Undeterred by 98-degree temperatures, Ohio University union members gathered at College Gate, Baker University Center and South Green yesterday to picket and hand out fliers about recent layoffs.
In July, American Federation of School, County and Municipal Employees Local 1699 members were informed that 24 employees would be laid off this month and eight vacant positions would be eliminated. The workers with the least seniority were presented with letters notifying them of the layoffs.
We thought when we signed the three-year contract that we would have labor peace for three years
said Dave Logan, president of the Local 1699. We thought that gave us job security.
AFSCME 1699 ratified its three-year contract in February.
Of the laid off employees, 17 were custodial workers and the rest were zone-maintenance workers.
The union contends that the cuts are in violation of their contract.
Our contract states in no uncertain terms that there are only two reasons you can do a lay off: lack of work or lack of money Logan said.
Vice President for Finance and Administration William Decatur said the layoffs were necessary to balance this year's budget. Too few employees took early retirement payouts, he said, and money was needed to fund positions with higher priority, including three police sergeants and an associate vice president of finance.
Decatur said increases in revenue are not projected to keep pace with growing costs. OU is not allowed to increase tuition this year or next year as part of the state's education budget but is receiving more state funding.
AFSCME members plan to protest today from 1-6 p.m. and will continue until the jobs are restored, Logan said. Decatur said university officials don't see any way to do that.
These are difficult times. This is all about making touch choices and these choices are consistent with our planning and priority he said.
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American Federation of State, County and Municipality Employees's member Jim Perry (left) discusses the Local 1699 chapter's picketing over 24 job cuts at Ohio University with freshmen Zoe Adams (center) and Ralla Bonanno. Perry and other protestors
