Labor Representation Quarterly Overview, October-December 2010

In October, we had 21 new cases opened, 31 cases in November and 25 cases in the first half of December. The types of cases range from fact findings, terminations, supplemental performance reports and written disciplines.

There are also two Civil Service Commission appeals scheduled for January 2011. The first appeal is for a termination case for an employee accused of wrongly claiming overtime for approximately two hours. The second case is a two day suspension for insubordination and conduct unbecoming for sending unauthorized emails to a manager.

The Labor Representatives have also had a number of supplemental performance report appeals and reprimand appeals. In addition, there are quite a few warning and reprimand cases coming out of the Treasurer’s Department regarding personal use of the city email and internet systems. We are advocating for the lowest level of discipline that will affect a change in the behavior, while also working to ensure fairness and consistency.

There are two additional grievances being processed regarding employees being denied their right to representation in a fact finding, and a grievance concerning OCA in the City Attorney’s Office.

There are numerous meet and confers Labor Representative staff are actively involved in including a pepper spray policy for Code Compliance Officers in Fire Prevention, new badges for Parking Enforcement Officers, Station 38 night staffing, Fire Communications staffing policy consolidation and supervisors use of working files, Facilities Maintenance Handbook revisions, Park and Recreation Department Instructions revisions and reviewing implementation of a “push to talk” cell phone in Facilities Maintenance with impacted supervisors.

Streets Division had two Labor Management Committee (LMC) meetings in December, and the Library LMC is scheduled to to begin January 21, 2010.

Public Utilities Bid to Goal

All MEA-represented employees in the Public Utilities Department received a copy of the letter sent to the new department director, Roger Bailey, which expressed our concerns about the delay in pay outs and the approval of the new MOU’s. We received a response from Mr. Bailey on December 7, 2010, though it did not provide any new information nor did it answer our questions regarding additional incentives for employees who continue to work toward meeting the goals without a MOU in place. He did state however, that the department plans to present the FY2009 AKT annual results audit and the request to award a fourth option year to AKT for the FY2010 annual audit at the February 2011 Audit Committee meeting. Mr. Bailey also stated that the Office of the City Auditor will present their findings at the February 2011 meeting, after which they will begin the process of making the FY09 Gainsharing payments.