[00:00:01]
YOU GET UP THERE.EVERYONE I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND THE LIVE WEBCASTS.
THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY'S WEBSITE INFORM ITS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
IN PERSON IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SLIPS OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE MEETING LIVE VIA ZOOM, INTER INTERPRETER, UM, INSTRUCTIONS WILL APPEAR IN THE CHAT BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.
FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO SIT IN THE CHAMBER, HEADSETS ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE LIVE SPANISH TRANSLATION, PLEASE SEE THE CITY CLERK CHECK OUT A WEBSITE AND ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE, COULD WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT.
WILL WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I WILL LEAVE, UH, ASK MEMBER MOLINA ALLEGIANCE TO, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE TRIAL.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT]
OKAY, WE WILL NOW HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THIS AGENDA.THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING SO WE CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, I HAVE, UH, BYRON ESPARZA.
HE PUT DOWN FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I DON'T SEE ANY PRESS.
NOT TOO SURE IF THAT'S FOR THIS HUH? FOR THE MAIN MEETING? THAT'S FOR THE MAIN MEETING.
OH, THOSE ARE FOR THE MAIN MEETING.
SO NOW, UM, WE'LL CONSIDER, UH, THE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
AND SO WE HAVE DKI VALDERRAMA.
THIS IS ON THE CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON EXISTING LITIGATION.
UH, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF, UH, WE WENT TO MEDIATION LAST WEEK, UH, AND OUR ATTORNEY HAS SUBMITTED A RESPONSE TO THE, THE JUDGE THAT HANDLED IT.
AND WE REJECTED THE MEDIATION OFFICER OFFER THAT WAS MADE.
UH, WITHOUT GETTING ANY OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF, OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE, OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, WE, WE FEEL THAT IF WE'RE GONNA FI SIGN A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, IT SHOULD BE THE SAME IDENT IDENTICAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AS ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED, HAVE SIGNED, UH, FOR, TO ASK FOR US TO SIGN ADDITIONAL PARAMETERS, MORE STRINGENT THAN WHAT THEY DID, WE FEEL IS UNFAIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CO FOR MY TIME.
UH, NOW UNDER 6.1, THIS IS CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS.
WE HAVE, UH, FOUR SPEAKERS, UM,
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR MORRISON.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO START BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR AGREEING TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS, RESIDENTIAL PAY, AND BILINGUAL PAY FOR PART-TIMERS AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE ADDITIONAL LABOR TIME AND SKILLS.
IT TAKES OUR BILINGUAL STAFF TO OFFER THE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
AT ONE OF OUR LAST UNION MEETINGS WITH PART-TIMERS, ABOUT 20 OF OUR MEMBERS VOTED FOR WAGE INCREASES AND HOLIDAY PAY.
AND IN A SURVEY, PART-TIMERS WANTED BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW IN THIS CITY.
WE ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING HIGHER WAGE INCREASES FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL YOU'RE OFFERING IS WAY TOO LOW.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES, OUR LOVED ONES, AND KEEP UP WITH RISING COSTS.
PLEASE SUPPORT HOLIDAY PAY AND MORE BENEFITED JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PART-TIMERS.
WE'VE LOST WAY TOO MANY AMAZING STAFF TO OTHER EMPLOYERS WHO CAN OFFER THEM MORE AND DO TURNOVER IS EXPENSIVE FOR NATIONAL CITY AND WE CAN PREVENT THAT BY TAKING CARE OF THE STAFF WE ALREADY HAVE RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW WITH LIVING WAGES AND STRONGER BENEFITS.
[00:05:01]
HELLO.DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS, I'VE, I'VE NOTICED WE GET LITTLE ONE PAGE RETURNS WITH VAGUE NOTIONS IN THERE TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGE CLEANUP, BUT WE DON'T SEE ANY OF THE LANGUAGE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST A COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN AND THE ONES WE SEND YOU ARE DETAILED.
WE DO A RED LINE, CROSS OUT WHAT WE THINK NEEDS TO GET TAKEN OUT AND BOLD PURPLE FOR WHAT WE THINK SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE OR NOTHING AT ALL.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S EITHER, UH, WE DON'T CARE OR LET'S JUST KEEP IT VAGUE AND TELL, HAVE THEM AGREE TO AGREE TO SOME STUFF THAT, UH, THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE AGREEING TO YET.
MAY JUST BE WHAT I SEE, BUT THAT SEEMS VERY, IF INTENTIONAL, IT SEEMS VERY DISRESPECTFUL NOT TO RETURN WITH THE SAME KIND OF FORM TO WHERE IT'S OBVIOUS FOR US TO SEE WHERE THE CITY'S COMING FROM.
SO WE CAN COME WITH A MORE REALISTIC COUNTER TO YOUR COUNTER.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE GUYS YOU GOT, IT'S LIKE SOMETIMES IN THE MEETINGS YOUR NUMBER GUY HAS NO ANSWERS,
SO THAT'S JUST MY TAKE ON IT FOR NOW.
WE, WE GOT CARL AND CARLA MIXED UP THERE FOR A MOMENT.
SO, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, BULLET LIST OF THINGS WE'RE FIGHTING FOR BETTER COST, COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE.
I INSTEAD OF PAY FOR MASTER'S DEGREES, WHICH, UH, WHILE A LOT OF THE LIBRARIANS DEPARTMENTAL HEADS HAVE MASTERS AND SOME OF OUR PART-TIMERS HAVE MASTER'S TOO.
GETTING THAT PERCENTAGE ON TOP OF OUR WAGES.
STEP SIX IN OUR WAGE TABLES, ADDING A STEP F TO THE WAGE TABLE SERVICE RECOGNITION CREDITS, GETTING COMP TIME FOR YEARS SERVED, PAID BEREAVEMENT, LEAVE PAID BABY BONDING TIME, FERTILITY BENEFIT, BETTER ANNUAL LEAVE ACCRUAL, REDUCE THE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE OR THE PERCENTAGE WE EMPLOYEES PUT IN FOR CALIPERS.
IT'D BE GREAT IF WE HAD MPS PASSES TOO FOR, UH, RIDING TROLLEY.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THE COMPS ARE STILL BEING TALKED ABOUT, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT THE FIRST SURVEY WAS CORRECT.
IT WAS, THEY HAD THE RIGHT DYNAMIC WITH THE COMPS BECAUSE A LOT OF LI A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LIBRARIES 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR DEPENDING ON YOUR SUPERVISION.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T SUPERVISE.
SO HERE, ALL THE FULL-TIMERS OR SUPERVISORS, DEPARTMENTAL HEADS, ALL THE PART-TIMERS ARE WORK IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO WHEN THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIANS ARE ALL SORT OF ONE, IT'S NOT.
AND THE FIRST, THE FIRST SURVEY CAPTURED THAT.
WELL, I'M GONNA JUST KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET.
WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE VALUE OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
OUR UNION REPRESENTS ALMOST 200 EMPLOYEES MORE.
OH, ALMOST A HALF OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
WE PUT A LOT OF WORK IN OUR NEGOTIATION.
WE DID SURVEYS, WE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND MEETING ON OUR PERSONAL TIME FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
IT JUST SEEMS WE'RE NOT NEGOTIATING FAIRLY.
WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD AND THE CITY JUST SEEMS TO BE STUCK.
WE JUST ASK FOR YOU GUYS IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS NEGOTIATION.
WE DON'T WANNA, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO IN OUR WORK PLACE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FISCAL YEAR FINISHING TRYING TO CLOSE THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE WILL ASK IF WE CAN JUST MOVE FORWARD AND CLOSE THIS CONTRACT.
THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE WITH THAT MAYOR, WE DO HAVE TWO ON ZOOM.
[00:10:02]
ALEX? YES, I'M HERE.CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M ALEX NEW FROM THE LIBRARY.
UH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE UNION CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, SPECIFICALLY OUR BEREAVEMENT LEAVE POLICY.
UH, I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE TO THIS POLICY, UH, SHIFTING IT FROM A PROGRAM WHERE STAFF MUST USE THEIR OWN APPROVED OR, UH, SICK OR ANNUAL LEAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF FOR A LOSS OF A LOVED ONE TO ONE THAT'S CITY SPONSORED PAY BEREAVEMENT LEAVE.
THIS CHANGE WOULD PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED WHEN FACING SUCH A TRAGIC EXPERIENCE.
THE CITY HAS SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME WORKING ON A SALARY SURVEY COMPARING OUR WAGES FOR THAT OF OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND I'LL SAY THAT THAT SALARY SURVEY IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
LIKE WHAT CARL WAS SAYING, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO IRON OUT THE DETAILS BECAUSE HR JUST DOESN'T HAVE THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW AND CAN'T DO PROPER COMPARISONS.
UM, BUT GETTING BACK TO WHAT I'M SAYING, UH, THE CITY HAS NOT TAKEN ANY INITIATIVE THOUGH TO COMPARE OTHER BENEFITS TO OTHER CITIES.
IF THEY HAVE DONE SO, THEY WOULD SEE THAT THE PAID BEREAVEMENT LEAVE IS A STANDARD, UH, BENEFIT AT MOST ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
NEARLY EVERY CITY IN THIS COUNTY OFFERS SOME FORM OF PAY, BEREAVEMENT LEAVE, WHICH IS THEM RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THEIR EMPLOYEES DURING THE TIMES OF NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT THE MOST.
IT'S TIME FOR NATIONAL CITY TO ALIGN WITH THIS COMMON PRACTICE AND DEMONSTRATE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT THEY SUPPORT THEM.
NOT JUST PROFESSIONALLY, BUT PERSONALLY TOO.
OFFERING MORE PAID LEAVE PROGRAMS LIKE BEREAVEMENT LEAVE AND BABY BONDING TIME WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST STEP IN THAT, UH, TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR A FAIR AGREEMENT THAT REFLECTS HOW YOUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE TRULY VALUED BY EACH OF YOU CITY STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY.
AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, I PRESENTED THE CITY'S RESERVE STATUS GOING BACK TO 2005, AS WELL AS CONS AS WHAT THIS AS WELL AS CONSISTENT OVERESTIMATION OF EXPENSES AND UNDERESTIMATION OF REVENUES, WE BELIEVE IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE CITY'S ABILITY TO COMPENSATE ITS EMPLOYEES FAIRLY.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME DISAGREEMENT ON HOW WE VIEW OR HAVE PRESENTED TO THE CITY'S FINANCES.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OR SPECULATE.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO FOCUS ON TODAY'S NUMBERS.
THE FIREFIGHTERS IN NATIONAL CITY ARE CURRENTLY COMPENSATED AT 17 OUT OF 18, 17 OUT OF 18.
WE BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THAT.
WE BELIEVE IT'S UP TO EACH OF YOU TO GIVE THE DIRECTION TO CHANGE THAT WE ARE NOT BEFORE YOU ASKING TO BE NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTY.
THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TODAY WOULD EFFECTIVELY COMPENSATE YOUR FIREFIGHTERS AT THE NINTH R POSITION OUT OF 18, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, BASED ON THE CITY'S OWN DATA, WHICH ALL OF YOU HAVE SEEN, THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THIS, TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION AT A FAIR AND RESPECTABLE LEVEL.
THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE ABOUT COMPENSATION SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE.
THE LATEST CITY OFFER INCLUDED A 3% INCREASE IN THE FIRST YEAR TO PAINT YOU A PICTURE OF THE REALITY.
AN INCREASE AT THIS LEVEL WOULD CAUSE YOUR FIREFIGHTERS TO BE COMPENSATED AT 14 OUT OF 18 IN THE FIRST YEAR.
BY THE END OF A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH SIMILAR INCREASES OFFERED IN EACH YEAR.
YOUR NATIONAL SEATED FIREFIGHTERS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE RANKED 18 OUT OF 18.
AS WE BEGIN THE NEXT NEGOTIATION CYCLE, IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THIS REALITY.
BASED ON COMMENTS MADE BY YOUR TEAM.
IF THIS IS TRUE, THIS SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE CITY, HOW THE CITY PERCEIVES THE VALUE OF ITS FIREFIGHTERS, ABOUT HOW EACH OF YOU VALUES YOUR FIREFIGHTERS.
I CHOOSE NOT TO BELIEVE THIS AND I HOPE THE INFORMATION YOU SEE TONIGHT ALLOWS YOU TO CHANGE YOUR POSITION.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS NEGOTIATION ISN'T ABOUT HAGGLING OVER PRODUCT.
THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE.
YOUR FIREFIGHTERS SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
WE KNOW THIS COMMUNITY INSIDE AND OUT.
WE ARE DEEPLY INVESTED AND FEEL THAT WE ARE PART OF THE CITY, NOT JUST AS SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT AS ENGAGED MEMBERS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE PROTECT.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS.
TODAY IN CLOSED SESSION YOU'LL HAVE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW A PACKET OF INFORMATION WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO YOUR TEAM.
IN THE PACKET YOU'LL SEE A SUMMARY OF PROPOSED MOU ARTICLE CHANGES ALONG WITH THE CURRENT AGREEMENT STATUS, THE F-F-A-M-O-U PROPOSAL NUMBER FOUR VALUATION STATEMENT SHOWING THE ESTIMATED COSTING OF OUR PROPOSAL AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE FFA POSITION, AS WELL AS OUR TOTAL COMPENSATION SURVEY REFLECTING THE CURRENT FFA
[00:15:01]
PROPOSAL.AGAIN, I INVITE YOU TO FOCUS NOT ON HOW TO WIN A NEGOTIATION, BUT ON HOW TO VALUE, HOW TO SUPPORT VALUED MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
YOUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE NEVER HESITATED TO SHOW UP WHEN THE COMMUNITY OR THE CITY ITSELF NEEDED THEM MOST.
AND MAYOR, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE HAD ONE WRITTEN, UH, COMMENT RECEIVED FROM ZED RADO.
[5. CLOSED SESSION]
THAT, I WILL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.UH, FOR OUR CLOSED SESSION AGI AGENDA, WE HAVE, UH, TWO CONFERENCES WITH LEGAL COUNSEL INVOLVING EXISTING LITIGATION.
THE CASE ARE BCD VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND CALI MOTA VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL INVOLVING EXISTING LITIGATION, AND THAT IS IN THE CUMMINS VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS.
THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED ARE MEA, THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND THE UNREPRESENTED GROUPS, EXECUTIVE CONFIDENTIAL AND MANAGEMENT.
WE'LL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AND THEN WE WILL, WE WILL COME BACK AT THE END OF CLOSED SESSION.
IF WE QUIETENED DOWN FOR JUST ONE MOMENT, THEN YOU CAN GO BACK TO TALKING.
LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
WE'RE COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AND, UH, WE WILL BE REPORTING OUT OF THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS AT THE END OF THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SO THE CLOSED SESSION IS ADJOURNED.
AND, AND IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS COME OUT THERE AND START TALKING, THE