Rendell to Unions: I Need Concessions

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says he must have concessions from labor unions by the end of March or he will have to take some sort of unilateral action. The announcement raised the ire of many union members and their leaders. Rendell says without the concessions he will either temporarily close nonessential offices or lay off workers. He says his staff and leaders of three unions have met several times but Service Employees International Union Local 668 President Kathy Jellison says that is only half the story. She says Rendell’s staff came into those meetings with “their marching orders” and was not interested in listening to any suggestions from the unions. She says she offered several ways to save money including suggestions to end some outsourcing that she says would save millions of dollars and increase quality control. Rendell has spoke of the need to save money through union concessions but this is the first time e has placed a deadline on the request. Jellison says her members agreed to a wage freeze and began paying for healthcare benefits two contracts ago and are now getting raises that do not even cover the rising cost of living. She says any further cuts would be “to the bone.” Jellison wonders how the state can talk one moment about creating jobs and the next about eliminating them. She adds it seems odd that just as demand for state services increase the governor would be talking about cutting staff. Among the jobs done by SEIU members is the processing of unemployment applications. Jellison says despite all the rhetoric she believes a solution can be found if "we sit down and actually listen to each other.” Jellison represent about 10,000 state employees.