WHEREAS:

State and local governments, suffering the economic pressures of the current recession, are blindly turning to contracting out as a solution to their problems; and

WHEREAS:

Proponents of "entrepreneurial governments," which are increasingly gaining the attention of elected officials, public sector managers, and the media, espouse among other things, private sector competition with public sector service delivery; and

WHEREAS:

Contracting out is presented as a way to reduce service delivery costs and improve services to the public. However, this ignores the desire and ability of public workers to reduce costs and improve services which are impeded by poor management practices, and experience has shown that contracting out can lead to greater costs, deterioration of service, loss of accountability and flexibility, and opportunities for corruption; and

WHEREAS:

Contracting out has been called the new political patronage system. Contracts for public services often become rewards for cronies and campaign supporters, just as in the days of the spoils system when public jobs were doled out as patronage; and

WHEREAS:

Private sector contractors tend to employ more entry-level workers and to pay them lower wages and fewer benefits than the public sector. This elimination of middle-income jobs and expansion in lower-paying jobs decreases the community's tax base and can lead to an increase in the number of people in need of social services; and

WHEREAS:

Women and minorities rely to a greater extent than white males on public sector employment for both social and economic advancement. Therefore, when services are contracted out, they are disproportionately affected.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME councils and locals continue to actively oppose contracting out by educating its members, elected officials, and the general public about the shortcomings of contracting out; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME make every effort to work in coalition with other concerned groups to oppose all efforts to contract out; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME participate in joint labor-management committees that address the concerns that are driving a contracting out proposal; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That, where appropriate, AFSCME participate in joint labor-management Total Quality Management (TQM), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) or other similar efforts to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of public services by developing and utilizing the decision -making skills, ideas, problem-solving abilities and expertise of public workers and by eliminating costly and outdated management barriers to effective government; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME Councils and Locals are urged to negotiate appropriate successor clauses in their collective bargaining agreements which would require the new employer to assume the terms of the collective bargaining agreement currently in effect, including the obligation to enter into negotiations for a successor collective bargaining agreement upon expiration of the current agreement; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME councils and locals employ such strategies as cost comparisons and feasibility analyses, publicity campaigns, lobbying, and the passage of legislation restricting contracting out, in order to stop the intrusion of private companies in public sector delivery of services.

SUBMITTED BY:

Stephan Fantauzzo, Delegate
AFSCME Local 615

Michael Rhynes, Delegate
AFSCME Local 725

Janis Mikits, Delegate
AFSCME Local 1887

Dominic Mangine, Delegate
AFSCME Local 3131
Council 62
Indiana