MEA Negotiating Team Election—Call for Nominations
It is time to elect a new MEA Negotiating Team. This is your opportunity to directly participate in one of the most important activities of MEA—negotiating the contracts that affect your wages, benefits, and the overall quality of your work life.
What is the Negotiating Team?
The MEA Negotiating Team is made up of three representatives from each of the four bargaining units that MEA represents, as well as the Executive Committee of MEA’s Board of Directors. Working with lead negotiators Ann Smith (MEA attorney) and Michael Zucchet (MEA General Manager), the team “meets and confers” with the City’s authorized representatives to bargain and attempt to reach an agreement on MEA’s labor contract (also known as the MOU).
What is a Bargaining Unit?
Jobs within the City are divided into different units that are represented by various labor organizations recognized by the City. MEA represents four units: Administrative Support and Field Service; Supervisory; Technical; and Professional. A complete list of classifications (Appendix A from our MOU) that make up each MEA-represented unit is attached on the upper right of this message.
Who Decides Who Serves on the Negotiating Team?
You do! Negotiating Team members are elected by MEA members in each bargaining unit. The election will be held electronically on MEA’s website beginning in September.
What are the Qualifications Needed to Run?
You must 1) be an MEA member in good standing for one full year, 2) be from a job classification within the unit you wish to represent, 3) have the time to commit to the negotiations process, and 4) collect the signatures of 10 MEA members in your bargaining unit on your nominating petition (also attached on the upper right).
Please note that while the Negotiating Team is elected by bargaining unit, members take an oath to serve ALL of MEA’s membership.
Completed petitions, ballot statements and photos must be returned to MEA’s office at 9620 Chesapeake Drive, Suite 203 in Kearny Mesa (or electronically at info@sdmea.org) no later than Thursday, September 8 at 12:00 noon. Once the petitions and other materials are returned and certified, a ballot for each bargaining unit will be developed and the election will be conducted later in September.
What is the Time Commitment Needed to Serve on the Negotiating Team?
MEA is currently in the middle of a two-year labor contract with the City that expires on June 30, 2023. We will begin negotiating a successor contract this Fall and likely complete that process by May 2023.
The time commitment needed by Negotiating Team members varies widely during that period. For many months, there will be no meetings or time needed. For a few of those months, there will likely be several meetings, many of which may be called on short notice. Regular attendance at team meetings is critical to the process.
The City provides Negotiating Team members with paid release time from your job in order to participate in the meetings that take place during normal working hours. However, there may also be additional personal time needed to complete the negotiations process. Serving on MEA’s Negotiating Team represents a significant commitment and members should only run if they are willing and able to make that commitment.
If you do decide to run and get elected to serve on the team, please talk with your co-workers and ask them to support you while you are away from work representing them. After all, our paychecks and benefits are at stake in each negotiation cycle with the City!
Please remember, the strength of MEA depends on the active involvement of members like you. If you wish to run for a seat on the Negotiating Team, we applaud you. If you are unable to serve on the team, please encourage members in your workplace who you think would make a good representative to run. And please be sure to vote during the election period on MEA’s website. If you have any questions, or need more information, please don’t hesitate to call MEA at 619-264-6632.