SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | 5A
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What are you willing to pay for?
employees with a spouse or children,
to cover their co-pay and deductible
costs. This typically becomes a savings
account for the employee. The health
plans cost the district $22,866 per
employee plus the $1,500 to $3,000
contribution per employee in 2020.
There are other benefits too like gym
club memberships, cell phone stipends,
the ability to cash in your vacation to
supercharge your PERS pension. Where
Each director strives to do his or
can you go to work in the private sector
her best and not all have expertise
and the employer offers such generous
in accounting, financial analysis or
benefits?
strategic planning. Some have past
Speaking of PERS, the New York
health care experience. Not all are
Times highlighted that the Oregon State
experienced entrepreneurs or have
PERS program was one of the most
past experience managing labor union
underfunded and poorly managed
contracts. Another difficulty is that
retirement systems in the United States.
persons can be elected to the Board of
Despite changes in different tiers of
Unfortunately, the Chief prematurely
Directors who have divided or union
retirement benefits the amount that is
sympathies. One director has stated and publicly divulged our negotiating
due by our taxpayers continues to grow
“I’m here for the guys”, a reference that goals by line item in our budget process
each year. In the 2017 PERS Actuarial
this director has the “backs” of the before we were able to approach and
Report, the Unfunded Actuarial
unionized working staff. The same negotiate with our labor group and their
Liability owed by our district was
director stated, “The public doesn’t union. He either did this intentionally
$2,870,638 and climbed to $3,428,376
care what they pay for ambulance to design these negotiations to fail
in two years’ time. For comparison,
services”. We also have had directors or he was inexperienced at labor
private ambulance businesses typically
who stated that “we didn’t know what negotiations. This inflamed our labor
offer a more affordable 401K type
we were signing for”, in terms of what group and employees who never see
retirement plan that both the employee
the particular sections, paragraphs, and themselves as taking any cuts in their
and employer contribute to. For the
economic terms in the labor agreement pay and benefits, which they now take
PERS Retirement program, our district
would bring as total costs to the district. for granted. They complained loudly
pays the PERS employer obligation
during the budget process meetings.
costs and also picks up the employee
The firefighters union that represents Their outcries of “decimating” the
6% obligation.
the paramedics and EMTs of our district were emotional. One employee
What to do? We believe that the
district has a long pattern of writing described the PTSD this employee
union has such a strong hold on
contracts that have “multipliers” that experienced in the job. As a result, a
labor management relations here that
supercharge wages, overtime, and majority of three Board members caved
no elected Board will
retirement benefits.
The
current
labor
agreement
has
the
following
stated
wages
as
compared
ever have the resolve
Additionally,
once
to fix these economic
you get to know the with the competing private ambulance services in our area:
problems. The only way
wonderful staff and
Private
to change this district
the great individuals WLAD
Paramedics:
Paramedics:
In
actual
budgeting,
our
district
and make it operate more
who work here, it
is also required by the union to
efficiently is to deny it
is very difficult as a
funding by voting against
director to say “No” Step 1: $62,208
$48,253
cover first call sick leave, vacation,
the Operating Levy.
in a labor negotiation Step 2: $65,692
$50,202
PTO training, etc. at overtime
We would be better
that disrupts the Step 3: $69,370
$54,241
rates of pay. Last year this staffing
off
right now to contract
harmony and morale Step 4: $73,255
$56,714
of overtime cost $303,769.
out our community’s
of the labor group.
Step 5: $77,357
$60,258
ambulance ALS, BLS
As a result, we
Step
6:
$81,689
$61,865
Because
of
this
additional
overtime
and transport services
have
experienced
Step
7:
“
$63,556
the
district
budgets
$86,850
on
to a private company
“contract creep” as
“
$65,287
average for each of the 12 full time
because the alternative is
each new contract Step 8:
forever increasing labor
brings another raise Step 9:
“
$67,265
positions. Supervisors earn 15%
costs, benefits costs, and
or “gimmee” for the Step 10:
“
$69,078
additional hourly pay and the
retirement liabilities that
union.
Step 11:
“
$71,098
district budgets $122,586 for each
are a tremendous burden
Step 12:
“
$73,076
of the 3 positions. This is far
on our taxpayers, small
It has also been true
Step 13:
“
$76,456
above what the Chief earns!
businesses, and retirees
in the past with Chief
on fixed incomes. If
Jim Langborg and
with our current Chief Michael Schick, on our negotiating goals. We were not to hire or fire personnel, and previously we deny the ambulance district its
that our District CEO, the fire and EMS proposing any operational changes, only did no employee performance reviews. operating levy, it will either have to
Chief, has not been a true advocate for changes in compensation and benefits. They supervise four to six other contract out the services or learn how
to staff the operation like any private
taxpayers and has advised that “this is Therefore, the only changes would be employees on a shift.
These levels of compensation are business would do.
how things are done in government” economic. All staffing levels would
We must say this:
These first
as opposed to how things would be remain the same. The same level of certainly far above the average wages
managed by a private business. We professional medical transport and care for paramedics across the State of responders are our heros. We respect
have seen evidence of this in costs would continue. In the end, although Oregon and across our country. The and appreciate them. Just like our
within the budget process and with the the firefighters union publicly stated median wage for paramedics in the police officers, military, doctors and
compensation and benefits proffered to that they would work with the district State of Oregon is $43,939 and the nurses, and our Coast Guard, who are
staff positions not covered by the union on any economic challenges, the union median wage at the 90th percentile is also our heros. However, when “hero
labor agreement. There is, in our would not make a single economic $55,665. (Source: Salary.com) Our worship” distracts us, or if we are taken
opinion, a huge sense of entitlement counter-offer during negotiations and staff is being compensated at a level unfair advantage of by those who
we entered mediation. Faced with that is 47% ABOVE the 90th percentile feel entitled and who are providing
throughout the entire organization.
We ask you to reflect on what the either placing our “last best and final for their peers in the state, and they “government service”, or if we are being
meaning of “public service” is or should offer” and having either a strike or reach a salary of $77,357 in five years of ransacked by their trade union, we
be. Our belief is that those who serve lockout, the Board settled on a contract service that is greater than the private must push back. Unless you believe
the public owe a duty to keep costs that provided no cuts in compensation ambulance services pay at fifteen that paying far beyond normal levels of
low and that taxpayers reward them or benefits but instead a freeze in wages years of service at $76,457. The same compensation is warranted, you should
with a stable competitive living wage, for cost of living adjustments only. is true of the shift supervisors who vote No on any levy.
Several levies have failed recently. In
healthcare benefits, and a retirement Employees would still receive step each earn $122,586 per year. Keep
plan. But what happens if “government” increases. This is a two-year contract. in mind that this is far more than the the last election Oakridge taxpayers
becomes a servant of itself, constantly The union steadfastly denied that we Chief earns for managing the entire defeated a local option tax that would
raising salaries, benefits and perks that have economic challenges despite department at $113,089. This is more have supported ambulance services.
are far above what is offered in the losing money in three of the past four pay than is paid to the Director of the The Lane Fire Authority local option
private business sector? This is exactly years and that these problems should, Port of Siuslaw Authority ($72,000), levy failed as well. In Marion County,
if real, be fixed only with another tax more pay than is paid to the General voters rejected a levy and the district
what has happened here in Florence.
Manager of the Heceta Water District laid off 12 firefighter paramedics. In
The district failed to negotiate a labor increase.
Essentially the district has been PUD (Range $69,835 to $108,336), each case, the costs of these services
agreement to bring labor costs back
into alignment with what is offered operating at an audited loss each year more pay than is paid to a Florence was evaluated by voters and rejected.
The WLAD Board intends to ask
in the private sector. The previous for three of the past four years. As a Police Department Commander (range
labor agreement was signed in March result we have been making up the $73,266 to $96,412), and more pay voters to renew the operating levy in
2017 just before directors, who (like shortfall by drawing against our savings than our Florence Police Chief earns at the November 2021 election, and if
Larry Farnsworth), were elected in and assets. We eliminated our Building (range $89,055 to $117,191). The staff voted down, to ask again in the May
May 2017 and installed in office in Capital Budget. Our current Equipment pay scales at the ambulance district are 2022 election.
We believe your voices should be
July 2017. We had to live with that Capital Budget forecasts exhausted certainly way above what most of our
labor agreement until 2020 when the resources with diminishing balances small business owners earn in Florence heard by the Board as it deliberates on
Besides the pay, another issue for a strategic future for these services in
contract became open. We attempted each year as we take funds that should
to negotiate a new labor agreement be reserved for equipment replacement WLAD is the outsized level of benefits. our community. If the Board cannot or
Each employee accrues a month of will not correct this, you have the final
this year. Our Board of Directors, to fund the labor agreement.
Some will say that the call volume vacation at the end of their first year of say at the ballot box. Yes or No?
understanding our fiscal losses in the
last few years, and examining the parity has gone up and so have the costs to employment. This includes an accrual
of wages and benefits in this industry, operate the district. This is true in for named holidays. They receive
This informational page paid for by
unanimously came to a consensus every ambulance area in our state. a generous health plan where they
Larry Farnsworth
about the economic changes we needed These same folks ignore the increases only pay 10% of the premium cost for
RJ Pilcher
in this new contract. We were looking in billed patient care services revenues, themselves and their family members.
Joel Marks
to potentially cut labor costs between increases in tax revenues due to With low deductibles on these plans,
$250,000 and $480,000 per year. property developments, new homes the district also gives each employee
PO Box 118 Florence OR 97439
This negotiating goal was reached by being constructed and added to tax $1,500 in cash per year for single
management and the Board after we rolls, and property tax valuation employees and $3,000 per year for
Unfortunately for taxpayers, the
startup of this government run
ambulance service has devolved into an
extremely expensive operation. One of
the great difficulties of managing our
district has been that we are governed
by elected volunteers who serve on
a Board of Directors. We also have a
manager or Chief as CEO.
examined other comparable agencies
and ambulance businesses and our
desire to keep this district afloat. We
believe that we need to operate it
more like a private business in fairly
representing the taxpayers who elected
us. These concessions were publicly
detailed and approved by line item
in our budget plan for this year. We
were willing to accept a minimum of
$250,000 in cuts in a one year contract
only because we didn’t have three of the
five directors in consensus on the Board
for the steeper $350,000 in cuts that
were needed. The plan and negotiating
goal was to cut $250,000 this year and
get the remaining cuts in the following
one-year contract.
increases each year.
As our population increases the
number of homes and businesses will
increase and thereby tax revenues
increase. Unfortunately, the costs at
WLAD have outpaced increased billed
patient care revenues and even this
incremental increased property tax
revenue. The Board is contemplating
a strategic planning process and
asking you to consider a renewal of
the operating levy. Then they may
be considering asking you to allow a
full merger of the Siuslaw Valley Fire
Department and the Western Lane
Ambulance District into a new tax
district, at a higher permanent tax rate
that will mask over the problems in
the labor agreement. We oppose this
merger.
Exactly how much are our
paramedics compensated? It should be
noted that paramedics around the state
and nation work around 2,912 hours
per year. This is more than a regular
full-time equivalent and is similar to
firefighters. Sometimes they are very
busy, sometimes not, but they are
“on call” and during their duty time
could be running calls, working on
equipment, training, eating, resting/
sleep.
Ask yourself, where can you go in
the private business sector and earn
$86,850 per year after earning a two-
year Associate Degree? The three shift
supervisors, each earning $122,586
have no budget authority, are not able