Communication Workers of America

May 17, 2007

Bruce Nigro, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street , Floor 9
Newark , NJ , 07102

Re: Statistical Reports Rejoinder

Dear Mr. Nigro:

CWA Local 1081 thanks you for your relatively timely attached letter of response of May 8, 2007 to our Union's attached letter of April 25, 2007 in which we recounted the content of the Statistical Reports document of April 17, 2007, issued by the Essex County Division of Welfare, in which we concluded by stating "CWA Local 1081, therefore, fervently hopes that the management of the Essex County Division of Welfare will focus far more closely upon the increased percentage and comparatively enormous total number of clients visiting our agency's offices, the conspicuously copious caseloads our Union's members in general endure and the particular problems existing within the Office of Medicaid Services."

On May 10, 2007, CWA Local 1081, accompanied by two Family Service Workers members and one Clerical member of our Union assigned to that office, met with Office of Medicaid Services ASFS Frank Palmieri and AASFS Robert DeMarino for what became a comparatively constructive conclave. Mr. DeMarino's provided historical perspective of that office's caseload and staffing problems, as well as Mr. Palmieri's assuring assurances of perspective managerial measures to address the problems, were well appreciated by our Union . However, within the short term realm of realities, CWA Local 1081, subsequent to the meeting, advised our affected members to abide by the axiom oft uttered by your long past predecessor, Director Phillip K. Lazaro, to provide the agency "A day's work for a day's pay." Were that measured axiom to prove not sufficient, the administration of the agency would logically have to take more strident measures to ensure sufficient staffing in order to sufficiently service the Office of Medicaid Services' clients.

Additionally, our Union respectfully reminds you of Mr. Lazaro's quote within a Time magazine article of February 8, 1971, entitled Welfare: Trying to End the Nightmare, in which he stated "We are on the brink of financial disaster" when noting "In Newark, 25% of the population is getting aid". Due in great part to what our Union has long determined to be the myopic misery that has been mandated by so-called "welfare reform", today the County of Essex is on the brink of a "human disaster" witnessed by a significant portion of its population still poor and proportionally poorly served by their government.

While CWA Local 1081 appreciates your response to our abovementioned letter that "As caseloads among the various programs change, we will make necessary adjustments in our organization structure in staffing, staff assignments, and caseload assignments", such adjustments, respectfully, should not, and cannot, be accomplished at the relatively glacial pace that's taken place so far. Our Union shall continue to work with management to attempt to responsibly increase the tempo of that pace in the best interests of both the employees and clients of the Essex County Division of Welfare.

Sincerely,

David H. Weiner, President

CWA Local 1081