Weathering the Storm
By Jon Melegrito
Buffalo, New York
When nearly seven feet of snow hit this blizzard-prone city last December, it found a way to dig itself out. It always does.
But the rust-belt, multi-ethnic metropolis of 300,000 people is finding it tough nowadays to stay together as it tries to weather its severest storm in years: a $7-million budget gap this year and one three times as large in 2003. The crisis is pitting workers and residents against each other — thanks to The Buffalo News and Mayor Anthony M. Masiello (D), who have suggested that the unions are to blame.
In fact, the fiscal problems have gotten increasingly worse over decades and stem largely from structural problems in the city’s economy. The industrial might that a century ago made this the nation’s eighth-largest city, has greatly eroded. Gone are the steel mills and grain elevators. Today, Buffalo must depend on state aid to balance its budgets.
City Council member Charles Fisher notes that successive city administrations have failed to tap into the area’s tremendous resources such as its waterfront. Instead, he says, "We have turned inward, exacting more and more concessions from our own workers, who have nothing to do with this problem."
Fisher is correct. This year, relying mainly on advice from business leaders, Masiello has pushed to eliminate the Human Services Department and outsource such basic services as sanitation and recycling. Without those and other cost savings, he warned, massive layoffs may be the only option.
Not just complaining
To counter the mayor’s moves, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)/AFSCME Local 1000 and AFSCME locals from Councils 66 and 35 organized a formal affiliate group early this year. "In this hostile environment," says John Orlando, president of Local 1095 (Council 66), "we have to work together. No union by itself has a chance of making breakthroughs." Dave Christopher, president of Council 35, agrees: "This kind of cooperation has been needed in this area for a long time."
But instead of just complaining that these cuts are going to hurt, says Pres. Bill McGuire of Local 264 (Council 35), which represents sanitation workers, "We’re coming up with ideas of our own."
Like consolidation of services: "We’re working out the details of a plan that will shrink eight garbage districts to five. By shrinking, no one gets laid off. We’d be making better use of equipment and saving money on overtime. Once implemented, we believe that will push the threat of privatization much further away." The plan, expected to save nearly $1 million each year, is scheduled for implementation on May 1.
The affiliate group is also examining a "regionalism" proposal being pushed by Erie County’s top official Joel Giambra. He wants to merge city and county governments to solve budget problems.
CSEA Region VI Director Roger Sherry cautions, however, that part of Giambra’s agenda is to privatize city services: "This could easily spread to county operations, such as water and sewer. We need to study it further and take a broader look at Buffalo and all the eight counties of western New York state."
"This is why consultation is so important," says Mike Hoffert, president of Local 650 (Council 35), representing about 600 white-collar workers. "The city has never invited us to participate in discussing possible alternatives." He cites the mayor’s 17-point plan, which is full of quick fixes and spending cuts.
Working the media
AFSCME leaders were initially pleased when the mayor finally invited them to a three-hour meeting in January. But instead of compromising, he talked about consolidating services and giving zeros instead of wage increases.
To counter media union bashing, the work group has designed a strategy. It includes a "Public Service Employee Recognition Week" in April and a series on "Everyday Public Service Heroes" to be featured on local TV and radio stations. Union leaders are also exploring public access TV and meetings with The Buffalo News editorial board. The overall theme for the campaign is "We work for you — Now more than ever, we are in the public service."
Members plan to bring this message to Albany through letter-writing and lobbying efforts. Since January, they’ve mailed out 5,000 cards urging state legislators to support funding for the city.
Says Kathy Yeates, a city auditor and member of Local 650 who has lived in the area all her life, "Many people here put in 12 to 16 hours a day working two to three jobs. They care deeply about this place, yet they get walked on a lot. If only the powers that be can put their talents to better use, this city will bloom again."
What Members Think
In a recent survey of AFSCME members, two-thirds characterized the budget crises facing their state or local government as "very or somewhat serious" and said the problems have a direct effect on their own workplace. Asked their opinion on the primary reason for the problems, they responded: management — 24 percent; a slowing economy — 23; Sept. 11 attacks — 19; bad decisions by political leaders — 18.
Ninety-two percent said it’s "very or somewhat important" that AFSCME have a plan to address the deficits. Asked how much they thought the union could do about preventing job cuts, 57 percent replied "a lot or some." More broadly, 83 percent said they believe the union can be "effective ... in protecting the interests of its members in the current economic climate."
Asked about the steps they themselves favor, responses ranged upward from 67 percent for increasing taxes on cigarettes to 73 percent for cutting and streamlining management to 84 percent for freezing all politicians’ salaries. Members were divided about equally over whether to spend reserve funds and institute a general hiring freeze.
