I am writing in response to a call I received this morning advising of the administration’s intent to layoff employees. The notice was given after a letter notifying employees of what is to come had gone out yesterday.
While I understand that the day to day operations of the city rest squarely with the administration, the council has responsibility for the budget. Because of our critical situation in the middle of COVID 19, it is expected that adjustments may need to be made to protect the capacity of the city going forward. It is, however, a good thing to exchange data, ideas and to weigh considerations collectively to be sure that leadership makes decisions armed with an accurate picture of what is actually at stake.
My fear is that we have not done that in this case.
First, I have no idea whether other options have been seriously considered. When I got the call this morning, I thought we were in the research and discussion stage, suggesting that we consider a temporary across the board pay cut of about 15 percent to reach the savings goal the layoff was designed to reach. That seemed to fall on closed ears, and after the call I received a copy of the letter that had already gone out to employees dated yesterday.
The plea I made to the administration is that, if we are “Hattiesburg Strong,” we need to walk that walk and not just talk the talk. In this time of crisis and sacrifice, our employees should not be selectively spotlighted for any greater losses than our leadership and management level employees. If there is pain that must be borne in this space, we ALL should be willing to shoulder that pain. An across the board pay cut would enable the city to continue to operate at maximum capacity and keep the personnel we have intact. Trying to hire people back after we get past this crisis is fraught with unknowns that can cost us dearly.
The layoff or reduction in force, as the mayor described it, will cause employees and families to lose health insurance and perhaps even access to the employee health clinic. The tragedy of that loss is that we are fighting a pandemic that has taken the life of one city employee and sidelined many citizens of our great city. The loss of health insurance and access to health care is not something the city should exact upon our employees at this stage. The coronavirus disease is a killer. Any decision to take away the livelihood of employees and access to healthcare for their families must be done with fully conscious awareness of what is at stake and the consequences.
I take issue with the selection process for those who will be victims of the reduction in force. In the language of the letter, the following factors are being used to determine who will lose their livelihood and healthcare: critical nature of the position to the provision of city services; employee attendance and discipline history; experience, professional training, length of service and work assignment; skills and licensure in the area where the city has requirements and positions with shared similar duties within and area.
Without even going into the finite details of the criteria, the City does not have a Personnel Director or Human Resources Director. The position has not been filled for the past few years. Employees have been challenged with not being provided the assistance ordinarily given by such an officer when addressing grievances that may have resulted in the discipline history referenced by the Mayor. For sure, there is so very much more, but my point here is that this decision should be rolled back and our eyes opened to more equitable options.
Our employees are our greatest asset. We must be considerate in times of great challenge and suffering. We are in such a time right now. COVID 19 is having a disproportionate impact on people of color. Our workforce is majority African American, particularly the lowest paying positions. Other than addressing the diseases common to our community, the science is not such that we are able to say why the disparity exists. We do know that, once we get it, the outcome can be deadly. To lose health coverage in the middle of a huge public health threat is a deep tragedy that does not have to be. If the point of the reduction in force is to save money, could not an across the board pay cut in an appropriate percentage accomplish the same?
My request is that the administration reconsider and that those of you who will be impacted by this decision raise your voices. Singular action can be a threatening thing if you work for the City of Hattiesburg; I do understand that. But this is the time to come together and protect your own best interest and that of your families.
I am not inextricably tied to the across the board pay cut. Furlough with benefits could also be a better option than the selective layoffs.
There is strength in numbers, which is why an organized workforce appeals to me. Workers need protection in times of crisis that such organization offers. Collective bargaining can offer so many safeguards for the hardworking people of our community, such as having a grievance process and health advisors.
My request is that our city protect the people who make our city what it is. I genuinely thought that was the Hattiesburg Way.
Deborah Delgado, Ward 2
