Minutes 05-31-06
"
MINUTES OF THE WHITE COLLAR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SESSION
BETWEEN THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF FIREMEN & OILERS
AND THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, HELD ON
WEDNESDAY, MAY 31,2006 AT 10:00 A.M. IN CONFERENCE ROOM B,
CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
Present:
For the City of Boynton Beach
For NCF&O
Sharyn Goebelt, Director of HR
Bobby Jenkins, Assistant Director of Finance
Sharon Munley, Trustee, Local 1227
NCF&O
Skip Lewis, Chief Steward, Code
The meeting was called to order at 10:15 a.m. and introductions were made. A sign-in sheet
was circulated. Ms. Goebelt presented the City's current proposals by article.
Article 12 - Progressive Discipline
Ms. Goebelt mentioned that the City's proposal was consistent with what was in the Blue Collar
contract and in the PPM. One change was made to the Progressive Discipline policy, 12.2.6, and
that was basically what could and could not be grieved. The H.R. Director would make the final
decision. The proposal read that counseling, written reprimands, or suspensions without or
without pay of one workday or less were not subject to grievance. The H.R. Director would
review requests from the employee and render a decision.
Ms. Munley indicated she had given two proposals to the City about this article, pertaining to
the term insubordination. One proposal had a definition from Black's Law Dictionary for
insubordination so people who said, "I don't want to do that," could be written up when they
were simply responding. The people who had been written up for insubordination had actually
done what they were told to do, ultimately.
Ms. Goebelt responded the language was the same as in the contract and the City chose not to
change it. The language was the same in the PPM. Mr. Jenkins noted that if an employee felt he
was being unfairly treated, he or she had recourse to the Human Resources Department.
Ms. Goebelt stated when she received calls about discipline issues, she was now asking
everyone about the supervisor's role in the issue. She hoped this would begin to make a
difference in the education process.
Article 14 - Basic Work Week and Overtime
The Union asked that holidays be included to count towards calculating overtime. Ms. Goebelt
checked on other contracts (PBA, Blue Collar) and discussed it with the City Manager. It was
felt there should be consistency among the City's contracts and the City chose not to include
holidays.
The Union asked for an opportunity to discuss this item.
Meeting Minutes
White Collar Bargaining Session
Boynton Beach, Florida
May 31, 2006
Article 15 - Comp Time
Ms. Goebelt read the new language in 15.2 that stated, "Employees may accumulate up to 80
hours of compensatory time. At no time may an employee accumulate more than 80 hours of
compensatory time. Compensatory time may be taken as earned, subject to the approval of the
head of the Department, who shall schedule the time off to meet the operating requirements of
the Department.
Ms. Munley indicated the Union needed the first sentence of 15.2 to be put back in. The City's
proposal had stricken that. The City agreed to leave the original sentence.
Article 16 - Wages
The City removed the language, "subject to Commission approval" from this proposal, at the
Union's request. In summary, the proposal included
· 5% 10/1/06
· 2-4%, 04/1/07, depending on review; same 4/1/08; same 4/1/09
· 5%, 10/1/07
· 2%, 10/1/08
Also, promoted employees who are on probation and have not been in the position for six
months on April 1 will receive consideration for a merit increase at the end of their six months'
probation.
These terms were not in any other contract.
Ms. Munley needed to discuss this with Mr. Lewis.
Article 23 - Sick Leave
After discussing this with the managers, the City determined that one hour's notification of
illness to the supervisor prior to the start of the employee's shift would be satisfactory.
The Communications Supervisor strongly felt that two hours notice would be required in the
911 Dispatch area. The City agreed, saying it was a special area that worked 24/7. Positions in
911 could not be left unattended like in many other departments.
Ms. Munley was very much against having two tiers of benefits just because 911 employees had
to have two hours of notice and everyone else had one hour. She wanted to see consistency for
everyone on this. She did not want the Communications employees treated differently than
anyone else. Ms. Goebelt asked whether they could accept an hour and a half for everyone,
across the board. Ms. Munley said they would discuss it, but whatever it was, it had to be the
same for everybody.
The Union believed an hour and a half notice would lead to people being written up if they
called in an hour and fifteen minutes, for example, instead of an hour and a half. Sometimes it
2
Meeting Minutes
White Collar Bargaining Session
Boynton Beach, Florida
May 31, 2006
might not be possible to call in at exactly the right time. Ms. Goebelt was in the process of
instituting training, supervisor/steward training. The Union, the stewards, and the supervisors
would get together and have a class.
Ms. Munley asked that the Police and Fire contracts be reviewed to see what their practices
were and Ms. Goebelt agreed to do this.
Article 26 - Vacation
The City's proposal called for vacation requests of two or more weeks requiring at least twenty-
one calendar days notification to management. The Union had already tentatively agreed that
vacation requests of three shifts or less must be requested and approved or denied within two
days of the work shift the day the request is made. Vacation requests of four shifts or more
must be requested and approved or denied within one week of the day the request is made.
Vacation requests of two or more weeks require at least twenty-one calendar days notification.
This was the subject of much discussion. The Union was desirous of receiving a yes or no from
the manager in a certain time frame. The employee needed time to plan, make reservations,
and so forth.
Ms. Munley felt that the vast majority of employees would notify management way in advance
of two-week vacation requests. Ms. Goebelt said that had actually been a problem in that some
employees were asking at the last minute. The idea of having management provide a yes or no
answer to the employees within seven days of the request was suggested. Ms. Goebelt needed
to caucus on the 7-day approval by management issue.
Ms. Munley declared if the City put in language to the effect management would approve or
deny the request within 7 calendar days of receiving it, the Union would accept it.
Article 40 - General Provisions
Section 40.3, Uniforms, was discussed. Ms. Goebelt believed the list of departments and
uniforms in 40 might not be complete. She did not want to miss anyone. She thought with such
specific language, it would possibly exclude someone. Ms. Goebelt had called all the
Departments, but asked for help from the Union if anyone was missed.
In the course of the discussion, it was agreed that anyone whose job took them outside the
building should be issued baseball caps and jackets. Ms. Munley thought that anyone who went
outside should have the same number and type of shirts, pants, jackets and caps.
Ms. Goebelt declared the White Collar Fire Department uniforms were not itemized because the
Fire Department's uniform specifications were extremely detailed. Instead, the article simply
refers to the Fire Department policy. The cost of all uniforms shall be borne by the City.
Ms. Munley thought the Blue Collar unit got jackets every other year instead of every year as
shown in the City's proposal. Mr. Lewis commented that the Code Enforcement employees did
not use the pants that were in the warehouse because no one liked them. If the type were
3
Meeting Minutes
White Collar Bargaining Session
Boynton Beach, Florida
May 31, 2006
changed, the Code Enforcement officers would probably use them and would need 3 pair a
year.
Ms. Munley and Ms. Goebelt agreed consistency was important. Ms. Munley inquired why the
911 Communications staff did not get pants. This was not answered. Ms. Goebelt would have
to discuss this with Development, because they were currently receiving 7 shirts. Ms. Munley
later said to leave the pants as they were in the proposal - give six shirts to everyone; make
jackets bi-annual; and give everybody who goes outside two baseball caps. Six polo shirts
would be provided to those who were not required to wear specialty uniforms.
40.4 regarding shoes would be left as it was.
Article 50 - Posting the Agreement
Rob Eichorst was to follow up on this item and he was not present. Ms. Goebelt spoke to
someone in the Police Department who advised her the employees in the Police Department
were able to view the contract on the Internet. Ms. Munley said if this could be confirmed, they
would not have to change the article.
Article 52 - Duration
This article had to be edited to reflect a three-year agreement.
The parties caucused at approximately 10:45 a.m. and resumed at 11:00 a.m.
Ms. Munley stated on Progressive Discipline, the Union would be willing to withdraw their
proposal on Article 12 if the City withdrew its proposal for Article 12. Ms. Goebelt could not say
she would do this. She had to discuss this with management. Ms. Munley believed there had
only been one grievance from a white-collar employee in the last year. Ms. Goebelt responded
that in the last month there had been two. Ms. Munley declared they had originated in the
department that needed work. Ms. Goebelt asked if they could insert language that said
reprimands and counseling could not be grieved. That was realistic. Ms. Munley said she could
accept that. Ms. Goebelt thought she could take out suspensions from 12.2.6, and Ms. Munley
thought that could be acceptable. Ms. Munley said in the past, they would say they could not
be arbitrated. That still allowed them to go through the steps of the grievance. They could have
gone back to the supervisor who initiated it and hopefully changed that person's mind, for
example.
Ms. Munley said they would T.A. on Article 14.
Ms. Munley said they would T.A. on Article 15, with the understanding the first sentence about
how it was accrued would be left in.
Ms. Munley said they would T.A. on Article 16.
The issue of one hour vs. two hours for 911 employees was not acceptable. The Union wanted
one standard for everybody.
4
Meeting Minutes
White Collar Bargaining Session
Boynton Beach, Florida
May 31, 2006
Ms. Munley said they could T.A. on Article 26 if the City responded with an acceptable period of
time in which the supervisor had to respond to the employee's request in 26.4.
Ms. Munley agreed to Article 40 per the discussion at this meeting. Ms. Goebelt had to verify
the changes discussed at this meeting with the departments.
Ms. Munley felt the Union's proposal on Article 50 could be dropped because everyone agreed
all employees had to have access to the contract and would work to make that happen. It did
not need to say, "including Police employees." The City agreed.
Ms. Munley declared the Union was happy with Article 52 on the three-year duration.
Ms. Munley said she was deeply concerned with the Progressive Discipline language. She
believed not having the ability to arbitrate suspensions was against the "level playing field." If
they did not have that ability, they had no "muscle." It seemed to Ms. Munley that when this
was done in the Blue Collar, everyone was suddenly getting one-day suspensions. Ms. Goebelt
asked when this had come into the contract and Ms. Munley thought it was at the impasse
meeting.
Ms. Munley mentioned they would probably see a few more grievances from the White Collar
group than in the past, because Mr. Lewis was a very good steward. She hoped they would be
having smarter grievances in the future.
Next Meeting
June 9, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room B.
Adiournment
The meeting ended at 11:27 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
~~
Susan Collins
Recording Secretary
(053106)
5