BUY OUTS AND LAYOFFS

THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS WERE GIVEN UNTIL JANUARY 30, 2009 TO ACCEPT THE BUY OUTS OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

IF THE WORKERS TAKE THE BUY OUTS, THEY COULD RECEIVE TWO (2) WEEKS PAY FOR EVERY FULL YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT. IF THEY DO NOT OPT FOR THE BUY OUT THEN IN FEBRUARY THE LAYOFFS WILL BEGIN. THE LAYOFF WORKERS WILL GET ONE (1) WEEKS PAY FOR EVERY YEAR OF SERVICE.IN EITHER CASE, THEY WILL GET THEIR VACATION TIME THAT THEY ACCUMULATED. THEY WILL NOT BE PAID FOR THEIR SICK TIME THAT THEY DID NOT USE.

HERE'S A TWIST, IT'S LIKE RUSSIAN ROULETTE, MOHEGAN STYLE. SOME WORKERS ARE PUTTING IN FOR THE BUY OUTS AND HOPING THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ACCEPT THE APPLICATION, THEN THE WORKER IS EXEMPT FROM THE NEXT ROUND OF LAYOFFS, IF THEY SHOULD BE NECESSARY. THE WORKERS ARE IN FACT PUTTING A GUN TO THEIR HEADS AND HOPING THAT THE GUN DOESN'T GO OFF.

THE TRIBAL COUNCIL, WHO WILL MAKE THESE DECISIONS, ARE NOT PLAYING FAIR WITH THEIR WORKERS. THEY SHOULD TELL THE WORKERS HOW MANY JOBS NEED TO GO, AND HOW MUCH MONEY THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO CUT FROM IT'S BUDGET. IN MY OPINION, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL CAUSED THE PROBLEMS WE SEE, BY NOT PAYING DOWN OUR DEBT, AND BAD BUSINESS DECISIONS.

THE WORKERS, ARE AFRAID, AND SCARED. ONE WORKER SAID, LOOK AT MY DEPARTMENT, I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO IS NOT A MOHEGAN. WHO DO YOU THINK THEY ARE GOING TO GET RID OF? THE WORKER SAID THE TRIBAL COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE DONE WHAT THE CASINO DID AND TAKE A 10% PAY CUT.

THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WILL TELL A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. WILL THEY LET NON-MOHEGANS GO? WILL THEY GIVE MOHEGANS PREFERENCE? WILL THEY LET PEOPLE GO BY PRODUCTIVITY? WILL WE KEEP THE BEST WORKERS OR THE DEAD WOOD? TRIBAL MEMBERS WATCH .IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING. I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN THE TRIBAL COUNCILORS' SHOES. WILL THE TRIBAL COUNCIL DO IT RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU THINK?