Authority workers oppose changes
A group of Fayette County Housing Authority employees upset with the recently approved reorganization chart reflecting a shift to project-based management told the authority Thursday they were promised that they would not lose their jobs and are now essentially being shown the door. Project managers, maintenance employees and others filled the meeting room of Thursday’s morning meeting to voice their concerns about the new chart, which will go into effect Oct. 1. The authority board even heard accusations that the new reorganization is simply an attempt to break up the union.
Executive Director Thomas L. Harkless disputed accusations of a lack of input and training, saying employees had input and “there was training.”
Come Oct. 1, the authority must implement a mandate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to shift to project-based asset management. It means the FCHA’s 19 properties have been lumped into five groupings, each of which must be financially solvent, according to Harkless.
Melvin Henderson, a project manager, said he and fellow managers were told for the past few months they are the “main cog in the wheel at the authority” and no one will lose their positions, and then in June they were told their services are no longer needed.
Henderson said the only mandate is to shift to project-based management, and how the organizational structure is put together is at the discretion of the authority. He said the project managers and maintenance employees, which are each unionized, had no input and are not on board for the plan that was submitted to the board for approval.
Henderson said months ago they came up with a plan for seven “portfolios” or sites, which kept all current employees, but now the plan only calls for five portfolios. He said the original plan went from five managers and two assistants to five housing administrators and four site supervisors. “The bottom line is the descriptions are the same and we view this simply as an attempt to break the union,” Henderson said.
He said the project managers were promised education and training that they were not given. He said now every Tom, Dick and Harry will be running like sharks after bait to get the jobs via the State Civil Service Commission. Henderson said the authority is a high performer and property managers are an integral part of that designation.
In addressing Henderson’s comments, Harkless said the reason for the change is that asset management requires project-based accounting. He said the reason there are five property groupings and not seven is an increase in operating subsidy. Harkless said for the change, project managers would be responsible for disciplining employees, tenant accounting and all budgeting of the project grouping. He said there are “more responsible duties” as a result of the conversion.
Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink said basically the question is if the organizational chart should be changed or not.
Harkless said the authority wrote what the new duties are of the positions and then wrote to the state, which determined what civil service position they would fall under.
Board member Beverly Beal said she couldn’t understand why the authority can’t keep its employees and then train them.
Dennis Barclay, whose job of director of housing management position is being eliminated, said the entire point of the change is to act as a profitable mechanism but he added that would never happen “because of the clientele we have.” Barclay, who said no one has received more training for the conversion than he has, said he is not sure he can do the job. “The civil service is looking for a skill set that astounded me,” Barclay said.
Harkless said the authority has to shift to project-based management or lost $180,000 in federal funding. He said today there are 93 people on the payroll and the goal is to fund all the positions.
Beal said when the shift occurs and site managements can hire and fire employees, she asked what Harkless will do.
Harkless responded that he would do the asset management duties of determining demolition, development and redevelopment of the sites, as well as pursuing other opportunities to generate more income for the authority’s mission.
Board member William “Trip” Radcliffe said the authority needs to find a way to train the employees for the test.
Henderson said he and the other project managers have a combined 80 years of service. “If we don’t know what we’re doing by now we have a serious problem,” Henderson said. “You don’t get a high performer (grade) and have incompetent people.”
Harkless agreed that there is a great staff.
Maintenance employee union steward Dan Traficante said he attended the meeting because there are 30 maintenance employees and only 26 on the chart, meaning four are being eliminated. He said rumors are flying rampant that people are losing their jobs.
Harkless said there are four maintenance employees being assigned to technical services that are not reflected on the chart.
In a related matter, the authority approved an extension agreement between the authority and Construction, General Laborers and Materials Handlers, Local Union No. 1058, for project managers. The action will extend the contract to Sept. 30, 2006. It expired June 30.
Following the airing of concerns, board member James V. Bitonti said he is no longer sure the adopted reorganization chart is the way to go. He said current employees should be trained and qualified for the jobs. Bitonti’s son works in the maintenance department.
Zimmerlink said the board’s primary responsibility is a fiduciary one, and they look to the executive director for guidance. The authority took no action to change the reorganization chart.