Fact Checking the Council President

Claudette Williams, who last night said she isn't proposing to cut Borough employee benefits, is on tape at the last work session proposing to cut Borough employee benefits

At the Borough Council Meeting on September 3, Borough Council President Claudette Williams said our report Council Poised to Strip Borough Employee Benefits, was false. Although she refused to answer any questions about specific benefits and proposals, she claimed "Let it be known that we are not taking away benefits . . . . but we are not taking away the benefits." (You can listen to last night's meeting HERE, the denials were made at time index 01:42:23) That's not true. Let's go to the Audio Tape!

Here's the (partial) list of employee benefits that Claudette Williams and Aida Montanez, with support from other members of counsel, are trying to eliminate or reduce, as we reported last week. Following each item is the time index of the audio of last week's worksession and a brief description of who and what can be heard. You can go to the audio and move the line to the indicated time index to hear them proposing to strip benefits from Borough employees.

Strip benefits from permanent part time workers.

0:06:20 Aida Montanez says she wants to strip benefits from permanent part time employees

0:07:30 Aida Montanez : strip benefits from permanent part timers

0:08:04 Claudette Williams: That’s right anyone who is part time

Reduce the temporary payment period for worker comp applicants from 60 days to one week

0:24:21 Aida Montanez: One pay period is sufficient

Reduce vacations earned after two years from 10 to 7 days

0:43:55 Claudette Williams: Reduce vacation days after two years from 10 to 7

Aida Montanez: Then give two per year after that, max out at 20

Claudette Williams: After 2 years you shouldn’t jump from 5 to 10, make it 7

Remove or reduce accumulated sick leave and strip employees of any sick leave during the first 90 days of employment.

0:56:40 Aida Montanez: It doesn’t make sense to allow sick leave to be used during he probationary period . . . . "if you get a boo boo you’re not being paid"

Claudette Williams: "right" strike probationary period sick leave and they get every two months they get one sick day

Aida Montanez: Accumulation of sick leave to 60 days is excessive; 30 days should be the max

Fran O'Boyle: It takes ten years to get that much

Eliminate the opt-out benefit for employees who save the Borough thousands of dollars by choosing not to be covered by health insurance

1:28:44 Donna Casole: this waiver is a waste of money!!

Claudette Williams, Stacy Stewart Keeler, Fran O'Boyle: eliminate opt-out

Who ya gonna believe, her or your lyin' ears?

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