Clarification on Statement Concerning Union
Posted 02-11-1999
At a news conference held in the Commissioners Meeting room in the Westmoreland County
Courthouse, County Commissioner Tom Balya, accompanied by members of various unions
addressed his relationship with organized labor amidst recent comments made surrounding
the current negotiations between the county and its biggest union, SEIU.
"I made a single comment in a newspaper article that has offended some people, and I
regret it. My statement was a reflex action to a reporter's question", said Balya.
"My position with these negotiations still remains the same; to balance fair
treatment with responsible financial management."
Balya has had a long and constructive
relationship with organized labor. He was an endorsed candidate by the Greater
Westmoreland Labor Council in 1995, and is a founder and co-chairperson of the
Westmoreland County Area Labor Management Committee.
Balya also addressed a recent article in a
local newspaper where anonymous union members were critical of the income and benefits he
and his wife, The Honorable Judge Debra Pezze earn. Acknowledging that the nature of the
job leaves him open to criticism.
Balya stated, "I have been
particularly sensitive to the good fortune I have from my job and my wife's. However, to
bring my wife into either the campaign or negotiations is wrong. It is also an insult to
working women who for generations have been denied the opportunity to be judges."
Balya ended the meeting by stating, "I
am certain that labor, like the public in general, supports public officials that work
hard and act responsibly. That's what I have done during my first term, and will continue
to do in the future." |
