
(909) 889-8377
mailto:bblough@sbpea.com
It still doesn’t counter the fact that Bob Blough promised repeatedly that if the dues increase passed, there would be at least a five percent raise per year, additional medical benefits, and longevity pay. He was heard to say this by hundreds, if not thousands, of employees. So the dues increased passed. The members of the board of supervisors have received large campaign contributions with A LOT more expected to be given to them. No one is asking for more than five percent per year, increased health benefits, and longevity pay. That is what was promised. So where is it? Was Bob lying or did the members of the Board of Supervisors accept their bribes and then go back on their word? Take your choice but once again, county employees are being asked to sacrafice. Bob makes way over $100,000 a year and each of the members of the BOS makes way over $100,000. Something isn’t right here.
The difficuty of the situation is that Bob is a corrupt imbicile. He said that the dues increase would fund PAC contibutions that he “guaranteed” would result in a 5% raise for County employees. Of course, such a guarantee would amount to a bribe of elected officials, which none of them could explicitly agree to. He “hoped” that the board members would reward the employees for their contributions, but that hope was ill founded. The Board could not agree to a substancial raise without the appearance of a quid pro quo, and since the monies we’re already in their coffers, they acted like it came from thin air - and no one can blame them. At least the bribes from the developers in the county come with an explicit understanding that the bribe is for a specific purpose. Bob was stupid enough to believe that his bribe (funded by employee dues) would reward county employees, and in turn, bring recognition and validiity to him. Unfortunately, in the long-standing environment of corruption such as the one that exists in the Board of Supervisors, the CAO’s office, and Human Resources, such assumptions are ill founded. If you’re going to bribe someone, you need some unofficial “leverage” to make sure your bribe is paid off. Bob neglected this point, and employees are out of luck. The dues increase did nothing, except provide raises to all of the idiots at SBPEA and wasted contributions to the BOS. Make no mistake, Bob Blough is of the same cloth as Uffer, the BOS, and every other corrupt county official and agency. He cares about himself first, and employees are nothing more to him than tools he can use to further his personal goals.
Could not have said it any better my friend.
The SBPEA board needs to wake up to Blough’s incompetence and show him the door. Members need to start contacting the board members and requesting such action.
I wonder why we are satisfied with 5% when probation and sherrifs get 10-15% raises? Now I know they are “Safety” but I would like to see a 7-10% raise for county workers. Inflation, the cost of benefits, gas, etc. give us 7% the first year, 5% the second and 3% the final year.
Thats pretty much what the BOS gave themselves.
Five percent used to be the norm. If we were having a good financial year, we would get more. I believe one year it was eight and another year it was six. But recent contracts have not come close. I think we’ve had at least one contract, maybe two, where we got nothing the final year and I think we’ve seen some two’s and even a one. We don’t see much more than three percent even if economic times are good. That’s what happens when you have overpaid, undereducated, unethical people running the show. They get what they can for themselves and leave the rest of us out.
Well said by one and all. Those who fought to resist the “dues increase” were right all along. So what else is new? And don’t think for a moment that you’ll get any slack in the ever increasing work load that the county dumps on it’s “line staff”. You’ll still be expected to work your a**es off in the same broken-down, dilapidated eye sore county environment. All we need now is one of those famous “pep talk” messages from our illustrious CAO, Mr. Bluffer. Let’s see how does it go…”My fellow county employees”……
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