Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Toledo trash 'sick out'

According to today's paper, the cost to hire private trash collection firms to cover the routes impacted by 23 trash collectors calling in sick was $140 per hour.

If this is less than the cost of paying overtime to have city workers cover these same garbage routes, why wouldn't this be a permanent solution instead of a temporary one?

Is the goal of the city to protect the unionized workforce - or to protect the pocketbooks of citizens who are paying the bills?

What a dilemma and terrific question for elected officials...

5 comments:

Timothy W Higgins said...

Maggie,

How can you ask such a question? Just because we have union leaders in our local governments and union leaders running parts of our local parties is no reason to suspect any collusion between these two groups.

I am shocked! (end sarcasm)

Publius said...

Ditto to Tim's comments.

What most of the public doesn't know is that these workers don't work eight hours, but get paid eight hours. Most only work 4-6 hours, but because the work is deemed to be so labor intensive, the city agreed to pay them 8 hours. So, when they say they are paying "overtime" to these guys, I wonder if they start paying overtime after 40 hours a week, after 8 hours a day, or after 4 hours a day?

Publius

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Bingo!

(Sadly, all of the GOOD comments were already taken...)

Billy said...

Did anyone get an answer to Publius's question? Are they wanting OT pay after 40hrs, or after 20hrs?

Maggie said...

sorry...

OT is after 40 hours, so if they have to do two routes in a day, they don't start getting paid OT until they get past 8 hours...

from the Toledo Municipal Code - the contract for Teamsters Local 20:

2121.65 Daily Overtime
(a) All work in excess of the regularly scheduled eight (8) hour work day shall be overtime and compensated at the rate of time and one-half (1-1/2) the regular rate or as otherwise provided. Overtime shall not be paid twice for the same hours.

(b) If an employee is requested to report back to work, not contiguous to the beginning or end of the regular shift, the employee shall be guaranteed a minimum of four (4) hours overtime pay.

(c) If the employee is requested to report to work two (2) hours or less prior to but contiguous to the start of the shift, the employee shall be guaranteed two (2) hours of overtime pay.

(d) If the employee is requested to report to work more than two (2) hours but less than four (4) hours prior to but contiguous to the start of the shift, the employee shall be guaranteed four (4) hours overtime pay.

(e) All such hours shall be paid at the appropriate overtime rate.

2121.66 Saturday Overtime
For regularly scheduled employees (Monday-Friday), Saturdays shall be compensated at the rate of time and one-half (1-1/2) provided such employees have been credited with forty (40) hours straight-time pay in the scheduled work week. A minimum of four (4) hours pay at the appropriate overtime rate shall be guaranteed to such employees.

2121.67 Sunday Overtime
For regularly scheduled employees (Monday - Friday), Sundays shall be compensated at the rate of double time provided such employees have been credited with forty (40) hours straight-time pay in the scheduled work week. A minimum of four (4) hours pay at the appropriate overtime rate shall be guaranteed to such employees.

2121.68 Holiday Overtime
(a) When a regularly scheduled employee (Monday-Friday) works on a holiday, the employee shall be compensated for the holiday plus double time for all hours worked on such holiday. A minimum of four (4) hours pay at the appropriate overtime rate shall be guaranteed to such employees.

(b) When a holiday falls on a Saturday and the City celebrates the holiday on Friday, if an employee worked Friday the employee shall be compensated at the double time rate for all hours worked on the Friday. In the event the employee works on Saturday, the employee shall be compensated at time and one-half (1½) for all hours worked on Saturday. In the event the holiday falls on Sunday and is observed on Monday, this same rule shall apply.

2121.69 Overtime Guarantee
The overtime guarantees set forth herein shall not be applied to those situations where the employee is attending a prescheduled meeting; where there has been a citizen complaint which necessitates a Pollution Control inspection outside the regular working hours; or to attend a required court hearing as a witness in connection with their City employment. In such cases the employee shall be guaranteed two (2) hours pay at the appropriate overtime rate.

Google Analytics Alternative