Post by Peggy Covert on Oct 25, 2013 19:30:44 GMT -5
Finding myself quoted numerous times I'd like to provide here a copy of my entire statement to Council at the October 21st City Council meeting:
Over the past year there have been a number of meetings when this council room was filled to capacity with residents and rate payers, sometimes with standing room only. Each time, everyone left feeling like none of the City Council members were listening or had any interest in the citizens' concerns or questions. Many of those people refuse to continue wasting their time dealing with such indifference.
You seem to have such contempt for VOICE members. But we are continuing to speak for many others who care but are unwilling to keep facing this attitude which is so prevalent within the city leadership. You certainly know many of us because we have been very open about our concerns. Others don't want to be in the forefront and WE respect their wishes for privacy but their concerns are just as legitimate. We are all city residents and/or rate payers of Lowell Light & Power which you, the City Council, regulate..
We HAVE become more insistent as we have seen the reluctance to answer legitimate questions and concerns. If THAT is considered hostile and combative then perhaps that is simply a difference in perspective.
As a member of VOICE I have been asked to speak on behalf of several of your registered voters who are not able to be here tonight or do not wish to speak publicly.
They are registered voters that you represent and who demand that you follow Judge O'Connor's decree and forgo any further taxpayer expense in attempting to appeal his decision. Even if Mr. Howe doesn't like the judge's attitude, Judge O'Connor's decisions were based on indisputable fact and law. Mr Howe has proven time and again that he is unable to bargain in good faith. He has broken labor laws, infringed on Constitutional rights, lied under oath and demonstrated he is unable to manage the workforce he is responsible for.
Winston Churchill once said: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutelyâ€. This certainly seems to apply here and you as the City Council have allowed this one man to have absolute power over this city and with the tax payers' money. To allow him to appeal this decision with more of the tax payers' money would be adding insult to injury.
I am now going to quote from Judge O'Connor's court document:
“Howe's bargaining posture, if one can call it that, was particularly antagonistic. At the table, Howe insisted that any contract would have to include the IBEW members being employed at will; that the City reserved the right to replace the full-time IBEW members with non-bargaining-unit part-timers; and that the City reserved the right to subcontract all of the IBEW work. The Union was asked to give up all of the rights which might be found in an ordinary contract.
(I'm still quoting) Such proposals are FAR from the norm in the public sector and can only be viewed rationally as an effort to avoid reaching a contract with the Union, as a contract based on such terms would be tantamount to no contract at all. Howe's posture in bargaining was that he was to have the final word on every issue.†(Absolute power!)
These are the points that the Union has not been able to allow in a contract for our workers and are now the same points that this judge has deemed bargaining in bad faith. And this is basically reiterating what was previously indicated by an independent fact finder in the negotiations with LL&P.
It is time to stop spending tax payers money, sign a fair and reasonable contract and let everyone get back to business.
I would like to repeat what I said previously:
I am speaking for registered voters that you represent and who demand that you follow Judge O'Connor's decree and forgo any further taxpayer expense in attempting to appeal his decision.
Thank You
Over the past year there have been a number of meetings when this council room was filled to capacity with residents and rate payers, sometimes with standing room only. Each time, everyone left feeling like none of the City Council members were listening or had any interest in the citizens' concerns or questions. Many of those people refuse to continue wasting their time dealing with such indifference.
You seem to have such contempt for VOICE members. But we are continuing to speak for many others who care but are unwilling to keep facing this attitude which is so prevalent within the city leadership. You certainly know many of us because we have been very open about our concerns. Others don't want to be in the forefront and WE respect their wishes for privacy but their concerns are just as legitimate. We are all city residents and/or rate payers of Lowell Light & Power which you, the City Council, regulate..
We HAVE become more insistent as we have seen the reluctance to answer legitimate questions and concerns. If THAT is considered hostile and combative then perhaps that is simply a difference in perspective.
As a member of VOICE I have been asked to speak on behalf of several of your registered voters who are not able to be here tonight or do not wish to speak publicly.
They are registered voters that you represent and who demand that you follow Judge O'Connor's decree and forgo any further taxpayer expense in attempting to appeal his decision. Even if Mr. Howe doesn't like the judge's attitude, Judge O'Connor's decisions were based on indisputable fact and law. Mr Howe has proven time and again that he is unable to bargain in good faith. He has broken labor laws, infringed on Constitutional rights, lied under oath and demonstrated he is unable to manage the workforce he is responsible for.
Winston Churchill once said: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutelyâ€. This certainly seems to apply here and you as the City Council have allowed this one man to have absolute power over this city and with the tax payers' money. To allow him to appeal this decision with more of the tax payers' money would be adding insult to injury.
I am now going to quote from Judge O'Connor's court document:
“Howe's bargaining posture, if one can call it that, was particularly antagonistic. At the table, Howe insisted that any contract would have to include the IBEW members being employed at will; that the City reserved the right to replace the full-time IBEW members with non-bargaining-unit part-timers; and that the City reserved the right to subcontract all of the IBEW work. The Union was asked to give up all of the rights which might be found in an ordinary contract.
(I'm still quoting) Such proposals are FAR from the norm in the public sector and can only be viewed rationally as an effort to avoid reaching a contract with the Union, as a contract based on such terms would be tantamount to no contract at all. Howe's posture in bargaining was that he was to have the final word on every issue.†(Absolute power!)
These are the points that the Union has not been able to allow in a contract for our workers and are now the same points that this judge has deemed bargaining in bad faith. And this is basically reiterating what was previously indicated by an independent fact finder in the negotiations with LL&P.
It is time to stop spending tax payers money, sign a fair and reasonable contract and let everyone get back to business.
I would like to repeat what I said previously:
I am speaking for registered voters that you represent and who demand that you follow Judge O'Connor's decree and forgo any further taxpayer expense in attempting to appeal his decision.
Thank You