Mar
25
2011
The southern California city of Costa Mesa was rocked last Thursday after nearly 50% of its workforce received pink-slips. On the same day one worker, 29 year old Huy Pham, committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the Costa Mesa Civic Center. The drastic approach to budget woes was approved by a vote of the 5 member city council on March 1st. Only one member, Councilwoman Wendy Leece, voted against it. Costa Mesa city leadership says the city is facing massive budget shortfalls. Costa Mesa’s Mayor Gary Monahan stated, “We’re coming to a point that’s rock bottom.” But city residents and labor leaders have reason to suspect politics is a bigger motivator than money. The LA Times reports that after the city council voted for lay-offs, the chairman of the Orange County GOP, Scott Baugh, reached out to supporters. He wrote that, “a team of conservatives on the City Council is fixing the problem in Costa Mesa.” Baugh had previously drawn attention to himself in February as an organizer of the so-called “Pension Boot-Camp” in Orange County. The Boot Camp flyer raised a minor controversy for picturing two silhouetted, gun toting soldiers. The day’s agenda was a discussion of how to fight labor unions for decreased benefits, including the topics, “How can you smash barriers, improve conditions, and still have fun?” and “Use battle plans to get results.” The City Council plans to replace many of the laid-off workers with private contractors, though no formal agreements have been made. Employees and residents are speaking out against the lay-offs, and the community united on Monday to mourn the worker who committed suicide. Meanwhile, news surfaced this week that Costa Mesa’s leaders created one new high-wage job – to combat its negative public image the city hired a spokesman at $3,000 a week.
GUEST: Nick Berardino, General Manager of the Orange County Employees Association. OCEA represents about 18,000 public employees in Orange County cities and special districts, including more than 200 public employees in Costa Mesa.
Find out more at www.oceamember.org
