8N
Date: November 18, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Jamie Le, Assistant to the City Manager | [email protected] Subject: City Manager – Approve Side Letter Agreements Between Torrance Municipal Employees-AFSCME Local 1117 (TME-AFSCME) and Management and Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA) and Management. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that City Council:
1. Approve a side letter agreement between the Torrance Municipal Employees-AFSCME Local 1117 (TME-AFSCME) and Management to implement General Services Fleet Mechanics and Storekeepers 4-10 Schedule; and
2. Approve a side letter agreement between Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA) and Management modifying the Extended Steps language for Human Resources Technicians.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
In previous years, Management and the various employee groups have produced "side letter" agreements to address issues that come up in between contract negotiations.
A side letter is an agreement between an employer and union that typically: (1) modifies, clarifies, or interprets an existing provision in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); or (2) addresses issues of interest to the parties that are not otherwise covered by the MOU. These agreements need to be approved by City Council in open session. This is particularly important if the side letter agreement pertains to income subject to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System’s (CalPERS) reporting requirements, such as salary adjustments and premiums. As such, staff requests the formal approval by City Council memorializing the following:
1. Side Letter Agreement between the Torrance Municipal Employees-AFSCME Local 1117 (TME-AFSCME) and Management to implement General Services Fleet Mechanics and Storekeepers 4-10 Schedule; and
2. Side Letter Agreement between Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA) and Management modifying the Extended Steps language for Human Resources Technicians.
1 City Council
November 18, 2025
ATTACHMENTS
1. Side Letter Agreement between the Torrance Municipal Employees-AFSCME Local 1117 (TME-AFSCME) and Management General Services 4-10 Schedule
2. Side Letter Agreement between Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA) and Management Regarding Human Resources Technicians Extended Steps 2 November 18, 2025
TO: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
FROM: Jamie Le, Assistant to the City Manager
RE: MANAGEMENT AND TORRANCE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES - AFSCME LOCAL 1117 (TME - AFSCME LOCAL 1117) JOINT LETTER OF AGREEMENT REGARDING GENERAL SERVICES FLEET MECHANICS 4/10 SCHEDULE
Management and Torrance Municipal Employees - AFSCME Local 1117 met and have reached an agreement as noted on the attached document. Section 14.8.14.b of the Torrance Municipal Code reads:
“If an agreement is reached by management and a recognized employee organization or recognized employee organization, on matters subject to approval by the City Council, they shall jointly prepare a written and signed memorandum of such understanding and present it to the City Council for determination. If an agreement is reached on matters not subject to approval by the City Council, those conferring shall jointly prepare a written and signed memorandum of such agreement which shall be filed with the City Clerk.”
Pursuant to the last sentence of the above paragraph, the City Manager’s Office is filling the attached agreement with your office.
Management Torrance Municipal Employees - AFSCME
Local 1117 (TME - AFSCME LOCAL 1117)
/s/ Shant Megerdichian
_____________________________________
/s/David Inez
_____________________________________
/s/ Jamie Le
_____________________________________
/s/Kenny Evans
_____________________________________
ATTACHMENT 1
3 Joint Agreement between the City of Torrance and
Torrance Municipal Employees - AFSCME Local 1117 (TME - AFSCME) TME - AFSCME and representatives of Management (“City”) have met and conferred regarding the General Services Fleet Mechanics and Storekeepers 4/10 Schedule Pilot Program.
TME - AFSCME and City hereby agree to the General Services Fleet Mechanics 4/10 Schedule Pilot Program as follows Effective November 16, 2025 :
GENERAL SERVICES FLEET MECHANICS
4/10 SCHEDULE PILOT PROGRAM
A. Pilot Schedule Implementation
1. The pilot 4/10 schedule will begin on November 16, 2025, depending on operational readiness.
2. The work shifts during the pilot period shall be as follows:
a. Fleet Mechanics:
i. Shift A: 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM
ii. Shift B: 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM
b. Warehouse:
i. Shift A: 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM
ii. Shift B: 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM
iii. Monday and Friday: 1 opening Storekeeper 6:30am – 5:00pm and 1 closing Storekeeper 12:00pm to 10:30pm
iv. Tuesday through Thursday: 2 opening 6:30am-5:00pm and 1 closing Storekeeper 12:00pm – 10:30pm (standard coverage)
3. The pilot will be in effect through November 15, 2026, and will be reviewed and evaluated prior to June 1, 2026, to determine whether it will be continued, modified, or discontinued.
B. Shift Assignment and Bidding
Shift assignments and bidding procedures for the 4/10 schedule pilot program will follow the current terms and conditions outlined in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
C. Holiday Pay Provisions for 4/10 Schedule Participants Each recognized holiday shall be treated as one (1) full workday.
1. If a holiday falls on an employee’s regular 4/10 workday, the employee shall receive 10 hours of holiday pay.
2. If a holiday falls on an employee’s regularly scheduled day off, the employee shall accrue 10 hours of holiday leave, which shall be added to the employee’s vacation leave balance.
3. If the additional holiday leave causes the employee’s vacation balance to exceed the maximum accrual limit, the employee shall receive holiday pay at straight time instead.
D. Evaluation Schedule
1. The City and Union agree to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the 4/10 schedule pilot program for a period of 12 months.
2. The City and Union agree to meet prior to June 1, 2026 to discuss effectiveness of the pilot program.
3. Based on the results of this evaluation, a determination will be made to either:
a. Continue the 4/10 schedule,
b. Modify the pilot program, or
c. Revert to the previous 9/80 schedule.
4 E. Overtime Provisions
Overtime compensation will be paid in accordance with the following:
1. Overtime will be paid for any hours worked beyond 10 hours in a single workday, or
2. For any hours worked beyond 40 hours in a workweek, whichever occurs first.
3. All overtime shall be compensated at the applicable overtime rate as defined by the existing MOU.
Signed this 18 day of November 2025.
Management Torrance Municipal Employees - AFSCME Local
1117 (TME - AFSCME)
Shant Megerdichian
General Service Director
David Inez
President
Jamie Le
Assistant to the City Manager
Kenny Evans
Vice President
5 November 18, 2025
TO: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
FROM: Jamie Le, Assistant to the City Manager
RE: MANAGEMENT and TORRANCE CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (TCEA) JOINT
LETTER OF AGREEMENT REGARDING HUMAN RESOURCES TECHNICIAN Management and Torrance City Employees Association met and have reached agreement as noted on the attached document. Section 14.8.14 b if the Torrance Municipal Code reads:
“If agreement is reached by management and a recognized employee organization or recognized employee organizations, on matters subject to approval by the City Council, they shall jointly prepare written and signed memorandum of such understanding and present it to the City Council for determination. If agreement is reached on matters not subject to approval by the City Council, those conferring shall jointly prepare a written and signed memorandum of such agreement which shall be filed with the City Clerk. "
Pursuant to the last sentence of the above paragraph, the City Manager's Office is filing the attached agreement with your office.
Management Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA)
__________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________ ____________________________________ ATTACHMENT 2
6 Joint Agreement between the City of Torrance and Torrance City Employees Association Regarding Human Resources Technician
The Joint Agreement between the City of Torrance and Torrance City Employees Association Regarding Human Resources Technician reads as follows effective November 18, 2025:
Section 2.5 entitled “Extended Steps” of Article 2 entitled “Compensation” is edited to replace sub section “Human Resources Technician” in its entirety as follows:
“ARTICLE 2 - COMPENSATION
SECTION 2.5 EXTENDED STEPS
Human Resources Technicians: Progression to Steps 6 and 7 is reserved for:
New Human Resources Technicians who have a minimum of 5 years of relevant Human Resources experience and have demonstrated advanced skill and proficiency in their role or Existing Human Resources Technicians who have received an Exceeds Expectation rating on their performance evaluation.
Advancement also requires the recommendation of the Department Head and approval by the City Manager. Upon reaching Step 6 or 7, employees may use the working title of Senior Human Resources Technician. In the event an employee is promoting into the position of Human Resources Technician, initial step placement shall address Section 2.4 on Rate of Pay Upon Promotion first if the employee has an Exceeds Expectations in the most recent evaluation cycle, with subsequent step advancement conforming to the requirements of this section.” These changes to the TCEA MOU are effective November 18, 2025 Signed this 18th day of November 2025.
Management Torrance City Employees Association (TCEA)
___________________________ __________________________ Hedieh Khajavi Tracey Gowdy
Human Resources Director President
_____________________________ ____________________________ Jamie Le Melissa Matts
Assistant to the City Manager Vice President
7