South Coast Air Quality Management District

Approve Memorandum of Understanding for Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Units

SYNOPSIS:

AQMD management and representatives of Teamsters Local 911, representing the Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Units, have reached agreement on a labor contract for the period July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2005, which has been ratified by bargaining unit members. This action is to present the ratified agreement to the Board for approval as a new three-year memorandum of understanding.

COMMITTEE:

Not applicable

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Authorize AQMD’s negotiator to sign the ratified Memorandum of Understanding between AQMD and Teamsters Local 911, covering employees in the Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Units.
   
   
2. Adopt the attached Resolution amending AQMD’s Salary Resolution to allow salary placement for Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement employees who are eligible for consideration for restoration to a previously held higher classification who return to their earlier classification through promotion to be placed at the salary step they were previously on when in the higher class or at the step provided for under terms applicable to promotion, whichever is greater.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

On December 10, 1999, the Board approved a labor contract through June 30, 2002, for the Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Units, represented by Teamsters Local 911. Management’s recent negotiations with bargaining unit representatives for a successor agreement have resulted in a three-year labor agreement that has been ratified by bargaining unit employees.

Proposal

The union-ratified agreement, which would extend through June 30, 2005, includes the following changes from the previous contract:

1. Cost-of-living salary adjustments of 3% on July 8, 2002; 3% on July 7, 2003; and 2% on July 5, 2004
   
   
2. Adjustments in AQMD’s monthly contribution toward health insurance premiums by 18% the first year, 15% the second year, and 10% the third year
   
   
3. A cafeteria benefits plan that permits reimbursement to employees of any unused portion of the District’s monthly health insurance contribution remaining after required premiums have been paid and that makes selection of vision insurance optional
   
   
4. A provision requiring employees covered by this agreement either to become dues-paying members of Teamsters Local 911 or to pay a monthly agency fee equal to union dues
   
   
5. A provision allowing employees certified by Human Resources as not eligible for skill or premium pay or pay differentials who are required by management, with less than a week’s notice, to work overtime, to earn overtime based on hours paid, including paid leave hours, rather than hours worked
   
   
6. Bereavement leave for the death of a domestic partner
   
   
7. A statement that the provisions of the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) are incorporated into the agreement
   
   
8. A provision in the Salary Resolution, specific to members of these two bargaining units, that allows those eligible for consideration for restoration to a previously held higher classification who return to their earlier classification through promotion to be placed at the salary step they were previously on when in the higher class or at the step provided for under terms applicable to promotion, whichever is greater
   
   
9. A provision that combines existing employee-donated catastrophic leave fund balances of the two bargaining units into a single fund
   
   
10. A provision allowing bargaining unit members to donate 100%, rather than the current 50%, of vacation hours that would otherwise be forfeited annually to the catastrophic leave fund
    
    
11. The establishment of a Districtwide committee to make a recommendation for consideration in 2005, during negotiation of a successor contract, with respect to voluntary Medicare coverage for employees not already covered

Staff believes this negotiated agreement addresses Teamsters Local 911-represented bargaining unit issues in ways that will improve employee morale and maintain management’s ability to conduct efficient operations, as well as effecting adjustments that will keep AQMD competitive in its labor market.

Resource Impacts

The three-year cost of this agreement is approximately $6,170,346, which is comparable to the cost of the three-year agreement approved by the Board in March for the Professional Bargaining Unit.

Attachments

Memorandum of Understanding
Resolution
Salary Resolution Amendment

RESOLUTION NO. 02-

                    A Resolution of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board amending AQMD’s Salary Resolution Section 16 to allow salary placement of Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Unit employees eligible for consideration for restoration to a previously held higher classification who return to their earlier classification through promotion to be placed at the salary step they were previously on when in the higher class or at the step provided for under terms applicable to promotion, whichever is greater.

                    WHEREAS, the Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District exercises its duty to review and determine appropriate wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment provided to employees.

                    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, State of California, in regular session assembled on June 7, 2002, does hereby amend AQMD’s Salary Resolution Section 16 to allow salary placement of Office Clerical & Maintenance and Technical & Enforcement Bargaining Unit employees eligible for consideration for restoration to a previously held higher classification who return to their earlier classification through promotion to be placed at the salary step they were previously on when in the higher class or at the step provided for under terms applicable to promotion, whichever is greater.

SALARY RESOLUTION AMENDMENT

Section 16. APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS TO HIGHER-LEVEL POSITIONS

When an employee is promoted, he or she shall be entitled to receive the step rate in the Salary Schedule of the new position that provides at least a 10 percent increase in pay or a Step 5 placement, whichever is smaller. An employee who is compensated at a Y-rate that exceeds the top step of the salary range of his or her old position shall, upon promotion, be compensated at the step rate in the Salary Schedule of the new position that provides at least a 10 percent increase in salary over the top step of the old position, provided that he or she shall not thereby suffer a reduction in salary.

Employees in the Technical and Enforcement and Office Clerical and Maintenance bargaining units eligible for consideration for restoration who return to their earlier classification through promotion will be placed at the salary step they were previously on when in the higher classification or will receive the step placement described above, whichever is greater.

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