Due to failed fiscal management, County Employees prepare for another economic blow. Last September the County Council adopted the County Executive’s Furlough Plan (CR-81-2008). The Plan proposed a County- wide furlough for employees and requires each employee identified in the Plan to first satisfy fifty –six leave without pay furlough hours between September 16, 2008 and March 28, 2009. The remaining twenty-four hours requirement would be considered if any additional reductions were put into place.

The County’s current fiscal conditional has continued to decline and the remaining twenty –four hours without pay are being enforced. Now, Prince George’s County employees will have until June 20, 2009 to complete the additional twenty-four hours with a total of eighty hours without pay. The proposed plan claims that the County will save $5.3 million in spending and helps to offset a projected $132 million deficit.

The plan has failed to consider how the furloughs and possible layoffs will harm the Prince Georges’ County residents. However, the Prince George’s County Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reports that 48 people in the fire department and 122 in the police department have already loss their jobs. The total reduction in force under the OMB plan is 320 positions county- wide.

AFSCME COUNCIL 67 continues to support it’s members in the US District Court and on the shop floor. The Union will not cease to move forward for the Rights of Prince George’s County workers.

If you would like more information on this topic please contact Selena Britton or Karen Toles @ 410-837-7278.