new a - . WASHINGTON STATE rd t. f8 0 merlcan -e eral tate, oun COUNCIL OF COUNTYAND CITY EMPLOYEES Washington State EQboorcOuncj 8? Emp'oyees AFSCME AFL-CIO CHRIS DUGOVICH President/Executive Director May 13? 2020 Mayor Cassie Franklin 2930 Wetmore Avenue Suite Everett WA 98201 cfranklin@everettwa. gov Dear Mayor Franklin: It is dif?cult to express the level of disappointment the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AF SCME, AFL- CIO has with the decisions or lack of decisions the City of Everett made in the recent layoffs and furloughs that have taken place. It has been a well-known fact that your City has had dif?culty with its budget and the need to make adjustments for at least the two years you have been in of?ce. Instead of dealing with your shortfall over time, you have used the crisis as a cover for the City to make draconian cuts to the public services that our members provide the residents of the City of Everett. You chose not to make any cuts of the Police and Fire budgets on a similar level to the layo?s and furloughs issued to our members. While we understand some non-represented and management posititions have been negatively impact, placing the lionshare of the cuts on Local 113 is unacceptable. The Mayor?s statement that the furloughs were voluntary is entirely misrepresenting the situation. Furloughs were only ?voluntary? after the City threatened further layoffs if the Union found the furloughs unacceptable. This was not a voluntary situation as the City moved forward position reductions with extremely short notice rather than addressing the issue in a professional and collaborative method. Knowing that every individual laid off would be facing no health insurance in the middle of this pandemic necessitated the Union to agree to the proposal. Our Union has been a partner with the City of Everett for over 80 years. We have worked together in many di?icult situatiOns. When treated honestly and with respect, our members have always been willing to make sacri?ces and collaborate with the City. But the heavy- handedness that was shown by your administration in negotiating the furlough agreement, and the total lack of transparency and empathy demonstrated by Parks leadership during these recent events make me wonder if we can ever rebuild that trust. I personally talked to many of your City Council Members and your Deputy Mayor. This Union represents Public Employees over 180 jurisdictions across the state of Washington with close to 18,000 members. Your City, at this point clearly holds the distinction of being the only jurisdiction that has laid off and furloughed its employees to this degree. Congratulations. Sincer f/ 4?1 _President/Executiv irector 1" WASHINGTON TATE COUNCIL OF COUNTY AND CITY EMPLOYEES AF SCME, AFL-CIO cc: Miguel Morga, Director of Staff Services Ed Stemler, General Counsel Michale Rainey, Staff Representative Leonard Kelley, Snohomish County Labor Council Everett City Council Everett Office; 3305 Oakes Avenue 0 PO Box 750 - Everett, WA 98206-0750 0 (425) 303-8818 - 0 If, 2?