Tinian mayor mulls 2-3 workhour cuts

TINIAN—After implementing a one-hour workhour reduction for two weeks now, Mayor Jose P. San Nicolas plans to further cut his employees’ work time by up to three hours “if worse comes to worst.”

In an interview, San Nicolas said that he may further reduce the workhour by two or three hours a day, depending on the personnel’s salary.

Under his proposal, those who are earning $18,000 to $30,000 will be cut by two hours and those earning over $30,000 to $50,000 will be cut by three hours.

Those getting a salary of $18,000 below will be spared.

San Nicolas said his proposed reduction would be “fair.”

“It’s not fair to cut those getting $18,000 by three hours. If you deduct three hours from $50,000, it’s going to be fair,” he said.

He said, though, that he would consult with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and the Office of Management and Budget on his proposal.

He said yesterday that OMB sees it as “reasonable” but he is holding off on the work hour reduction, pending further study.

“If we don’t have to take that measure, we’ll stick to the one hour reduction,” he said.

He also said he would have to wait for the Executive Branch to implement its work hour reduction plan, which he said would affect department employees on Tinian, not municipal employees.

There are some 151 personnel working at the Mayor’s Office. They all began working for only seven hours a day since Feb. 13.

In the meantime, San Nicolas said, OMB advises his office to look at other expenditures to cut.

“We’re still thinking. We’re still cutting unnecessary expenditures,” he said.

An employee who asked for anonymity, said that the one-hour reduction is “too hard.”

“It’s very difficult, especially for someone like me, a single parent, who has to pay my credit [card], my bills, my rent,” said the employee.

Peter Manglona, a father of four, said the reduced workhour is hard but he can put up with it “as long as they don’t lay off people.”

Elizabeth Linan echoed this, saying: “It’s hard but as he said, it’s better than being laid off.”

Mayor San Nicolas said he has to take drastic actions “to prevent layoffs.”

$250,000 savings

San Nicolas said that, since his assumption to office, the municipal government has saved $250,000 by implementing cost-cutting measures.

This, he said, does not include the one-hour workhour reduction that took effect on Feb. 13.

He said that since his inauguration in January 2006, he immediately implemented a cost-cutting plan. This included cutting cellular phones, travels, and personal use of public vehicles.

“You come to the office and go home using your own vehicle. Use the office car while doing your job but not for personal errands,” he said.

San Nicolas said the Tinian government receives some $13 million in annual appropriation from the central government.