Bristol Township officials did their own version of the happy dance at last week’s council meeting as they talked about the financial progress made in 2013. Officials referred to the report as a”miracle.”
For employees of the township, that good news turned to bad for seven township employees, Transport Worker Union President Mike Walsh confirmed Thursday night for LevittownNow.com. The union Walsh leads represents some of the employees the township cut back.
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Walsh said “seven Bristol Township employees” were laid off from their full -time positions and offered part- time roles on Monday.
Walsh said he received an e-mail from the township human resources director on Monday afternoon about the cut backs.
Township Manager Bill McCauley is “out of control,” Walsh said. “He doesn’t want to negotiate or respect the decision of arbitrators.”
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Walsh pointed out the part-time status for those employees begins on April 29, adding the date is significant in one light considering a hearing is set to take place in Harrisburg because TWU filed a grievance against the township for unfair labor practices.
Walsh said it was clear to him McCauley was sending a message by choosing that date, adding “that’s not an accident at all.”
Walsh contends McCauley isn’t following through on arbitor rulings won by TWU recently.
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“It’s not exactly a smart thing to do,” Walsh said about the township manager disregarding any ruling made in arbitration.
“He (McCauley) won’t negotiate on anything,” Walsh said. “It’s either his way or the highway.”
McCauley said last week during his presentation on the state of financial affairs of the township that the health insurance plan covering the municipalities employees has kept the township drowning in debt. “Eighty percent of the unfunded liabilities come from negotiated deals” prior to his hiring, he said.
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A source with intimate knowledge about the layoffs told LevittownNow.com Tuesday morning that the move is “all about the health insurance. The source who asked not to be identified.
“As part-time employees, they won’t qualify for any health benefits. How do you do that to employees working for the township for years?” the source source said with frustration in his voice.
Social media posts in general asked the question: “if were on the right financial path, why do this at all?” Commentators wrote they were frustrated with the township in general and McCauley specifically, who more often than not is the whipping boy for those in the township when they perceive something to be “wrong.”
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Walsh provided an email to LevittownNow.com that he sent to council members about three weeks ago. In the e-mail, he said “the manager is not following through with all the arbitrators rulings in their entirety, the union is forced to take the manager in front of the labor board so it (the rulings) can be enforced.”
Walsh points out in the email that taxpayers are footing the bill for all of the legal maneuvering by the township.
Council approved a raise for McCauley in December of $4,000 for this year.
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Monday night at a Birthday party fundraiser for State Rep. Tina Davis at the Kelch House in Bristol, Council President Bob Lewis and councilman Craig Bowen said they knew nothing of about the layoffs.
Repeated attempts to contact McCauley for comment have gone unsuccessful.
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Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the amount of McCauley’s raise.
