Candidate with new ideas
To retort the April 17 letter “Snyder’s knowledge unsurpassed,” I would like to challenge this statement due to my close friendship with clerk of courts candidate Sean P. Lally. Mr. Lally is a dual major in economics and finance from Duquesne University, minor in management and English. He is also a small business owner with years of hands-on real life experience in the art of handling customers, people and problems. Lally is also extremely committed to this row office position with many hours of research as to the duties and responsibilities. Mr. Lally tried to research this position from Fayette County’s Web site, which did not exist. He had to go to sites from other counties. In today’s age of computerization and modernization, we need a candidate who will bring the clerk of courts office into the 21st century. Knowing Mr. Lally for life, I know he will always be accessible to the residents of this county. He will never take lengthy vacations and come in at 11 a.m. and leave at 2 p.m. If Sean says he will work for you, it will happen. He is also a proven leader with the desire and ambition to succeed at any task he sets his mind to.
Secondly, I would like to address the appeal to pity about needing every dollar earned. Yes, all people need an income. No one can exist on air, but need I remind that elected positions do not now, or ever, offer job security. As an elected official, you must know with utmost certainty that you may be voted out every four years. This is reality. Also, Mr. Lally is not trying to offend; he is trying to bring dedication to duty, organization and modernization to an antiquated office.
James P. Lubic
Connellsville
County workers aid economy
SEIU668’s initial proposal in October 2002 was 19 percent, not the 16 percent as Fayette County Commissioner Ron Nehls stated, and that was before we knew our health insurance was going to be so abruptly changed to a less desirable co-pay.
Although underpaid for years, we have accepted the lower wages because we realized we had one of the best health insurance plans in the area. But, each year our benefits have steadily declined. Our contract from January 2000 to December 31, 2003 specifically states that the county was to meet and discuss with the union before changing our insurance. But they arbitrarily changed our insurance without any prior consultation or contact with the union, which is a breach of contract. The insurance coverage the county gave us requires larger co-pays for some doctors and most prescriptions.
The percentage increase in wages that we requested only partially compensates for the additional money required to make the co-pays on our insurance. For years the commissioners said they had no money for higher wages for union employees, but they had money to enter into an agreement with Select HR from Allegheny County and pay them a total of $615,000 over a 3-year period. And to add insult to injury they brought in a negotiator from Allegheny County and paid him $185 per hour to fight Fayette County workers and keep low wages for county workers.
The facts are members of SEIU courthouse employees receive on average $16,419 per year or $8.42 an hour; this includes employees from one to more than 20 years of service. Please remember the Fayette County Courthouse union workers live here, work here, buy food and goods here, and we pay taxes in Fayette County, which is money that goes back into the Fayette County economy which helps to boost the economy of Fayette County.
Joan A. Tracy, president SEIU 668 Court House Chapter, Uniontown