02-04-1992 - Acklnowledge Letter--WC Firefighters' Assoc., Local 3226, Re: Meet & Confer StatusCity of West Covina
Memorandum
To City Manager and City Council
. AGENDA
FROM Personnel Services
ITEM NO. F-2a
SUBJECT: ACKNOWLEDGE LETTER --WEST COVINA DATE February 4, 1992
FIREFIGHTERS' ASSOCIATION,
LOCAL 3226, REGARDING MEET AND
CONFER STATUS
SUMMARY: The West Covina Firefighters' Association has presented
.the City's final salary and benefit offer to their
membership for vote. In a letter to the City Council,
City Manager and Personnel Director dated January 20,
1992, the Association is formally declaring impasse and
requesting mediation. This report transmits the letter
to the City Council for acknowledgement and further
action.
Background:
Meet and Confer sessions commenced in August of 1991 between the
West Covina Firefighters' Association, Local 3226 (Association),
and representatives of the City. A total of nine meetings were
conducted on a variety of subjects•relating to the terms and
conditions of employment for the represented group of 69
Firefighters, Engineers and Captains. The meet and confer
process provided for the exchange of positions by the parties and
culminated on January 8, 1992, with a statement of the City's
final offer on salaries, benefits and other conditions. The
final position of the Association was also articulated at that
meeting. A subsequent vote of the Association was taken by their
bargaining team to ascertain the majority vote required to accept
or reject the City's final offer.
Discussion
On January 20, 1992, a letter was received from the Association
stating their decision to reject the City's final offer, declare
impasse and request mediation. Pursuant to Municipal Code
Section 2-222. Memoranda of Understanding, subsection (b), if
agreement is not reached, the representatives of the employee
organization may file with the City Council a written statement
of their position. Before determining the issue, the City
Council is required to fix a time and place to receive any
pertinent information that might be orally presented. This
action is necessary prior to final determination on such matters.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council receive and acknowledge
the letter from the Association and determine a time and place
for oral presentation of information.
Ci I � � /A-, e
Diane F. Ure
Personnel Director
lk:FIRE-MOU
•
• RECIE 1 V i'J
JAN2U1..02
4
January 16, 1992
To: Diane Ure
Personel Director
City of West Covina &
West Covina Council
From: Harvie Burton
President
West Covina Fireman's Association
Local 3226
This Correspondence is to .inform you of our decision
to reject your last and final offer and to enter into
impasse and request mediation as outlined in the City's
Personel rules.
In August of 1991 we entered into the meet and confer
process with honesty and openess. This team attitude was
created by management and labor three years ago after many
difficult years of negotiations. We did not try to "High -
Ball the City with unrealistic requests. Although we
believe that we belong at the top of the survey cities, we
only asked to be brought up to the average in wages and
benefits.
Your response was to reject the basis that had been
established through prior negotiations with the survey
cities. Your offer has norelationship to the survey that
was done. This fact alone suggests bad faith bargaining.
Why conduct a survey if you are going to throw it out if
you do not like the results?
Although other City of West'Covina Departments are at
or near the average of their surveys, you have decided to
keep your Fire Department at the very bottom.
Since we are dedicated team members and are sensative
to current economic indicators we decided that we would stay
at the bottom of the survey during the coming year. Our
membership voted to allow a minimum of a 5% increase.
Although you had given the same to another Public Safety
Department,.you rejected it for us.
The past three years has proven that an adequately paid
employee., that is treated fairly, will make an average
organization into a highly efficient one. We can not support
a Council that threatens the efficiency of our Fire Depart-
ment.
•
0
Our goal, during these difficult economic times, is to main-
tain a highly efficient organization. To do this, we must
be treated fairly and paid atleast average in wages and
benefits.
The following is the City's last and final offer, and
the Union's last response:
Salary
City 3% 1-1-92
Union 5% 1-1-92
Medical and Dental
City $429 7-1-92
Union $436 7-1-92
Sick Leave payoff on termination
City No change
Union 1/3 of all hours (max. of 600 hours)
Language on mileag.e and expense reimbursement
Agreement on concept (language to be written)