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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 11-28-95 - Adjourned w CDC 4 0 % f' MINUTES OF TIE OUVC IL CCMM Ud IT Y DEVELOPMENT C CMM ISS ION C IT Y C / OF TEE CITY OF DOW IE Y ADJO IR IE D REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 28, 1995 The City Council Communit Development Commission of the City of Downey Council/ Community held an Adjourned ned Re g ul ar Meeting at 6:00 p.m., November 28, 1995, in the Council Chamber of the Downey City Hall , Mayor /Chairman Gary P. McCaughan presiding. PRESENT: Council Members /Commissioners: Gary P. McCaughan, M.D. Mayor /Chairman Joyce L. Lawrence Mayor Pro Tem /Vice - Chairman (arrived at 7;05 p.m.) Robert S. Bra zel to n Diane P. Boggs Barbara J. Riley ALSO PRESENT: Ger al d M. Cato n , Ci ty Man ag er / Ex ec ut i v e Di r ec to r Cheryl J. Kane, City Attorney Judith Mc Don n el 1 , City Cl er k/ Secretary Lee Powell , Assistant City Manager Chris Birch, Director of Personnel ORAL PRESENTATIONS RE LAB (R PEW IMPASSE WITH TEE DOW ICE Y C IT Y EMPLOYEES ASSOC IATION - MAINTENANCE r McCaughan u han outlined the guidelines that will be followed for this Mayo 9 process, including the time allotted for the presentation, City response and r e b u t t a l . Ms. Robin Nahin, representing the Downey City Maintenance Association, explained her understanding of the Brown Act that the resolution of this matter be conducted in P ubl is , and she noted the Association has retained an attorney. She then went on to discuss the impasse reached by the Association, which has 55 employees, a number that has been reduced through attrition. approximately anticipated cost to the City She proposed solving the issue ue t hi s evening, at an antic p more than $25,000, and outl in ed the Assoc iati o n s wi l l ing ness to sol v e of no the inequity problem between the leadworkers, the rest of the bargaining unit, and y • nd the City at no cost to the Ci ty whatsoever. Ms. Nahin outlined the negotiations that have taken place, specifically referring to the 2% at 55 g • included, uded noting retirement benefit that was originally l y c 9 that 13 of the Assoc ia- tion' s employees are over the age of 55; the lack of mobility and working under class, with employees doing the work of higher paid positions; staying on a prcmotional list for long periods of time; and people working in a temporary capacity with the promise of employment. The number one solution is that the employees over 55 be allowed to leave with some sort of severance equal to what the y would receive if they retired later, which would allow many of the lead- workers promote. to romote. Ms. Nahin also emphasized that in this bargaining unit, jobs have disappeared; work has been contracted out, with the possibility of more in the future; there are at least six vacant positions; and many of the employees have taken classes to improve their job skills. The leadworkers are earning percent ercent less than the job class above them, and a good number of arnin City Council /Comm. Dev. Minutes (Adj .) 11/28/95 -1- f them are performing the work of a supervisor. She indicated the supervisors received a raise several years ago, while the leadworkers did not. The leadworkers are 15% below the median of salaries in the Downey survey of cities. Ms. Nahin encouraged a solution of paying the leadworkers as much under the median as the rest of the bargaining unit. The rest of the bargain- ing unit is composed of employees waiting to promote to l e ad wo r k er and others who have been working in a temporary capacity for more than five years. If the employees at the top of the bargaining unit were to retire with a reasonable incentive then the temporary personnel , who are considering legal action, would be able to move into some of the vacant positions. Again, she encouraged reaching a solution to this issue. Mr. Powell discussed the negotiations, which led to this impasse. He said the impasse concerns wording regarding the classification study proposed by the Association, which the City has not been able to agree with because it would commit the City to adjusting salaries. However, the City has agreed to seven different items for a one year contract, which he enunerated . He said the only item they have not agreed to is the exact wording on the study because the City is concerned about the potential costs of the agreement. Even though a specific percentage for leadworkers has not been discussed, he gave a estimate of the cost to the City if the leadworkers were to receive a salary increase. Language has been proposed for a study but excludes the sentence which binds the Ci ty to a s a l a r y increase of an un known amount. In her rebuttal remarks, Ms. Nahin commented on some of the seven items discussed by Mr. Powell . She al so indicated the Association would be will ing to sign a $25,000 cap on the contract, and when the City has completed the survey in March, they would be willing to discuss how the problem of bringing the positions up to a par with the rest of the bargaining unit could be resolved in other ways. She asked that the study reflect the City's willingness to solve the problem of the leadworkers. At thi s time, Mayor McCaughan stated the Council will take thi s matter under advi sement . Noting that negotiations regarding the Maintenance and Miscellaneous --- Employees Associations are listed on the agenda for closed session, Ms. Nahin reiterated her understanding that the Brown act compels an impasse resol ution to be discussed in open session. Mr . Caton remov ed Ag end a Item V -B reg and in g 1 ab or negoti a tions wi th Downey City Employees Association - Maintenance and Miscellaneous. Mr. Michael Howard, associate of Ms. Nahin, asked for and received clari- fication of the Council's intent. He was informed the Agenda Item concerning the Maintenance Association has been removed. CLOSED SESSION Mayor /Chairman McCaughan announced the Council /Commission is recessing to Closed Session (6:40 p.m.) to discuss the f o l l o w i n g Sections of the Go v er nm en t Code: City Council /Comm. Dev. Minutes (Adj.) 11/28/95 -2- !k .r otr . A. SECTION 54957.6, - Conference with Labor Negotiator Gerald Caton re direction for 1 abor negotiations for Executive and Middle Management Empl oyee s B. SECTION 54957.6 - Conference with Labor Negotiator Gerald Caton re direction for 1 abor negotiations relating to the City Manager's Employment Agreement. Council Member /Commissioner Lawrence arrived at the meeting at : 05 p .m. The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:37 p .m . with al 1 Co unc i 1 Members /Commi ssioners present. APPROVAL OF CLOSED SESSION MINUTES - NOVEMBER 14, 1995 It was moved by Council Member /Commissioner Boggs , seconded by Council Member Commissioner Lawrence, and unanimously carried to approve the Closed Session Minutes of November 14, 1995. Mayor/Chairman McCaughan announced there were no closed session actions to report at this time. The meeting recessed at 7:30 p .m . CRAL C OMM LN IC AT IO NS : None The meeting reconvened for Oral Communications at 9:10 p .m . with al l Council Members /Commi ssioners present ( see Oral Communications under Regular Ci ty Co unc i l Meeting) , and immediately recessed. The meeting reconvened at 10: 25 p .m. with all Co unc i 1 Members/ - Commi ssioners present . ADJO lit NH E NT : 10: 25 p .m . C\.4 ) . W 1 60 -01. j u��t Ic onn el 1 � t Y Ci Cl er k/ Secretary Gary p. Ca ug han , May a an Ci ty Council /Comm. Dev . Minutes (Adj .) 11/28/95 -3- {