This is not all about money. This is about ethics, respect and dignity, which has been a scarce commodity around top levels of city hall for the past three years. Blair King is an outsider just passing through Lodi. He has no roots here, he has no stake in the long term future of our city, he has no love of Lodi like we do. He thinks he can say and do anything to any one because he's not going to retire here.
The rank and file city employees have no faith in him, rank and file citizens are standing up and objecting to him and his actions, and some city councilmen have said they are sorry he was hired. The council needs to do the right thing right now before more damage is done, or the people of Lodi will have to do it in November.
We citizens deserve better!
15 comments:
right on! getting rid of kruger may save king.
How can the City Council claim hard times and in the next breath vote themselves a 40% raise?
I think the paper and the City Council have missed the point of why people are upset and angry - the Street Sweeper issue is an issue because it puts the citizens of Lodi at a disadvantage in the future (they'll be at the mercy of a private national corporation which will just keep raising their rates) however, it is ancillary to the real issue of how Blair King and Jim Krueger have been treating employees: moving them from department to department as punishment for speaking out or filing grievances, demoting people using layoffs as a threat, screwing around with employee paychecks, denying women opportunities for advancement, denying women benefits that they are entitled to under the City's APPM, installing video cameras without consulting with the employees, failing to meet and confer on a variety of issues.
Bob "the Bloviator" Johnson asked Dean Gualco if "meet-and-confer means to agree" and Dean Gualco said, "No." Well the legal definition of meet-and-confer is:
"Meet and confer in good faith" means that a trial court or representatives as it may designate, and representatives of recognized employee organizations, shall have the mutual obligation personally to meet and confer promptly upon request by either party and continue for a reasonable period of time in order to exchange freely information, opinions, and proposals, and to endeavor to reach agreement on matters within the scope of representation. The process should include adequate time for the resolution of impasses where specific procedures for resolution are contained in this chapter or in a local rule, or when the procedures are utilized by mutual consent."
"Endeavor to reach agreement. . . " the city has never endeavored to reach agreement, they have the same attitude as "the Bloviator" - take it or leave it.
The citizens of Lodi and the employees HATE BULLIES! Mr. Johnson will be dealt with at the polls come November - Mr. King and Mr. Krueger, sooner rather than later!
"Out, out, damned spot!"
from what i've seen and heard about king he has the "little man disease" bad. i agree with the blogger that king isn't good for lodi. it's all i can do to stay in business after all the utility rates have increased through the roof. if anyone wants to know what king has done for lodi just look at there city of lodi bill!
City Council: PLEASE do something with these guys. They are ruining our city!
I am a city employee. Our unit settled with management a while ago. So I have nothing to gain by writing. this. My only interest it to let people know how unethical these people are. They lie, mis-lead, and bargain in bad faith. We have never been treated so bad in all the years I have been a city employee. We came close to suing and that may be why we got a fair contract. I'm all for saving money and being effecient, but there are right and wrong ways to do it. I don't think the public would support or put up with the way Jim Krueger operates if they only knew. Lodi does deserve better than it has been treated. These guys are the worst and the city council better wake up. And why people elected Bob Johnson is a wonder to me because he hates Police and Fire and city employees in general. I don't have to work in this town but I like it and hope to stay. I hope other city employees feel the same way.
I find it interesting that Blair King didn't think his former employee was a "good fit." Maybe King isn't a "good fit" either. As an outsider looking in it seems to me that he is just writing himself a better resume on the backs of the public.
It's only a matter of time before the bond and interest rate mess catch up with the citizens of Lodi. I would not be surprised if the electric rates go up and like the garbage rates what are we going to do about it? Nothing We have no choice. The city is the only power game in town. People need to remember these things when Nov. comes.
Mr. Johnson, "Meet and Confer" does not mean meet and agree, nor does it mean "Meet and Inform"...
Man, I yearn for the good ol days. Hank Glaves, Tom Peterson, great department heads and great City Council members. Dick Hughes, Wally Katnich, Jim Pinkerton, Evie Olson, Randy Snyder, Fred Reid, Dave Hinchman and others I can't remember right now. Sure, there were controversies but at least we were treated with respect and as human beings. Had plenty of money in the bank as well.
When Mr. King came to us a few years back and asked if we would take 2 weeks of without pay (VTO) to help the city out of trouble we did it and saved over 80k that same year Mr. King gave him and other upper management over 100k in raise's total. My Family thanks you for the help.
You are the school yard bully taking lunch money from ever tax payer and employee.
Mr. King you are a role model to the young, Do the right thing.
I would add Dixon Flynn to the list of good city managers. He always balanced the budget and was respectful towards employees. He, like Glaves and Peterson, was a friend of the employees and they respected him. That the present city council hired King sure reflects poorly on them. The city didn't have financial problems until King got here. Go figure.
I think city employees are very well compensated for their time and effort, but I also think they should be treated fairly and respectfully. As I travel across California on business I hear from others that the city of Lodi is a bad place to work. It is embarrassing to me to have Lodi receive such a bad reputation. I think the city council needs to rethink their position towards Blair King.
I was going to apply for a job at the city but I decided not to after a friend of mine, a current Lodi city employee, encouraged me not to. Why give up a good job only to be mistreated? Lodi is definitely getting a bad name.
I am an ex City of Lodi employee. I was good at my job, dedicated and put a lot of my own time in(without pay) and worked well with all other departments. Beleive me I kept the letters that were written on my behalf. I was dismissed as soon as a new manager was put in place. I left another position to go to work for the City of Lodi. This is how they treat their employees. The council members don't have a clue. I was forbidden to even talk to a council member.
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