Union leaders representing thousands of Baltimore County employees said mass e-mails detailing proposed cost-cutting changes to retirement plans might violate collective bargaining laws and are considering legal action.
The county?s acting administrative officer, Fred Homan, sent his second countywide e-mail addressing proposed changes Tuesday ? to the chagrin of union officials still working to negotiate agreements with officials. The e-mail described a potential change in the benefit reduction rate for employees who opt to retire early.
“I would say ?annoyed? is a good word,” Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees President Jim Miller said. “We?re still having discussions, although we?re not real excited about them.”
Homan first described proposals ? which also include raising the retirement age from 60 to 65 and cutting post-employment benefits for future employees ? in an e-mail Feb. 8. On Tuesday, county spokesman Don Mohler said the notices were meant to correct misinformation.
“We do feel an obligation to clarify misconceptions that are out there,” Mohler said. “We have total respect for the negotiation process, and we would never do anything to negotiate outside that framework.”
County officials warned employees to expect cuts in benefits, citing a new federal law requiring governments to fund future retiree benefits on an accrual basis. The officials estimated the county?s liability at $2 billion, and County Executive Jim Smith included $50 million in his 2006 budget as a down payment.
The changes affect about 3,000 county employees ? everyone except teachers, firefighters, police officers, department heads and elected officials. But police and fire union officials said those employees also can expect significant cuts.
County officials and leaders from the Fraternal Order of Police union failed to meet a Feb. 1 agreement deadline and have brought in an arbitrator, organization president Cole Weston said.
“If they were successful in getting even a portion of these cuts they are proposing,” Weston said, “Baltimore County would be in avery difficult position as far as marketing and attracting quality employees to come work here.”
