Labor Representation Quarterly Overview, October-December 2011

67 new cases were opened for this quarter (23 in October, 26 in November and 18 in December).

If you or anyone you know is retiring soon, please contact Risk Management regarding insurance you may wish to convert to a private policy. We have a member who recently retired and was rejected by the life insurance company because she did not make the request within the required 21 days. Risk Management had not sent her the information on time as they are behind in getting packets out due to the high number of employees retiring. Please be proactive in getting the needed forms or information.

All but one of the eleven submitted requests for Special Salary Adjustments and New Classes were approved for study by the Civil Service Commission. There are three requests for Special Salary Adjustments and seven requests for New Classifications. Meetings with the employees, the assigned Personnel Analyst and their MEA representative have been scheduled during the month of January. The first round of recommendations from the studies will be presented at the Civil Service Commission meeting in February.

MEA Labor Representatives have been engaged in a variety of meet and confers regarding policy matters with various City departments and Labor Relations staff. The issues being discussed include take-home vehicles in the Fire Department, issuance of passports by City Clerk staff, changing from a 12 to an 8 hour shift in Fire Communications, modifications to lunch periods in Police Communications and outsourcing first level parking appeals in the City Treasurer’s Department. We are also in meet and confer regarding the outcome of Fleet Services winning the Managed Competition bid.

In addition, Labor Representatives have been engaged in a number of disciplinary action cases, including several terminations, LTD appeals, fact findings and supplemental employee performance reports. They have also been answering questions about the new retiree health MOU.