[00:00:01]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.WELCOME TO THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS IS A SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA CLOSED SESSION, BUT BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND CALL RAWS, UH, CALL ROLL SINCE WE HAVE MAYOR RON MORRISON, WHO'S JOINING US OVER ZOOM, UH, GO AHEAD AND HAVE OUR CITY CLERK OVER THE PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH AB 2 4 4 9, THE REQUEST TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY MAYOR.
FOLLOWING THE REQUIREMENTS OF AB 2 4 4 9, WE MUST FIRST CONFIRM THERE IS A QUORUM PRESENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER.
WE HAVE A QUORUM, UH, MAYOR MORRISON IS PRESENT VIA ZOOM.
MAYOR MORRISON, PLEASE ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL TO FIRST CONFIRM THAT YOU CAN BE HEARD AND SEEN AND THAT YOU CAN HEAR AND SEE THE DAIS.
UH, THE ANSWER IS AFFIRMATIVE, BOTH OF THOSE.
PLEASE PROVIDE A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO THE NEED TO APPEAR REMOTELY.
I AM OUT OF TOWN CURRENTLY ON GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.
ARE YOU CLAIMING YOUR ABSENCE UNDER JUST CAUSE OR EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCE? UH, JUST CAUSE.
IS THERE ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS OF AGE PRESENT AT THE REMOTE LOCATION WITH YOU? NO ONE OVER OR UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS HERE.
AND I'LL CONFIRM THAT THE MAYOR HAS ZERO OCCURRENCES OF AB 2, 4, 4, 9 THIS YEAR.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I THINK, UH, NEXT WE MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, TO ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ IS CURRENTLY ABSENT.
NOW I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IS THAT RIGHT? OH, THE, OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND WE'LL HAVE MEMBER MOLINA READY BEGIN.
I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
ACTUALLY, VICE MAYOR, ONE MORE, ONE MORE THING.
WE WOULD ALSO NEED TO VOTE ON, UH, MAYOR MORRISON'S USE OF AB 2 4 9.
CAN I, UH, HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE MAYOR'S ATTENDANCE VIRTUALLY AND HIS, UH, JUSTIFICATION.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT]
ALRIGHT, SO I THINK NOW WE'RE READY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.SO I'M GONNA GIVE, UH, TWO MINUTES TO, FOR EVERYONE TO SPEAK.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA GIVE EVERYONE, UH, TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL START WITH, UH, CARLA APEG.
GOOD EVENING, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CARLA PEGGI, PRESIDENT FOR, UM, SEIU CHAPTER FOR NATIONAL CITY EMPLOYEES.
I HAVE FAITH THAT THE CITY'S STILL TRYING TO NEGOTIATE GOOD CONTRACT FOR OUR WELL DESERVED MEMBERS.
FOR US, THE CITY PROVIDING AN ACCURATE COST ANALYSIS IS THE BASIC FOR GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION.
I ASK FOR SUPPORT THAT, UM, WE CAN BE AS TRANSPARENT, SUPPORTIVE FOR EVERYBODY.
I WAS AWARE THAT LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THAT THE CHIEFS WERE AVAILABLE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
FOR ME, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PART OF POA OR FFA, THEIR EXECUTIVES.
WE DON'T HAVE EXECUTIVES REPRESENTING US.
I WOULD'VE THOUGHT A PRESIDENT SHOULD BE HERE TO ASSIST.
IF YOU GUYS HAD ANY QUESTIONS WITH THE PROPOSALS TODAY, I WILL BE HERE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE 21 PROPOSALS AND I FEEL THE MESSAGE WHAT WAS, IS NOT BEING SENT THE WAY THE, WITH THE INTENTION THAT IT SHOULD.
AND I'LL BE HERE TO ASK IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'LL BE GLADLY HERE TO ANSWER.
NEXT UP WE HAVE EDDIE SANCHEZ.
[00:05:01]
VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.MY NAME IS EDDIE SANCHEZ AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SEIU LOCAL 2 2 1.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK PLENTY ABOUT OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY AND THE CONTINUED PATTERN OF DELAY, DEFLECTION, AND INEQUALITY OF OUR MEMBERS FACE AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.
SEIU SUBMITTED OUR FIRST SET OF PROPOSALS ON MARCH 24TH, A SECOND SET OF PROPOSALS ON APRIL 2ND AND A FINAL SET OF PROPOSALS ON APRIL 7TH.
WE TOOK INITIATIVE EARLY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE THE CITY MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE TO RUN COST ANALYSIS AND ENGAGE IN GOOD FAITH DISCUSSIONS.
ON APRIL 23RD, WE FORMALLY REQUESTED A COMPLETE COST ANALYSIS OF ALL 21 PROPOSALS.
DESPITE ALL OF OUR PREPARATION AND NOTICE, WE ARE HERE WITHOUT A COMPLETE COST BREAKDOWN FROM THE CITY.
IN TODAY'S BARGAINING SESSION, WE WERE TOLD WE DON'T KNOW WHO RUNS THESE REPORTS AND THEY EVEN TOLD US, POINT US IN A DIRECTION OF WHO DOES ONE OF OUR THREE FINANCE DIRECTORS FOLLOWED BY SAYING THAT HE CAN TRY TO FIND SOMEONE TO RUN THESE REPORTS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
ISN'T THIS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO? ARE WE REALLY TO BELIEVE THAT NO ONE IN THE CITY'S TEAM KNOWS HOW TO RUN A BEST, A BASIC COST REPORT? OR DO THEY SIMPLY NOT WANT TO GIVE US THOSE NUMBERS TO THE SEIU? WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS AN ISSUE OF CAP UH, CAPABILITY.
WHEN YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL ASK FOR FOR COST DATA, YOU GET ANSWERS.
NO ONE TELLS YOU TO GO FIGURE IT OUT ON YOURSELF.
SO WHY IS SEIU TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY? WE ARE REINTRODUCING 21 OF OUR PROPOSALS, NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE CHANGED, BUT BECAUSE THE PROCESS HAS FAILED US.
WE ARE STILL ALSO WAITING ON ACCURATE AND UPDATE UPDATED SALARY SURVEY.
EVERY TIME WE REVIEW OUR CITY'S NUMBERS, WE FIND MISTAKES.
SO WE ASK, PLEASE CONCLUDE IS I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THIS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT RESPECT.
IT LOOKS LIKE CARL ATKINS FOLLOWED BY ANA DELGADO AND RADO.
CARL REPRESENTING THE LIBRARY.
UH, YEAH, THE COST ANALYSIS LEFT OUT A BIG CHUNK OF OUR, UH, ORGANIZATION.
ALL THE FULL-TIMERS THERE ARE SUPERVISORS AND THAT WOULD MAP TO LIKE THE LIBRARY AND TWO, UH, THREES AND FOURS AT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, AND UM, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO DO.
AND ALSO OUR PART-TIMERS, UM, STILL WORRIED ABOUT THEM.
AND MAYBE EVEN MTS TRANSIT PASSES TOO FOR EVERYBODY.
I COULD GO ON, BUT THAT'S SORT OF THE, UH, IF YOU COULD DO REDO THE COST ANALYSIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
IT'S LIKE OUR COLLEAGUE SAID THAT WOULD HELP US OUT A LOT.
UH, BRING IT TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE HAVE, UH, ELIANA DELGADO, FOLLOWED BY SEDO AND JUANITA CAAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND STAFF.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION AND TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE BOOTS ON THE GO GROUND EMPLOYEES BY HELPING US TO GET A STRONG CONTRACT SO WE CAN AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE NATIONAL CITY COMMUNITY, WHICH WE ALL LOVE AND SOME OF US GREW UP HERE.
I AM A RECREATION COORDINATOR WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE, I WANTED TO COME AND, UM, JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PAST TWO-ISH YEARS HERE.
UM, I DID HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING THE FAB PROGRAM, SO 50 AND BETTER.
AND WHILE THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN VERY REWARDING, UM, IT DOESN'T COME WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.
BUT WITH THE SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT OF MY TEAM, MY FAB TEAM, UM, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
SO THEIR PASSION AND THEIR DRIVE NOT ONLY UPLIFT ME, BUT THEY STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE EVERY DAY.
AND I'M SURE THAT THIS IS THE SAME WITH THE LIBRARY AND OUR PART-TIME STAFF.
AND THAT'S MY MAIN REASON FOR SPEAKING OUT.
UM, THIS YEAR, UH, OUR PART-TIME STAFF HAD JOINED THE UNION AND ARE ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES LIKE COMPETITIVE PAY AND BILINGUAL PAY.
AND THAT'S A SKILL THAT THEY USE EVERY DAY WITH OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
SO I DO ASK THAT YOU DO CAREFULLY CONSIDER NOT JUST THE PART-TIME, BUT THE FULL-TIME SEIU PACKAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME, CHECK THE DETAILS, CAREFULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE REQUESTS, AND
[00:10:01]
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN FOR OUR COMMUNITY DESERVE MORE THAN JUST GRATITUDE.UH, WE HAVE NEXT JUANITA CASTELLA, FOLLOWED BY, UH, MARIA ALCO AND THEN MERVIN JENSEN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
I'M WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M A RECREATION SUPERVISOR FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I AM HERE AGAIN TO PLEASE ASK YOU TO SHOW US THAT YOU CARE AND SUPPORT YOUR MEA EMPLOYEES.
PLEASE DEMAND TO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TO REVIEW OUR CONTRACT DURING CLOSED SESSIONS.
WE ARE IMPORTANT AS WE ARE, AS IMPORTANT AS FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO THE PEOPLE YOU HIRE TO REPRESENT YOU.
UNDERSTAND THE COST ANALYSIS THAT THEY GIVE YOU, AND KNOW THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE GIVEN TO YOU AS A WORST, WORST CASE SCENARIO.
WE DESERVE THE RESPECT TO HAVE A FAIR CONTRACT.
I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MEA ARE THE ONLY ONES HERE ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES.
WHERE IS FIRE AND WHERE IS PD? WHERE IS CONFIDENTIAL? EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT, APPARENTLY THEY DON'T NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE, UH, MARIA MAJO FOLLOWED BY I, VIN JENSEN, AND THEN DOYLE MORRISON.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE LIBRARY FOR 38 YEARS.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME STANDING BEFORE YOU ASKING THAT YOU TREAT US WITH RESPECT.
I SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH PROUD.
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER AS WELL.
AND ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU SUPPORT US, OUR PART-TIMERS, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM THIS WOULD BE NOTHING.
UM, LET'S COME INTO AN AGREEMENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN LAST, UH, DOYLE MORRISON.
BEFORE WE TAKE, UH, ANY ZOOM COMMENTS.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MR. VICE MAYOR.
MR. MAYOR, MY NAME IS MERV JENSEN AND I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY FROM THE NATIONAL CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I STARTED OFF AT THE LIBRARY IN 2014 AS A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE AND I ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY SO MUCH THAT WHEN THE FULL-TIME OPPORTUNITY CAME, I JUMPED AT IT, UH, KNOWING THAT IT ALLOWED ME TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE EMPLOYEES BOTH FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME ARE DEDICATED TO THIS COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY.
AND ALL THAT WE ARE ASKING IS A LITTLE RECIPROCATION AND HAVE THE CITY SHOW US THAT SAME RESPECT AND DEDICATION.
AND THEN MR. MORRISON, TWO MINUTES.
UM, SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR LABOR PRACTICES IN GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS FOR CONTRACTS FOR THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, SEIU, LOCAL 2 2 1, THE AWARD-WINNING NASSAU CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ASSO, UH, FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, LOCAL UNION 2 7 4 4, THE POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION OR POA AND TAKE CARE OF THE WORKING FOLKS OF NATIONAL CITY BEFORE GIVING A SECOND INCREASE TO EXECUTIVE CONFIDENTIAL AND MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING THE MAYORS ASSISTANCE FOR A SECOND RAISE THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND ALSO WHY IS THE MAYOR'S BUDGET NOT INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL BUDGET REPORT? THANK YOU.
AND CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY EITHER, UH, OVER ZOOM OR ANYTHING WRITTEN WE NEED TO DISCLOSE? NO, THERE ARE NONE.
[ADDITIONAL ITEM]
SO WITH THAT, BEFORE I, UH, GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION, I WANT TO BRING FORWARD A CONCERN THAT I DO BELIEVE WARRANTS, UH, SOME SERIOUS ATTENTION BY THIS COUNCIL AND BY OUR CITY LEADERSHIP.SO LAST MONTH, AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS ALSO ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS BARGAINING TEAM REPORTED TO ME DURING A ONE-ON-ONE, THAT DURING A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL MADE REMARKS TO THEM THAT SEEMED TO BE THREATENING RETALIATORY AND IN VIOLATION OF COUNCIL POLICY NUMBER 6 0 4.
SO I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO CITY STAFF ON APRIL 22ND.
UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS INCIDENT IS BEING PROPERLY INVESTIGATED TO ENSURE THAT THESE KINDS OF, UH, CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY DON'T IMPACT ARE, UH, NEGOTIATIONS AND THAT WE'RE CONDUCTING THIS PROCESS FAIRLY FOR ALL LABOR GROUPS.
UH, POLICY NUMBER 6 0 4 PROHIBITS THAT, UM, UH, THAT CONDUCT THAT CREATES A HOSTILE, INTIMIDATING, OR RETALIATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING UNION LEADERS.
UH, AND OUR UNION LEADERS HAVE TO BE FREE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, THEIR MEMBERS FOR EVERYONE WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL.
SO EVEN THE PERCEPTION OF POLITICAL
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COERCION IN THIS CONTEXT UNDERMINES THE CITY'S, UH, OR POLICY INTENT THAT COULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO FUTURE, UH, LIABILITY AND COMPLAINTS.SO WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS.
SO ANY ISSUES LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE TO BE REPORTED AND WE, THEY HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH IN CLOSED SESSION.
SO I WANT TO AT LEAST, UH, REPORT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THIS GETS HANDLED IN CLOSED SESSION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, UH, I, I DO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY TAKE THIS SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT I'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED BY MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S BROUGHT BACK AT THE NEXT CLOSED SESSION MEETING.
[5. CLOSED SESSION]
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO GO OVER THE ONE CLOSED SESSION ITEM FOR THIS EVENING.UM, CLOSED SESSION AGENDA TODAY IS, UH, ONE ITEM CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS.
THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED ARE THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AND THE UNREPRESENTED GROUPS.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION.
IT IS 8:40 PM AND I'M CALLING THE MEETING BACK INTO ORDER.
UM, I THINK CITY CLERK, DO YOU NEED TO CALL THE ROLL PROCEDURALLY OR DO WE NEED TO WAIT FOR UH, UH, MAYOR MORRISON HOP BACK ON ONLINE.
DO WE HAVE HIM AVAILABLE? LET ME, LEMME CHECK.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED HIM THOUGH, SO YEAH, HE'S GONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, YOU WERE DOING ROLL CALL.
AND I THINK WE NEED THE REPORT OUT FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, THERE WAS ONE AGENDA ITEM FORECLOSED SESSION INVOLVING CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS.
UM, THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED WAS MEA, THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, UH, AND THE UNREPRESENTED GROUPS.
UM, THE COUNCIL DID PROVIDE THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND TO EACH OF THE BARGAINING UNITS.
I THINK THAT IS IT WITH THAT MEETING ADJOURNED.