More of interest to Portlanders: check out Maxine Bernstein's page 1 Metro section piece on restaurateur Tom Hurley. You remember Tom. Ran a Portland restaurant that failed, blamed Portlanders for being rubes about food; opened restaurant in Seattle, which also failed. And you'd think, poor guy, all that money down the drain... But of course, Hurley was being nicely subsidized by the city of Portland, for injuries he says he suffered while working as a firefighter in the early 90s. Since 1993, he has been receiving disability benefits. The union also paid to send him to the French Culinary Institute in New York in 2000. You'd think he might want to give a little something back, but you would be wrong.
The Portland Fire and Police Disability and Retirement Fund directed Hurley, who hasn't fought a fire since at least 1993 as a result of reported knee and back injuries, to obtain training to serve as a low-hazard fire inspector in 2006 as part of a new return-to-work program.
Hurley didn't want to return, and so, finally, in 2007, the city cut off his disability benefits, at which point Hurley's union sued on his behalf - and won! To the tune of $103,000, plus a continued $3200 a month.
Where has all this led? To a fracas within the city council, with member Randy Leonard, former firefighter and current PDX fire commissioner, backing Hurley, and council member Dan Saltzman challenging.
Saltzman's resolution notes that Hurley is no longer disabled, failed to comply with fund procedures, failed to return to work and didn't pursue a challenge through the fund's appeals process.
What drives me batty is, we are paying these people's salaries! What a profound waste of time and money. Also, I will be very grateful if someone here can explain to me how Hurley can live with himself.
And any of this surprises you HOW? I know...a trivial comment, but this really is par for what has been happening in Oregon for decades now.
Posted by: aroyo | March 06, 2010 at 11:19 PM
When I hurt my back last summer, I often thought the best treatment would involve sleeping on a pile of money.
Posted by: JustinS | March 08, 2010 at 08:05 AM
Nancy-
have you followed the "rubber room" story in the NYPost? Essentially, teachers who are a danger to students are kept in a "rubber room" where they hangout, surf the net watch TV, etc. while collecting their full salaries - which sometimes are well over 100K/yr.
Posted by: PINGRAV | March 15, 2010 at 04:06 AM
Yes, I have. I believe it was the New Yorker that ran a great piece on this a few years back.
I grew up in NY, the daughter of a very liberal mother and a ultra-liberal, pro-union stepfather. But I never liked unions. I can see how, in the evolution of a workforce, they provided protection, but that time is over, and look at the rot and waste they've codified. The unions, like the idea of god, have outlived their usefulness, and to believe they are the answer is to aggressively fight enlightenment and progress.
Posted by: Nancy Rommelmann | March 15, 2010 at 08:58 AM
Agreed. I'm a conservative - it's tough to find anyou left of me who doesn't mau-mau to anything that's unionized - or steeped in socialist mumbo jumbo.
My experience with unions in the workforce has been awful. I locked horns with them at every aerospace company I've worked for. It's amazing how their members get tretament and a free pass for doing drugs in the workplace yet the white collar guys and gals get fired on the spot. Also - at least around here - the professional management types are allowed unlimited tuition reimbursment while the unions get none. Makes sense...keep them ignorant and in their place to keep up membership.
BTW - I believe in God. I'm a Catholic by accident of birth. My son attends parochial school. I'm lukewarm - religion wise. But I find it good for the family.
Posted by: pingrava | March 16, 2010 at 09:56 AM