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MEA keeps you informed of all the news and events that make a difference in your life. This section is always changing, so check it often.

MEA’s Letter to PERB

MEA and Local 127 co-signed a letter that was delivered to the City’s Human Resources Director and sent to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).  The letter explains why MEA and Local 127 believe that the City has violated PERB’s 2008 order related to good faith bargaining over managed competition, and requests action from PERB to enforce its order.  We […]

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MEA Letter to the Editor

The following letter concerning Managed Competition was written by MEA General Manager Mike Zucchet, and was published in the “Letter to the Editor” section of the San Diego Union-Tribune on March 10, 2010. Regarding your Sunday editorial, “City Council: loyal to whom?”… Your statement that the San Diego Municipal Employees Association (MEA), the City’s largest labor union, is “stalling” the implementation of […]

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Don’t buy the happy talk—there are plenty of risks in turning over municipal services

In March 2009, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley came to San Diego to speak to a group of CEOs about the benefits of privatization. The Union-Tribune reported that Mayor Daley told the CEOs that “government can only do so much,” and that “government has to be more welcoming to business.” Just a few months earlier, Daley’s administration convinced the Chicago City Council to […]

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Seven Justices for Five Innocents

Five innocent people, wrongly accused, politically vilified, and whose lives were destroyed by the mere act of prosecution, were partially redeemed Jan. 25 by the unanimous opinion of California’s seven-member Supreme Court in Lexin v Superior Court. Remember the names of the innocent, good and decent people whose lives were utterly destroyed for no proper reason: Cathy Lexin, Mary Elizabeth Vattimo, […]

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Know Your Rights, First Quarter of 2010

Recently MEA filed a grievance on behalf of one of its members when he/she was required to provide a doctor’s note for a sick day, or their timecard would be changed to Red-K, resulting in the employee not being paid. This demand violated Article 18, Sections 8 and 9, titled, Annual Leave and Compensatory Time Off. MEA’s MOU specifically states, […]

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President’s Message, First Quarter of 2010

It’s hard to believe that my first year as MEA President has already passed. Our union family has experienced a lot of obstacles and trials this past year, but we pulled together and made sound decisions that only strengthened our resolve and prepared us for future fights. Looking back on 2009, there were numerous accomplishments that our union should be […]

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Storm Water Department Highlight

With the latest rash of rainy weather, it’s fitting that we highlight Storm Water, the department responsible for protecting ocean and bay water quality for the citizens of San Diego. You may be surprised to know that the department wasn’t created until July 2008. Up until then, the Pollution Prevention Division and Operations & Maintenance Division were housed in other […]

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SAP, Flex Dollars and Your Paycheck

You may have recently noticed your paycheck looks a little different. With the conversion to SAP the full bi-weekly flex allotment now shows up as income on your paycheck, and the biweekly cost of your benefits are also shown as deductions. These deductions will be in a pre-tax form thus negating the flex allotment and will not affect your net income. A […]

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