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Workers protest county job threat
By DAVID KARP © St. Petersburg Times, published October 12, 2000 TAMPA -- The signs outside the County Center screamed about a sell-out of county workers. "Privatization Is Government for Sale!" the placards said. Holding the signs and chanting, maintenance men, electricians and truck drivers took their lunch hour Wednesday to protest changes that threaten 500 jobs. "We need to make sure they can hear us up there!" union leader Danny Johnson yelled into a bullhorn as he pointed up to the second-floor chamber of the County Commission. "It's your job on the line." Last month, the County Commission voted for a plan to let private companies compete to provide three basic county services: lawn mowing, street maintenance and garbage hauling. Florida TaxWatch, a non-profit, non-partisan research group, estimated that such a move could save taxpayers $4-million. And with Republicans running for the commission on a platform to shrink the size of government, the commission voted in September to seek competitive bids for the work. The issue could become a major part of at least one commission campaign. Republican Joe Chillura is challenging Democratic Commissioner Jan Platt on a platform that includes implementing the TaxWatch report. "The winner in all of this is the taxpayer," Chillura said Wednesday. Platt did not attend Wednesday's rally, sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, but criticized the plan in an interview later. "The only thing to cut would be health care and pensions, and for nearly a year their jobs will be threatened," Platt said. "That is not a good way to save public funds." County Administrator Dan Kleman opposed the idea when Florida TaxWatch first proposed it in 1998. But Kleman changed his recommendation in September as the commission pushed him to implement the TaxWatch report. "Dan Kleman: I think we need to send him back to Tallahassee," chanted Tony Fernandez, president of Hillsborough County Employees Union Local 167, as Kleman, former Tallahasse city manager, looked on. "I came here to listen to the employees," Kleman said, standing several feet from the chanting crowd. Union leaders said they could work with Kleman, whose staff has questioned the TaxWatch report. TaxWatch estimated that the changes could save $4-million, but the county staff said the savings could not be determined. Union officials doubted TaxWatch's estimate. "Basically, they made it up," said Doug Martin, communications director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Even proponents said they want to structure competition to protect worker benefits and pay. "The employees would more than likely be hired," said Commissioner Ben Wacksman, a Democrat who supports the plan. "Competition brings out the best in people. And I think our county employees are some of the best in the state." The county could require private businesses to give workers the same wages and benefits as county employees, he said. And county staffers will help county workers compete for the work they already perform. Chillura said the competition will help workers cut costs. He also thinks the county workers will win the bid in the end. But workers lashed out Wednesday against the mere threat that they could lose their jobs. And they said they were insulted by the attitude that they don't work well enough now. "With us, at least you have pride," asked Anthony Castellano, 42, an electrician. "These guys (in private industry) blow in and out. We have to go back and repair their work." -- David Karp can be reached at (813) 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com.
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