Rooke to State: Layoff the Deadbeats
by Bill Dusty
Springfield City Councilor Timothy J. Rooke has proposed that any future municipal layoffs due to the current state budget crisis should be based on job performance rather than seniority.
The outspoken City Councilor said he made his proposal to the state’s Secretary of Administration and Finance, Leslie A. Kirwin, last week. He said he later heard back from the Director of Local Affairs, Pam Kocher, who suggested he put his proposal in writing so that it could be forwarded to the Governor’s Office. Rooke told the Intruder that he should have the final draft of that letter ready by mid-week. He said he informed Mayor Domenic Sarno of his proposal during a budget meeting hosted by the Mayor and the city’s acting chief financial officer, Timonthy J. Plante.
The proposal crafted by Rooke asks that Governor Deval Patrick and the state Legislature use the same authority that created the Springfield Finance Control Board to “grant the same special legislative authority during this fiscal crisis for local municipalities and towns to layoff employees not based upon seniority but based upon performance, attendance, productivity, etc.”
“Why would we opt to keep an employee who is out on WC [worker's compensation] on a regular basis for ‘bogus’ causes, unproductive on a daily basis, and disruptive to the daily flow of work,” wrote Rooke in an e-mail, “when we would have the option to keep instead your ideal employee who arrives early, is cooperative, conscientious, goal oriented, meets deadlines, arrive under budget on projects and is professional to the other employees and clients?”
Rooke noted that the need for the highest quality employees would be even greater with any downsizing. He said that he understands that unions would be resistant to any proposal that advocated layoffs based on performance over seniority, but in light of a downsized workforce and increased workload, it would be beneficial to the union to have the most productive employees on the job.
Governor Deval Patrick announced $700 million in budget cuts last month, with talk of more cuts to follow. Shortly after Patrick’s budget cuts were announced, some Springfield City Councilors suggested the city enact a hiring freeze. According to this Republican story, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said that his office was making preparations for any “worse case scenario” budget cuts that may affect the city.
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3 Responses for “Rooke to State: Layoff the Deadbeats”
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I agree I see plenty of coworkers who are out on a regular basis and when there really do not put in a full day worth of work. I show up do my job and am pleasant to all. It is frustrating to see this type of behavior from so called adults. I don’t agree with the unions on most cases and feel they are promoted this type of attitude in many workers.
How about city workers having to live in the city and promoting quality work instead of doing the least for the most money, mentality. Why should the city pay people to live outside the city?
Home rule is the answer and the need for the city to survive.
Good Luck to Rooke, I agree with him 100%. it’s common sense to judge a worker based on their work performance rather than because they were there for so long. I think Rooke will have one hell of a fight on his hands from the Liberal, Corrupt & Overly-beaureaucratic unions that flourish here in Springfield.