City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 27, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.F
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Oles Gordeev, Acting Director of Human Resources, Human Resources Department
Subject: Adoption of Resolution Accepting the Tentative Agreement for the City's Homeless Outreach Services Team (HoST) Assignment Bonus and Supervisory Team Associates Stand-by Pay
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15324 (Class 24 Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Adopt the proposed Resolution (Attachment A) accepting the Tentative Agreement (TA) and authorizing the City Manager to execute Side Letters of Agreement with the California Teamsters Local 911 and the Supervisory Team Associates.
Summary
In accordance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA), negotiations between the City and the California Teamsters Local 911 (IBT) and the Supervisory Team Association (STA) have resulted in a tentative agreement (TA) regarding a Side Letter Agreement amending the terms and conditions as set forth in the current Memorandum of Understanding with each respective bargaining unit. IBT has authorized and approved the terms of a TA with the City adding a 10% assignment bonus for employees that are assigned to the City’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HoST). HoST members are responsible for addressing distinct and large-scale cleanups attributed to people experiencing homelessness. STA has authorized and approved the terms of a TA with the City adding an 8.5% stand-by pay for employees assigned to be on stand-by duty 2 of 4
after their normal working hours. Staff seeks Council approval of the TAs to establish side letter agreements between the City and these bargaining units.
Discussion
The current MOUs between the City and both bargaining units establishes wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. Under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) in California, local public agencies negotiate with exclusively recognized employee organizations on wages, hours, and working conditions. At times, concerns are brought to the City’s attention during the term of an existing MOU. When this occurs, the City and the bargaining unit agree to terms outside of the standard negotiation process for successor MOUs.
The overall policy of the City has been to maintain competitive benefits and working conditions in a high-cost geographic labor market to attract and retain a high-quality workforce to serve our community across a wide range of specialized services. Since most, though not all, City jobs are comparable to those in other competing municipal organizations, the City has traditionally looked to full-service cities in our region of similar size and financial strength for labor market comparisons.
The terms of these tentative agreements continue to keep the City aligned with our 11 comparable peer cities while simultaneously preserving a level of benefits that keeps the City of Santa Monica competitive in a tight labor market. Peer cities include Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Culver City, El Segundo, Glendale, Inglewood, Pasadena, Redondo Beach, Santa Barbara, and Torrance. The City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles may also be included as a comparable agency depending on the item or classification being surveyed.
The TA with IBT adds a provision to the current MOU to include a 10% HoST assignment bonus for employees in the classification of Lead Maintenance Worker and Maintenance Worker assigned to HoST. This bonus recognizes the unconventional cleaning and maintenance duties required of a Maintenance Worker assigned to HoST. 3 of 4
The TA with STA adds a provision to the current MOU to include an 8.5% stand-by pay bonus to employees for all hours assigned to be on stand-by duty outside of an employee’s regular work schedule. This bonus recognizes the employees need to be prepared and ready for work during customarily off-duty hours in case of an emergency that requires an employee’s immediate return to the workplace.
Environmental Review
The negotiated changes to staff wages are categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15324 (Class 24 Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Class 24 consists of actions taken by regulatory agencies to regulate employee wages, hours of work, or working conditions where there will be no demonstrable physical changes outside the place of work.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
7/26/2022
(attachment B)
Most Recent successor MOU agreement with California
Teamsters Local 911
7/12/2022
(attachment C)
Most Recent successor MOU agreement with Supervisory Team Association
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The cost of the assignment bonus for employees assigned to work with the City’s homeless outreach services team (HoST) was included in the FY 2023-25 Biennial Budget. The cost of standby pay for applicable employees assigned to be on standby after their normal working hours is indeterminate at this time. The departments will track and monitor the expenditures closely. Any budget adjustments would be incorporated in the FY 2023-24 Year-End Budget and the FY 2024-25 Exception-Based Budget, as needed.
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Prepared By: Sarah Rebensdorf, Human Resources Manager
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Attachment A: Teamsters STA Side Letters RESO 2.27.24 B. Attachment B: 7.26.22 Council Meeting Staff Report
C. Attachment C: 7.12.22 Council Meeting Staff Report