From: Sharrone Taylor
To: Benjamin Therriault
Cc: jhughes; [email protected]; Beth Arnese; Nickie Mastay; Catherine Selkirk Subject: Community Intervention Specialist Bargaining Group Determination Date: Monday, January 27, 2025 9:52:00 AM
Greetings RPOA,
After careful consideration, I have determined that the Community Intervention Specialists
job classification has a more compelling community of
interest with the City’s General Employees bargaining unit than with the Police Officers’ Association bargaining unit.
Section 9 of Employer-Employee Relations Rules provides that the basic policy objections in determining the appropriateness of units shall be the effect of a proposed unit on “(1) the efficient operations of the City and its compatibility with the primary responsibility of the city and its employees to effectively and economically serve the public, and (2) providing employees with effective representation based on recognized community of interest considerations.”
First, introducing a new classification with significantly different operational responsibilities and duties than Police Officers and Police Sergeants would require extensive revisions to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding wages, benefits, and working conditions and overall restructuring the unit. This process would be time-intensive and create an administrative burden for our staff.
Second, the Community Intervention Specialists share an identifiable community of interest with other non-sworn Police Department job classifications in the General Employees unit. There are currently no non-sworn classifications in RPOA. Historically, non-sworn classifications at this pay grade and skill level fall under a non-sworn unit. For example, the Neighborhood Change Agents that perform similar work to the Community Intervention Specialist (outreach, referrals, and intervention) are represented by the General Employees unit. Similarly, Code Enforcement Officers were once in the Police Department (now in Community Development) are also in the General Employees unit. Given this position's operational and organizational placement, as well as the City’s organizational patterns, it is logical for this classification to be in the General Employees unit.
Please note that you have the right to appeal this decision, as set forth in Section 10: "An employee organization aggrieved by an appropriate unit determination of the Employee Relations Officer under this Article II may, within ten (10) days of notice thereof, request the intervention of the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service pursuant to Government Code Sections 3507.1 and 3507.3, or may, in lieu thereof or thereafter, appeal such determination to the City Council for final decisions within fifteen (15) days of notice of the Employee Relations Officer's determination of the termination of proceedings pursuant to Government Code Sections 3507.l or 3507.3, whichever is later."
I acknowledge that we need to have further discussions regarding job responsibilities and ensure cohesiveness between your work and the work of the Community Crisis Response Department. Through effective communication and collaboration, we can move forward positively and continue to find common ground.
Thank you.
Sharrone Taylor | Director of Human Resources
450 Civic Center Plaza | Richmond, CA 94804
[email protected]
City of Richmond | Human Resources
510 620-6803 office
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