For Immediate Release
CONTACT PERSON: MARY RICHARDS
617-367 2727

August 26, 2002

ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS RIP SWIFT FOR VETO OF ANTI-PATRONAGE AMENDMENT

“Outrageous!” That’s what the Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers and Scientists, MOSES, a public employee union representing some 4000 engineers, scientists and related technical professionals branded Governor Swift’s veto of an amendment mandating that all new hires meet the minimum entrance requirements for engineering and other technical positions. The union claims that the language of the MOSES supported amendment to the recently passed Transportation Bond Bill would go a long way toward the elimination of patronage hires they say have infiltrated the professional scientific and engineering workforce of the Commonwealth.

MOSES President, Mary J. Richards, said, “Swift’s actions virtually guarantee that the patronage hiring in these positions at Mass Highway will continue unchecked.  As strange as it may sound, the language we requested merely requires that workers hired into engineering and other technical positions, under the Transportation Bond bill, meet at least the minimum entrance requirements for the jobs. Who could possibly oppose that?  This amendment closed a loophole making hiring practices compatible across the state, regardless of the funding source.”

MOSES has worked for years to change this language in the Transportation Bond bills as a result of what they termed “a total breakdown in the hiring process.”  For at least the last decade this loophole has allowed inexperienced and unqualified workers into resident engineer, environmental engineer and general construction inspector positions.

In her veto message referencing the amendment Swift wrote, ….  “section 55 inappropriately constricts the Massachusetts Highway Department’s ability to recruit individuals using criteria such as technical expertise by instituting civil service examinations for appointment and promotion to civil engineer positions.”

Richards’ response to this comment, “ Unfortunately this statement elicited laughter when read at a recent union meeting. The acting governor must have been misinformed.  This amendment has absolutely nothing to do with civil service testing and everything to do with eliminating the unscrupulous and perhaps dangerous practices we have witnessed which have in fact allowed unqualified political hires with no technical expertise to fill professional positions throughout the agencies of the Commonwealth. In reality, the present problems have resulted from the demise of, rather than the existence of, the Civil Service system, a merit based system designed to ensure that the most qualified candidates get the jobs. Civil Service was in fact created to eliminate political patronage.”

The union’s officials expressed grave concerns about what they termed the negligence of this and the past two Administrations that have contributed to the problem. They point to the Weld/Cellucci "downsizing" in 1996 in conjunction with their “Re-inventing Government “ scheme, which recommended the abolition of Civil Service.   In 1997 the Weld Administration eliminated all existing Civil Service lists effectively ending it except for public safety and some clerical positions. No tests in the engineering, scientific or technical positions represented by MOSES have been given since 1991.

“MOSES maintains that the present hiring practices are immoral and should be ended immediately.  The apparent return of an unfettered spoils system has had far-reaching implications. This amendment would have at least begun the process of restoring professional integrity to the workforce and ended the hiring of unqualified workers. Our union has been in the forefront of promoting accountability and professionalism in state government positions. We urge Acting Governor Swift to reconsider this ill-advised veto. This may be her last chance to strike a blow against patronage and end the current dangerous hiring policies.” said President Richards.

Home | About NASHTU | Press Room | Membership |  Conference Activities
Legislation | Member Reports | Contact Us

National Association of State Highway
and Transportation Unions
455 Capitol Mall, Suite 501
Sacramento, CA  95814
Phone: 916-446-0584| Fax: 916-446-0489
 

Copyright ©2002 NASHTU.
All rights reserved.