Union Leader Warns Jail Proposal Has "Hidden Costs"

ALBANY, NY (06/01/2010)(readMedia)-- CSEA is calling a deal to contract out health services at the county jail "criminal" as it would mean more job losses in an already troubled economy and could lead to more trouble down the road.

County Executive Rob Astorino announced the three-year, $45 million deal with Correct Care Solutions (CCS) an out-of-state prison-care provider based in Nashville, Tenn., claiming it would save the county $1 million a year.

"This has been tried before and the results were disastrous, said CSEA Southern Region President Billy Riccaldo."

The union leader, who represents Westchester Medical Center employees who now provide health care services at the jail, was referring to the county's 1996 contract with a private company called EMSA that resulted in inmate suicides and lawsuits against the county. The founder and current head of CCS, Jerry Boyle, was formerly a vice president at EMSA.

The new deal would mean 75 medical center employees would find themselves without a job on July 26, when the contract with CCS goes into effect.

Riccaldo said he doesn't think Astorino and medical center chief executive Michael Israel tried hard enough to reach an agreement that would allow the medical center to continue providing services at the jail and that the decision to go with CCS was based on short-term incentives rather than long-term public interests.

"They are turning their backs on their workers to try to save pennies on the dollar," he said. When you consider the hidden costs of layoffs and the problems we've had with privatization in the past, it's just not worth it."

Riccaldo said the deal might not save the county any money at all and may in fact wind up costing taxpayers more. He said cost overruns by successful bidders are common because contractors usually low-ball their bids to get their first contracts.

"Make no mistake about it: privatization will cost more than they're telling us," Riccaldo said. Once they get their foot in the door - and once they get their hands on the taxpayers' money - we all had better watch out."

Riccaldo said he appreciated the efforts of Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins to try to save the relationship between the medical center and the county.

"CSEA thanks Chairman Jenkins for looking out for not only the taxpayers, but also the employees," Riccaldo said.

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