AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Turnpike Authority is eliminating 20 positions from its payroll as the organization adapts to a need for fewer toll collectors and tries to get by with fewer managers.
The position eliminations will mostly affect the supervisor ranks, Peter Mills, the turnpike authority’s executive director, said Wednesday.
But the layoffs are illegal, union officials say, because of a bargaining impasse that has left turnpike authority workers without a contract since the end of last year.
“We have a lot of supervisors,” he said. “A lot of those jobs hark back to a time when there were 300 or more toll collectors. We’re top heavy.”
The changes will save $1.25 million annually, according to Mills. The turnpike authority currently takes in about $103 million annually in tolls and another $3 million annually from operating its service plazas.
News of the position cuts comes the same week the turnpike authority is holding three public hearings on its proposal to raise tolls in order to generate about $26 million annually in additional revenue.
The cuts also come the same week the Maine State Employees Association filed a complaint with the Maine Labor Relations Board accusing the turnpike authority of negotiating in bad faith. The turnpike authority hasn’t negotiated a new contract for its unionized employees since the latest agreement expired at the end of 2011.
Mills said the position cuts are unrelated to the proposed toll increases and the bargaining impasse. “I would have done it anyway, because it needs to be done,” he said.
The layoffs violate the terms turnpike employees have been working under since their contract expired last December, said Brian Oelberg, the Maine State Employees Association’s chief negotiator for the turnpike authority’s employees unit.
“It violates labor law because of the status quo we were supposed to be operating under,” Oelberg said. “We are looking into what remedy we can pursue.”
Without a new contract, turnpike employees have been working under a “status quo” doctrine and the terms of their expired contract, he said. Mills said those contract terms only address wages and working conditions, not staffing levels.
Oelberg said the union supports turnpike management in making changes to improve the organization’s efficiency, but said managers should look to their own ranks for cuts.
“They should be looking at their own compensation packages because they’ve seen a lot larger increases than their unionized employees have,” he said.
In the turnpike’s fare collection division, Mills said the organization will eliminate 13 supervisory positions and consolidate their duties into four newly created positions. A custodian in that division also will be affected.
In the road maintenance division, Mills said, the authority plans to eliminate three clerk positions. In addition, the authority doesn’t plan to call six seasonal plow drivers back to work when the winter season hits.
The customer service division will lose one position, Mills said, but the affected employee already has been transferred to another job.
Mills said he informed the affected employees on Tuesday. He said the eliminations won’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2013, giving affected employees time to make plans for retirement or move to different positions within the organization if they open up.
“These people are loyal people,” Mills said. “I’m happy to have them around for another six months.”
The position eliminations are the result of an organizational study Mills said he requested several months ago. He said he challenged his managers to develop a plan to get by with fewer supervisor-level positions.
The turnpike authority board will take up the position-cutting proposal at a meeting on Thursday, according to Mills.
This is among the first instances of layoffs in turnpike authority history, Mills said. The authority has eliminated hundreds of positions over the past 15 years through attrition, especially as more and more toll collection has become electronic.
The authority had nearly 900 employees in the mid-1990s. Today, that number is down to 312 full-time employees and about 100 seasonal and on-call workers, according to the turnpike authority.
The turnpike authority employs about 125 toll collectors full time and another 80 on a part-time and on-call basis.
Taxpayer funded jobs don’t do squat for the economy, they just take money from one pocket, dilute it through the government, and put what’s left in another pocket. Sorry Dlbrt.
What pizza shop do you own?
I’ll be sure not to visit!
I’ll have three deep dish, large with everything…to go.
have you made your sacrifice today?
Every time I pay any of the many oppressive taxes.
Sorry Gary!
Every trip that I make through the Toll booths will be through the Cash Booth!
Come on folks do the same!
The Job that you save may be your own!
You’re not making a lot of sense – if you want to go down this road don’t use the ATM machines at your bank, don’t direct dial anymore – use an operator, only use elevators with an attendant if you can find one, don’t make any airline reservations on the internet, etc. etc. there are inumerable examples of employees being displaced by advances in automation. These displaced employees find jobs in new industries that are created in a dynamic economy. Spain and Italy’s economies in particular are in deep trouble because of labor laws that makes it virtually impossible to shed jobs.
Yeah!
Lay everybody off and replace them with a robot!
It’s working out _-REALLLLLL—- Good for the economy!
We can understand WHY the economy is taking so long to turn around!
I press 0 for operator every time hear one!
“These displaced employees find jobs in new industries that are created in a dynamic economy.”
Yeah! Those CNC Machines that rattle off thousands of widgets an hr, instead of Ten a day Create “alot” of Dynamic Paying Customers!
NOT!
Most people change their stance when it’s their job being considered for automation…and what is your job exactly PR492? :D
Well u are wrong they do not get overtime for when they work there 7 days straight. Of course they applied for a job there & any of you others could of too instead of being so jealous of them & there wages. Yes they do get pd. X-Tra for working a holiday, but believe me most of them would rather be with there families. I am just appalled to think there are even people out here hoping & wishing for people to lose there jobs!! I would like to see what you would do if it happened to you. But then if some of you can be this spiteful, we have our answer!!
“These displaced employees find jobs in new industries that are created in a dynamic economy”, PR 1492. IF we were experiencing a dynamic economy; which we aren’t. IF the people who are being layed off weren’t over the age of 50; then they might have a chance for another job. It doesn’t look likely that obtaining a replacement job will happen. What is more likely is that many will end up in the welfare lines because after they can’t meet their mortgage obligations and they lose their homes, they will be seeking local and state assistance because their unemployment benefit just isn’t cutting it.
I understand cutting positions that are no longer needed but making it difficult to cross into another department where there is growing need such as in EZPass remains a problem.
Just after the fall of the Soviet Union I was in Yalta Ukraine and it took 5 people to check me in to the hotel room. One to copy my passport, one to file my actual passport which they held in a small vault, one to supervise my signature on the registry, one person to accept payment, one to hand out room keys. There was also another person I assume was a supervisor. The funny thing is that in this hotel with perhaps 500 rooms it had only about 20 guests.
A residual Soviet style economy is what this was and what some of these posters seem to be advocating. Then they wonder why wages don’t rise.
btw This hotel also had 3 fully staffed restaurants.
I was in a wood lot Hunting in November, I came across three men in Fella Bunchers who had just clear cut the equivelant of a thousand acres in a month!
They said that after the job was finished that they would be laid off for the next three months!
They all complained about the economy — “No Jobs to be found around here”!
( No Trees Either ) LOL
They all went home to their Tar Papered Shack put their feet up for the next three months.
The Logging Buisness Owner did the same in his lake Front Mansion but complained about the unemployment costs!
Dam Lazy Liberal Socialist Employees!
Dlbrt, you should crack a window when you paint. Those fumes will melt your brain!
Try it!
The thinner might disolve some of that conservative varnish cloging up and slowing down the synapse!
It’s no use, PR. Despite all evidence, many here believe that replacement of a job/industry with a more modern, efficient version is never a good thing. Your comparison to Italy/Spain (Greece!) is perfect. Maybe we should still subsidize the buggy whip industry too..
This is doubly true for government jobs, which don’t (for the most part) actually add value to the economy. Government buggy whips makers: great!
Yeah, and let’s find a way to have a drive-through governor. Anything would beat what we have now.
Gary, Those weren’t taxpayer funded jobs, they are paid from turnpike revenue (tolls). Believe it or not some taxpayer funded jobs are necessary.
LarrySG. These jobs are not needed if they were they would still be there… Just because some adminstrations like to keep the overburden around doesn’t mean all will.
The past has caught up to the Authority and now it’s time to pay up.
It wasn’t those 20 jobs I was talking about being needed, they are not needed. My comment was supposed to point out that: Some taxpayer funded jobs are necessary, like police and fire services, or public works for roads and bridges
We are talking about the same thing the reason we’re arguing is because we are using different words; to parapharse S I Hawakiya
Yes your right there are plenty of government jobs needed. sorting them out is the trick
Government accounts for 1 /3 of the jobs in the USA !
They stabilise the ups and downs of the Private sector. They pulled us out of the Great Depression.
Pull the plug and the whole shebang collapses!
Proof that a little knowledge is still a little knowledge.
I ain’t got time to debate about this! —I need to pick up my SS check and get to the bank!
LOL
Wouldn’t you be better off staying on your couch and making the SS check auto-deposit?
You are costing a bank teller a job…
No, I perform my Job Duties diligently, I Take the Check in person to the Bank !
The government might provide 1/3 of the jobs in the US, but the private sector provides 100% of the money for all those goverment jobs. The more jobs that are created by governments, federal, state, and munciple, means more money is sucked out of the economy. Although most public employees are needed, many are not. If a public employee is paid $50,000 per year and he pays
$5000 back in taxes, that’s negative draw of $45,000. All public jobs are non-productive jobs. They are service jobs and depend on the productivity of the private sector. When they over regulate manufacturing and encourage unionism which liberal government always does then they are killing the goose that lays the proverbial golden egg which in turn feeds big government. The result is Greece, closely followed by the USA.
Did you fall on your head?
The economy is all activity not just the private sector. Shrinking any part of it has ripple effects through out.
Busines’s organise–So should Labor.
Theodore Rosevelt!
Drinking the Tea again? Do you even think for yourself or do you just open your skull and let Rush tell you what to say? A job is a job and most state employees cost less for the same job compared to private industry. No! Not what you make, what you make plus the profit you never get a part of.
I thought ‘they’ wanted to add jobs to the economy.
Are these the folks the governor wants to leave the state?
I thought he wanted to get rid of the poor that sit on the couch, with a one way ticket out of the state..
He gets what he gives……
WELL DONE Governor! Keep up the good work.
Austerity for all working people!
But Not For the Rich!
Yes, Gov,well done, you math-challenged “leader.” Is this what you call creating jobs???
Uh….it’s wasn’t the Governor, it was Director Mills.
when did Peter Mills become governor?
” the authority plans to eliminate three clerk positions and assign their duties to supervisors.”
Wouldn’t it be cheaper to keep the lower paid clerks and eliminate the supervisors?
As David Byrne would say, “Stop making sense.”
Um, I think they’re just asking the supervisor to do the clerk’s prior job as well. Two for one!
because they probably still need to do their supervisory duties as well
Actually, the gov’s first spokesperson filed for bankruptcy, but was able to sell rather than loose his pizza shop.
Cut jobs + raise tolls = lined pockets
you mean pay down debt… The lining of the pockets comes from the debt incurred
About time thier all over paid for what they do.
Jealousy will get you No where! They are doing their jobs, those toll collectors work in all extremes of whether, 7days straight , & only get a weekend off once a month or every 5 th week! Plus, holidays! Wonder how you would feel, if the shoe was on the other foot & this was happening to you? Most people have said they couldn’t do it & wouldn’t want the job!! I hope you never have to experience what these folks are now going thru @ the most worst economy times!!
Are you kidding?? Those people are there by choice. That job, with that kind of money would be a very desirable job for any of the thousa nds of Maine’s unemployed. Those extra days are overtime and those holidays pay extra. It’s not like they’re working over 40 hours per week and not being well compensated for it!
Pure jealousy and envy. Logic replaced by hate. Thought replaced by Rush.
“those people” about sums up how you feel libsux.
Linux, you need to investigate a little more. They do not get overtime when they work 7 days on 2 off . It’s the way there scheduling & payday starts so they do not get OVERTIME. Yes they took the job & that’s why they possibly make a decent pay. They don’t get to work only 5 days , & don’t get overtime for the other two!!! Don’t get a weekend off until every 5-6 week.as far as Holidays yes they get overtime. But I am sure on Thanksgiving & Christmas some of them would prefer to be home with there LOVED ones! They breath in all kinds of fumes & work in all weather conditions!! So I believe that’s a lot to take into account! Plus, they take a lot of crap from Motorist for all kinds of things & now because of a Rate increase.. When It’s not there fault!! Plus, the ignorance of people I’ll never understand why they would wish upon people to lose there jobs & say such mean things.. KARMA KARMA & Remember what goes around Comes around!! Always Think & imagine if it happens to you no matter what you make or do for work. Really not there fault what they are paid!!!
Thanks for the info Gracie. I had a similar job which I held for 5 years, standing in the booth dealing with a steady string of motorists who, collectively can be an a-h—. I pass through the turnpike booths often and try to be as polite and thankful as time and circumstance allows. Sorry about any info that I was wrong about. Keep up the good work.
_____
Maybe they’ll cut the extremely rude woman in “customer service” I had the displeasure of speaking with yesterday.
Then get rid of your transponder and wait in line to pay.
Stay out of the exact change lane too. Do what Obama does,
blame technology and the rich. Oops! you already tried that
feeble excuse.
I have plenty of time on my hands, I might even get out and share a coffee with the guy!
Wish I had that kind of time.
You will have to wait until your 65 , unless of course you are one of the job Creators who can hire someone to do what ever it is they do or if not you buy into the Republican Myth that Social Security is Broke and then you’ll have to wait until your 75.
I’m not a Republican, and Social Security is not broke on paper, but some part of the government is struggling to find the $$ to pay the SSA, so in reality, yes, it is broke.
I struggle to make my mortgage payments, but have never defaulted, neither has the Social Security A. in 60 + years!
I have slightly more debt than assets. Am I “BROKE” ?
Social Security will not default, but the money to pay will come from somewhere, yes? That’s less overall money for the rest of the government, or a big fat tax increase. It’s certainly not a pile of gold coins in a vault…
Personally I am planning on robbing from my sons future.
LOL: I guess I will too…
You’re too late. Bush and Obama beat you to it.
You must be a government employee with a make work “job”
Think about this for a second!
Vast amounts of Energy and Mechanization have relieved us from the toils of labor from the industrial revolution.
The information technology revolution has freed us from the toils of thought!
“Make Work” is {ALL} thats left!
Once the Authority paid for the road it was suppose to disolve it’s self…. So the toll road exist because it needs to pay employee pensions, so it’s feeding upon it self to continue and pay off debt. because debt will force the authority to continue…
Are you saying the Turnpike didn’t need to be widened? Would you rather your gas tax have increased to pay for it, and not the user-paid tolls?
Nope I didn’t say that. I voted for the widing.. once the bonds are paid the State should by all means get rid of the MTA and raise gas tax 5 cents.. It would be cheaper in the long run… More then half of the expenses on the pike is employees. It will never happen though because of forces we don’t talk about. the Bond holders and contractors who want to maintain the debt there.
the tolls pay for maintenance and the bonds that were issued for widening and bridge replacement. Tolls are a fair way to pay for a highway — those that use it the most contribute the most to its maintenance and expansion — including tourists. If the state took over the turnpike and turned it over to the DOT then the state would have to issue over $400 million in bonds to pay off the MTA’s bonds, and the state has a lower credit rating that the MTA and would pay a higher interest rate. Taxes would need to be raised to cover the turnpike maintenance and cover the bond payments.
Peter Mills ought to thank his lucky stars that he has a job! Cutting people’s job is not an answer to cut the toll people’s job. He ought to be folding his arms at home and not at a toll booth!
Of all the nerve that person has!
“They should be looking at their own compensation packages because they’ve seen a lot larger increases than their unionized employees have,” he said. BRAVO Brian Oelberg! This has to be looked at. Most of the higher paid Administration are earning more than our lawmakers in this state!
Lawmaker is a part time job. The next place to look for cuts is the comprehensive full time benefits given to our part time legiscritters.
over $3 million collectively for the top 28 MTA earners. It’s public information. I heard on some radio news earlier today that collectors are earning 50-60k per year in wages. That is not true! That too is public knowledge-look it up.
More Maine jobs Bye Bye. Where is La Buffoon? Promises, promises, I will get jobs for Maine.
You LIE Lepage !
Since the Union is already whinning…they shouldn’t eliminate these jobs. They should cut every employee’s pay to reasonable amounts matching what those doing similar jobs in the civilian sectors get paid in our area. The top administrators should lead by example, and they also should face salary cuts. Contracts or not, these are tough economic times…aren’t they?
Fine. In most cases that means the State employees get a raise.
screw the Government Union Hacks…
No wonder the unions are on their way out.
It’s “illegal” to lay off positions that aren’t needed?
Crazy, I know.
Looks like Peter Mills is doing a good job eliminating government waste. Lets see – $1,250,000 per year in savings by cutting 20 toll collectors. That is over $60,000 paid per year to individuals collecting quarters and in some cases making change and providing receipts. This is just another example of why unions have lost all credibility in this country.
Draw three Graphs one of the decline of wages in America, the Decline of Unions and the Decline of middle class wealth all against time. They will all be parallel.
Now Place one of Consolidation of wealth by the 1 % over the same time on top and you have an X marks the spot!
Supervisors of coin collectors, but whatever. $60K total cost (including benefits), so not really that much pay
Really? The median income for a Maine family is about $30,000. $60,000 to collect quarters and supervise quarter collectors is ridiculous.
$60K includes benefits, pension, etc. Given the generosity of state benefits, I have to guess that is 40% of the total. So no, I don’t think $36K is a lot of money.
Can’t people hide there Jealousy any better than this?? Do you go around & critize everybody on what they do for work & what there pay scales are?? That is for what I have read & seen is maybe a collector that’s been there for over 20 something years.. I say well deserved considering what some have to put up with.. So get over yourselves people!!!
these were mostly supervisors, not toll collectors. That $60,000 includes benefits — the employers portion of medicare, Maine state retirement contribution, health insurance, etc. It isn’t all salary.
Note to unions: this is why your approval ratings are at their lowest level in history. You have become a joke. You should want your employer to succeed and thrive, which is in the best interest of the employees. You should not call cutting dead weight and waste illegal.
{You should want your employer to succeed and thrive, which is in the best interest of the employees. }
The “BEST” Interest of the Employees is that ” THEY ” Succeed and Thrive!
They aren’t there for “Benevolence” !
Unions approval rateings are low because of the Phoney Baloney propaganda thrown out at them, by right wing radio talk show’s like Howie Carr!
Dlbrt, Do you really believe what you write? Unions cost the taxpayers or consumers a lot of money. That cost out weighs the benefits of having unions. That’s not right wing balony or Howie Carr retoric. That is truth.
You dont have any idea as to what you are talking about!
Corporations organise, so should workers.
Employers aren’t there for “benevolence” either.
But if it is actually illegal? Should we just turn a blind eye because we support the goal of reducing costs?
Perhaps the existing laws need to be examined more closely.
I think Unions are needed in this country. But articles like this where they say layoff’s are illegal makes them look very very bad. They are cutting their own throats by making statements like this. The fact is less than 12% of the US workforce is Unionized. But of bad publicity like this, they get alot of attention and bad press. Unions need to wake up, they need a huge public makeover. I believe the whole reason what happened in WI was caused by the Union lack of good public views!
State employees should not be allowed to unionize. there should be a law against it.