COSTA MESA (CBS) — Facing the possibility of losing up to half of the city’s jobs to outsourcing, municipal workers in Costa Mesa expressed a growing frustration with a process one official called “painful” and “disorganized”.

KNX 1070’s Pete Demetriou reports over 200 employees could get pink slips in the next six months due to outsourcing.

Interim Communications Director Bill Lobdell said the city is providing emotional counseling to those who need it, while still trying to transition as many employees as possible into other jobs with other employers.

“Whether it’s a government agency or a private company, if they do outsource, our people who are affected will get the first shot at jobs,” Lobdell said.

City workers’ unions, however, aren’t satisfied with the effort, with many questioning whether the city violated the California Public Meetings Act in putting the outsourcing plans together.

That accusation, according to Lobdell, is currently being reviewed by the city attorney’s office.

Jennifer Muir with the Costa Mesa Employees Association said city workers are furious over the proposal.

“This is just prolonging an incredibly painful and disorganized and vague process that the public is still extremely puzzled about why they’re doing in the first place,” Muir said.

Comments (44)
  1. JT says:

    This is what should be happening in every city in the country. Privatize all public services, and see the labor costs drop in half (or more). No more outrageous salaries. No more six-figure pensions before age 60. If they are lucky their private company will provide a 401K plan with a small match (just like everyone else). Hopefully Costa Mesa will become a model for other cities around the county, state and country.

    1. Ron says:

      JT, you are right about doing this in all public sector jobs. But don’t SETTLE on six- figure pensions after 60. Why should ANY government worker retire with more pay than the average Joe or Josephine, that gets only their Social Security? Cap all government pensions, at no more than the highest Social Security payout, at the same age.

  2. Steve says:

    The city is obligated to spend it’s revenue in the most efficient manner possible which will bring the taxpayers the best value for the dollars paid in taxes.

    If that means outsourcing to get more things done with the same amount of money, then do it.

    I feel sorry the city employees who may lose their jobs due to the outsourcing, but, if the union bosses refuse to see the writing on the wall and refuse to acknowledge that the entire country is in a devastating economic downturn, and that the money just is not there, then shame on them for causing the potential unemployment of the city employees.

    Finally, the union members should demand that the union bosses negotiate with the city to keep their jobs, and if that means less pay and paying more of their own money for their own benefits, that is definitely better than no pay and no benefits.

  3. ILLEGALS says:

    Budget crisis & deficits is part of US Government Bullsh!t. Stop funding Foreign Nations & stop Welfare & Medi-Cal.

    US paid Billions to Foreign nations in Aid each year and we’re cutting here & there at home. Stop ’em funding and bring ’em $$ back home.

    We’re paying BILLIONS to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Israel, UK, etc..

  4. alan hart says:

    With the exception of a few jobs, all government jobs should be outsourced. Private industry built this country. Government workers don’t even pay into Social Security. Where do I vote for this?

    1. Ron says:

      Look at my comments above, about capping ALL government pensions. That will save us a fortune.

  5. ROY TREMPY says:


  6. 1900innoho says:

    It’s about time the unions are being eliminated! Their pension plans, union rules and the inablility to lay-off or fire the workers has caused great fiscal injury on local and state governments. Gid rid of them. They are not necessary or beneficial in this era. Outsource until we can hire NON-UNION workers from here on out !!! Tell your elected representatives about this. – spread the word.

    1. Ron says:

      ABSOLUTELY !!!!

  7. calman says:

    When will the city council members be outsourced?
    It will surely save lots of money too!

  8. Jim says:

    This is very disturbing. Our nation is in a fiscal crisis thanks to greedy bankers and corrupt politicians, and the lower-level government employees have to pay the price.

    1. Ron says:

      Don’t forget the CORRUPT UNIONS too !!!!

  9. FN Cee says:

    GREAT!! … these featherbedders and arrogant parasites should be laid off and replaced by people who will actually work and treat their neighbors like they are happy to have the job. Fire every single one of them at every level of city government … get rid of all the employee/employer responsibilities and run the city for the citizens who live in Costa Mesa and pay taxes, not for the city’s employees.

  10. Ford says:

    I’ll bet that every one that is posting against the city workers thinks that their job is essential and that they are not a useless parasite, drain or overpaid at their company.

    1. upoyurs says:

      If they weren’t they would be fired. Look at what happens when they try to fire a public employee, dumba$$.

  11. calman says:

    Costa Mesa can also sell the city hall when the outsourcing is completed to save utility cost and maintenance.
    Maybe it should be merged with other big city. Let other cities have their bids to buy Costa Mesa and sell it to the highest bid like in the private sector.

  12. California will be part of Mexico by 2025 says:

    “could get pink slips in the next 6 months due to outsourcing?”, I thought they already handed out the Pink Slips back in March & that is why Pham jumped to his death from the Costa Mesa City Hall Building?

    or are they like Teachers where they send out Prelim Pink Slips 6 months prior & then the real Pink Slip on their schedule deadline..

  13. Borsia Novak says:

    This is long overdue. It needs to be done on the state level, including prisons and schools. The current employees can apply for the jobs just like any other qualified applicants. The jobs aren’t vanishing into thin air they still need to be done.

  14. calman says:

    I hope that every one who is posting against the city workers can keep his/her job in the private sector.
    I’ve worked 30+ years in different private sectors and seen all kind of workers: good, bad and lazy workers. So don’t think that only the city workers are bad.

    1. Kevin says:

      I worked in a Union Job for 20 years and when I left found out that in the real world you have to show something for the money you earn, unlike a Union job where you just show up and get paid. I like the fact that cities as well as states are starting to put Unions in there place and getting rid of them. there are plenty of people out there that will do a job for less money and will do a better job at it

    2. Ron says:

      If you go to a restaurant, bar, grocery store, gas station, etc. and you get poor or bad service or the prices are much higher than other places of business, do you continue to go there? In the private sector, we have a choice. If not happy go elsewhere. But in the public sector, we have NO choice. Government has a monopoly, so they can & quite often are very slow, inefficient and sometimes very rude. But you can’t go to another business for ALL of your DMV business or Social Security applications or problems, can you?

      THAT is the problem with public sector jobs and the UNIONS.


  15. upyours says:

    Oh wah-wah. These a$$wipes are killing the goose for the golden eggs. Instead of backing the whiny incompetent overpaid a$$holes of public safety every time the pigs went to the taxpayer trough they should have held them in check. Now that the whiny incompetent overpaid a$$holes are excluded from cuts, these a$$wipes have no one to blame but themselves. They can go pi$$ up a pole.

  16. California's Mexican Population is out of control says:

    CA Ex-Governor Gray Davis DOUBLE the SALARIES of PRISON GUARDS!

  17. KWHub says:

    Does anyone know how many, even by percentage, Costa Mesa employees will get jobs with the private company that takes over management of the city?

    They need the experts. I think the unions and union supporters are trying to hide the reality behind sensational headlines and heavy statements that magnify the negatives. Sad…I suppose that many of the employees of Costa Mesa, that live here, don’t realize the damage they have done to our community. And the ones that don’t live here don’t care. Maybe we should require all employees that work for the city to LIVE IN THE CITY. And once we verify they live here, we can give them a tax break.

    I don’t believe that any residents would bark about that.

  18. Ron says:

    Here’s a BIG THANK YOU to the CITY of COSTA MESA, for taking the first step in what EVERY government (city, state and federal) entity needs to do. Challenge the UNIONS. Outsource everything. Cut pensions and government waste. GET RID of the UNIONS.

  19. Dan the man says:

    You negative idiots you think just because you are pathetice losers that local goverment workers are like you, they actaully work and get paid a fair price, I hope your employer sees how pathetic and lazy you idiotas are.

  20. Dan The Man says:

    You think that private companies are going to give you a fair price, all there going to do is raise the rates consistinely every year and give kick backs to local corrupt politicians with corrupt tactics in order to fyrther their plans.. Think about it before you make stupid idiot decisions…Think, think,think,think,,……..Saving money i dont think so.. this sounds more like hatred…

    1. Ron says:

      Dan the UNION man:

      You just described exactly what we have NOW, with the UNIONS, idiot !!! CORRUPTION, KICKBACKS, LOCAL CORRUPT POLITICIANS. Nice move MORON.

      Your days are numbered and it can’t happen fast enough.

      Congrats to the City of Costa Mesa !!!!

      1. Dan the Man says:

        Sorry Ron the Ding Dong, you just wait and see what happens, keep toting the party line, corruption. uneducated morons….

      2. Ron says:

        Dan the Democrat Union lover:

        Not a UNION man, just call it as you see it. Then you HAVE to be BLIND or have your head so FAR UP some UNION BOSSES @SS, that you can’t see straight.

        Only UNEDUCATED moron around here is YOU.

        Wow, are there still pick and saves around?

      3. Dan The Man says:

        Ron The Tea bagger ding dong, keep up with the gibberish it really sounds intellegent, keep up the corruption ideology moron idiot…

  21. dan The Man says:

    Instead of elimination think negotiation, that’s the answer… You have to think before you make stupid, idiotic decisions….

    1. upyours says:

      Three dumba$$ statements in a row. You need to take your own advice, pu$$y moron.

  22. Dan The Man says:

    For the Record I’m not a Unoin thug or have anything to do with Unions, I call it as I see it, and this is curroptoin in progress. Easy scapegoats, ya blame the the unions for the corruption in politics you freaking morons just keep on toting that moronic party line… Idiots……

    1. upyours says:

      On the record, you’re a PU$$Y.

  23. Dan The Man says:

    I’ll do exactly that and put it up yours cause that’s exactly were your ideas are coming from.. Idiot. You must work at pick and save…DUH…

    1. upyours says:

      A$$wipe pu$$y isn’t smart enough to know it’s “Pic ‘n Save,” but then everyone already knows that from your pu$$y postings, sh!t-for-brains.

  24. dan The Man says:

    Must Be Break time at pick and save…. DUH………

    1. Ron says:

      “Must Be Break time at pick and save…. DUH………”

      Only you would know, don’t you have a watch?

      dan, who wished he was a REAL man, it is spelled intelligent, but I wouldn’t expect you to know that. You’re too busy PLAYING with YOUR or SOMEONE else’s DING DONGS !!!

      How do you like those tea bags?

    2. upyours says:


      Then you must be the a$$wipe watching from the parking lot, fingering your a$$, and digging through the trash, illiterate pu$$y moron.

  25. Dan The Man says:

    Oh how cute we have a couple… A couple of IDIOT MORONS, keep up the gibberish SOUNDS great…. Clean up on aisle 4… Oh looks like you ladies need to get back to work.. IDIOTS

    1. upyours says:

      Says ” Dan’s Man,” taking so much up his a$$ he has sh!t for brains. Try growing a “couple” instead of licking them, PU$$Y.

  26. Dan The Man says:

    You must be from Frisco you know so much licking them, hope your throat and chin aren’t sore from punishment… Moron up yo momas……..ron the ding dong….

  27. upyours says:

    So what you’re saying is you can’t grow a couple. Better thank your slu+ mama for not flushing when she sh!t you out, pu$$y loser.

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