2011-01-28 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

Home

MS. NICHOLSON: I think we should leave that in. Number 4. MR. ARMOUR: I don’t like number 4. If the manager is doing his job, he should follow the procedures, and reprimand employees appropriately and discipline them, and then eliminate them, fire them. Here it’s basically saying work with the unions so I can fire people easier. MS. NICHOLSON: You want to strike it or is there a germ of something we want to preserve here and express in a different way? MR. ARMOUR: I would prefereliminating, but what’s everybody else’s opinion? MS. NICHOLSON: Okay. Does everybody agree we can eliminate it? MR. MATSUDA: Technically I don’t agree with it. I think unless that individual is doing something grossly negligent or whether it be stealing or something like that from the County, it is a long, drawn out process to get anybody discharged from their employment. And as a supervisor, I’ve gone through that process. It took me quite some time even going through the point of reprimanding that individual, and nothing came about, believe it or not. The person just decided to retire. MR. ARMOUR: I know what you’re saying but maybe it would be better to word it, Work with unions to come up with –I don’t know the correct word. MS. NICHOLSON: Well I think we should take out,work with the unions, and if we’re going to save something, Glen, is it make it easier to release non-productive workers? MR. MATSUDA: Well, see then, the thing is if it makes it easier per se, and I don’t know what easier is, but it makes the person or puts the person as they, saying oh well, hey if I don’t straighten up they’re going to be able to can me. Right now, everybody thinks they’re untouchable. So that’s the consensus that I see. And that’s the only reason why I’m disagreeing with what he’s saying but just eliminating that. MR. ARMOUR: I have a problem with the nonproductive worker. I think if you’re going to make it easier to give rid of nonproductive workers you should change your whole list of policies and make it easier to get rid of anybody whether they steal. Cause nonproductive is very vague. To say you’re nonproductive, and you’re not nonproductive, that’s why I’m just saying, if you’re going to do it for one, just make it a general, just a disciplinary policy review of it or something. MR. MATSUDA: Well I agree with the nonproductive. There are certain steps that you have to actually do. MR. ARMOUR: And I agree. I agree it’s very hard to get rid of employees so I don’t have a problem saying, change the disciplinary procedures but don’t say, make it easier because this employee is nonproductive, because then everybody that they want to get rid of will become a nonproductive employee. MR. MATSUDA: I understand what you’re saying. 29