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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 06052007 - SD.1 w 5D.1 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Date: June 5, 2007 Public Comment On this date, the Chair called for public comment. The following people presented testimony: The following person spoke before the Board: • Roland Katz, Public Employees Union-Local One, handed the Board of Supervisors a letter regarding essential services during June 27, 2006 strike. He told the Board Local One does not understand why the County continues to provide the barest of information without any justification for alternate arrangements to Local One members during a strike, and urged the Board to engage in this process fully and promptly. THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY NO ACTION WAS TAKEN I Public Employees Union, Local One THE UNION FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ORGANIZED 1941 o I Mailin- Address: PO Box 6783, Concord, CA 94524 ♦ 'Union Hall: 5034 Blum Road, Martinez Phone: 1925)228-1600 ♦ Toll Free: 1-800-585-0054 ♦ Fax: (925)228-1099 WWW.peul.org ♦ info@peul.or- June 22, 2005 Hand Delivery, E-mail and US Mail Ms. Francine Cronin Assistant Director of Human Resources Contra Costa County 651 Pine St. Martinez, CA 94553 Re: Essential Services During the June 27, 2006 Strike Dear Ms. Cronin: I write to confirm our discussions at our meeting Tuesday, June 20, 2006, our earlier meeting that I believe was on June 13 and to further respond to your memo to Mr. Weinberg, a copy of which you faxed to me late Wednesday, June 21,2006. While Local One is dismayed that the County has taken so few steps, and given so little thought, to how it will operate essential services during a strike, nevertheless I have clearly stated Local One's willingness to provide a core group of employees in those unusual areas where, even with all management personnel working,there would still be a substantial and imminent threat to the public's health and safety in the absence of any Local One bargaining unit members. Specifically, I want to confirm the following discussions: Juvenile Hall and Other Probation Facilities As we discussed, if you will provide us with the legally mandated staffing levels, the number of wards served, the minimum number of staff needed pursuant to the legally mandated staffing levels, and the number of managers that you have (we assume they will all be working on June 27) then we will provide the minimum number of staff needed to supplement managers and thereby meet the legally mandated staffing levels. Please note that our assumption in providing this minimum level of staffing will be that, other than minimumally required exercise time, there will be no optional activity requiring greater than minimum staffing on June 27. Furthermore,we do not believe that the absence of food service staff, for example, would endanger the public's health or safety in the least, given the many alternatives such as preparing food in advance, ordering food from outside the facility,etc. In addition, on the date of the strike, in the event of an unforeseen emergency management should call the Local One office at(925) 228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at(925) 785-7597 in order to relay any unforeseen emergency needs. You promised to get back to me regarding the specific numbers we asked for and your specific requested staffing levels for June 27. Although I did receive the aforementioned fax, it has no details or specificity. �� LOBOS U • Animal Services Employees Although we obviously assume that your managers in this department will be at work on June 27, Local One members will be on call and available to report to work fully prepared to work should any actual emergency arise that could not be handled by management and/or local law enforcement agencies.. In such an unlikely event during the day of the strike, management should call the Local One office at(925) 228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at(925) 785-7597. You promised to review this proposal and get back to me. So far, I have not heard back from you. Hazardous Material Employees You did not include these employees in your June 21, 2006 memo although you had previously mentioned them. As I have previously stated, Local One members will be available to report to work fully prepared to work should any actual emergency arise. Members will be picketing at their worksite during their shift so that they will be able to respond immediately. Members will cavy beepers or two way radios so they may be contacted during their non work hours. In such an unlikely event during the day of the strike,management should call the Local One office at(925)228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at(925) 785-7597. You promised to review this proposal and get back to me. So far,I have not heard back from you. Airport Service Workers Although we obviously assume that your managers in this department will be at work on June 27, Local One members will be available to report to work fully prepared to work should any actual emergency arise that could not be handled by management. They will picket at the worksite during their shift. Arrangements can be made to have their emergency response equipment and radio within walking/hearing distance of them while they picket. In such an unlikely event during the day of the strike, management should call the Local One office at (925) 228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at (925) 785-7597. You promised to review this proposal and get back to me. So far,I have not heard back from you. Health-Care Facilities Your June 21, memo does not include any explanation as to why the County believes the specific classifications and the associated number of employees in each classification are necessary. Nor have you told us how many managers will be available to perform the work. You also have not told us whether you will be using registries and other sources of labor for the day. You also have not told us what your plans are regarding what operations at the Regional Medical Center the County will operate. Will it be limited to the Emergency room and the Intensive Care Unit? If not, what other operations does the County plan to operate and which are essential to public health and safety. As we discussed, Local One is prepare to make available an appropriate team of core health care staff ready to assist in the ICU and ER(and, in addition, on the date of the strike, in the event of an unforeseen emergency management should call the Local One office at(925)228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at(925) 785-7597 in order to relay any unforeseen emergency needs). Detention Facilities You have not set forth the County's reasoning regarding the Head Cooks and the Detention Services Supervisors. Once again, we assume management will be working during the strike. You have not explained why staff in addition to management is necessary. With regards to food service, please see my comments under Juvenile Hall. Electrician/Lead Electrician You have not explained what essential function the County believes these employees will perform. Again, we assume management will be working. Both managers in these employees' chain of command are electricians and worked for the County in that capacity before being promoted to management. We are prepared to make arrangements for emergency response once we understand what they might be just as we have offered with regards to other classifications discussed above. In the event of an unforeseen emergency management should call the Local One office at(925)228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at(925) 785-7597. Communication Equipment Specialist Employees in this classification perform a number of different and distinct tasks including installation and maintenance of telephone systems and installation and maintenance of radio systems. You have not explained which essential function these employees perform and which employees perform that essential function. We assume that the Managers will be working on June 27, 2006 and we believe that they have the necessary skills to perform any function that you may identify. We are prepared to make arrangements for emergency response once we understand what they might be just as we have offered with regards to other classifications discussed above. In the event of an unforeseen emergency management should call the Local One office at(925)228-1600 and if you are not able to reach someone you may call my cell phone at (925) 785-7597. In sum,Local One does not understand why the County continues to provide us with the barest of information and simply gives us a list of classifications without setting forth any justification or without accounting for alternate arrangements to simply expecting our members to work during a strike. We are prepared to have further discussion. I urge the County to finally engage in this process, fully and promptly. Very truly ours, Roland:M. Katz Suj*rvising Business Agent I C: CCC Labor Coalition Head Table John Cullen, County Administrative Officer Keith Fleming, IEDA Lori Gentles,Director of Human Resources Kelly Flanagan, County Counsel Kevin Kerr, County Counsel Ari Krantz, Leonard Carder LLP Charles Egbert, General Manager, Local #1 i { REQUEST.TO SPEAK`FORM (3 Minute Limit) I wish to s eak on Agenda Item #: :' Complete this form and place it in the upright box near the Date: speaker's podium, and wait to be called by the Chair. I My comments will be: ❑ General Personal information is optional. This speaker's card will be incoporated into the public record of this n ting. ❑ For GG Name (PRINT): c ❑ Against To ensure your name is annoe ice co/•e 11 you miry avant to include its phonetic spelling ❑ I wish to speak on the subject of. Address: "�( � G /(_4 A t. city: Phone: —J I am speaking for: ❑ Myself Organization:WU U C ❑ Ido not want to speak but would like to leave comments for the Board to consider (Use the back of this•form) i