Grand Jury Report
There is a link at the bottom of the post for a Grand Jury report from San Mateo County titled: "Summary of Reversing the Upward Trajectory of Employee Costs in the Cities of San Mateo County".
This report is probably the most comprehensive and detailed report ever compiled on the current status of public employee compensation. In this report, the 2008-2009 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury analyzes examples of wages, post-retirement health care and pension benefits, as well as current benefits and city hiring practices that increase public employee costs.
The report also recommends to cities and voters actions they can implement to reverse this upward trajectory.
The 2008-2009 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury concludes and recommends that:
-The escalating employee costs can and should be reversed so civic services and infrastructure improvements are not neglected.
-In addition to stop-gap measures, such as temporary wage freezes and furloughs, long- term solutions should be implemented.
-Labor union contracts for newly hired municipal employees should be introduced to reduce the cost to cities of both pension and post-retirement health care plans.
-For current, as well as newly hired employees, salary increases, total days off, the ability to convert sick leave to cash, and vacation pay must be contained.
-The practice of narrowly basing salaries and compensation packages entirely on those of nearby cities should be reconsidered. Hiring practices should be expanded to include competition with the private sector.
-Where cost-efficiencies can be achieved, services should be contracted out to other cities or private sector firms.
-Cooperation between cities to reduce overlapping functions should be pursued.
-Political barriers to change exist because all those negotiating employee contracts--staff, unions and city council members--benefit when wage and compensation packages increase.
-Barriers to change should be neutralized by providing for increased public involvement and, possibly through ballot measures.
To read the entire report, click here.
This report is probably the most comprehensive and detailed report ever compiled on the current status of public employee compensation. In this report, the 2008-2009 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury analyzes examples of wages, post-retirement health care and pension benefits, as well as current benefits and city hiring practices that increase public employee costs.
The report also recommends to cities and voters actions they can implement to reverse this upward trajectory.
The 2008-2009 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury concludes and recommends that:
-The escalating employee costs can and should be reversed so civic services and infrastructure improvements are not neglected.
-In addition to stop-gap measures, such as temporary wage freezes and furloughs, long- term solutions should be implemented.
-Labor union contracts for newly hired municipal employees should be introduced to reduce the cost to cities of both pension and post-retirement health care plans.
-For current, as well as newly hired employees, salary increases, total days off, the ability to convert sick leave to cash, and vacation pay must be contained.
-The practice of narrowly basing salaries and compensation packages entirely on those of nearby cities should be reconsidered. Hiring practices should be expanded to include competition with the private sector.
-Where cost-efficiencies can be achieved, services should be contracted out to other cities or private sector firms.
-Cooperation between cities to reduce overlapping functions should be pursued.
-Political barriers to change exist because all those negotiating employee contracts--staff, unions and city council members--benefit when wage and compensation packages increase.
-Barriers to change should be neutralized by providing for increased public involvement and, possibly through ballot measures.
To read the entire report, click here.
Labels: Labor
posted by City Manager @ 6:57 AM
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