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Administrator's Email Calls Some San Jose Workers 'Useless'

SAN JOSE (KCBS) - San Jose city workers are fighting mad about a 9-month-old email from the city's retirement director to a city councilman in which ten percent of the work force is called "totally useless."

Now some workers within the police department, fire department and library are calling for the firing of Retirement Services Director Russell Crosby.

In an email to City Councilman Sam Liccardo, Crosby refers to an article in the Economist magazine, and calls ten percent of the city workforce "totally useless" and another ten percent "marginally employed."

KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:

Long time fire battalion chief Robert Sapien was one of the workers speaking out against Crosby.

"My experience having supervised hundreds of fire department employees is that this characterization is complete fiction," he said.

Both Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilman Liccardo released settlements praising the public workforce.

Crosby did not return calls from KCBS seeking comment.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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