IT BU PC – Meeting Summary

 

Meeting Date/Times: 10/10/06 12:00 pm

Locations: Seattle Municipal Tower (SMT), Room 4070

 

Attendees:

Debbie Gladstone (OIRM/ITSO – Telecom), Jon Grissom (OIRM/ITSO – Sys Eng), Benjamin Grossman (OIRM/ITSO-Tools), Tim Hansen (Finance), Roger Kaiser (OIRM/ITSO -Net Eng), Scott MacCready (DCHS/CSD), Behnaz Nelson (IFPTE Local 17), Sabra Schneider (OIRM/ITSO – ADSS), Mike Stewart (DCHS/CSD), Jeff Straughn (DAJD), Reid Swick (OIRM/ITSO -Sys Eng), Peg Taglianetti (OIRM/ITSO -ADSS), Nancy Welch (OIRM/ITSO -ADSS), Charla Williams (OIRM/ITSO – ADSS).

Agenda

 

  • Information Requests
  • Bargaining Update
  • Next Meetings

Discussion

Information Requests

Behnaz stated that the County had not yet responded to the information requests she submitted at the last bargaining meeting.  When the County responds, she will start assigning subcommittee work.

 

Bargaining Update

The Union has presented 2 proposals to the County thus far.  These proposals are:

 

1.       Minimum number of Exec Leave days,

2.       Contracting out conditions.

 

For contracting out, the Union is asking for several things: 1) advance notice for contract work, 2) show there is a lack of existing in-house skillset, 3) give the duration of the contract, 4) provide periodic updates about the contract work, and 5) produce an information and knowledge transfer at the conclusion of the contract.

 

Several contract items were TA’d (tentatively agreed to) during the last bargaining meeting.  These items were minor changes to language and were uncontroversial.  Regarding Public Disclosure requests, it was agreed to add language to the existing County rules: “Unauthorized persons shall not have access to employee files or other personal data relating to their employment, unless otherwise provided by law.”  (Underlined clause added.)  This addition would be beneficial to employee as state laws may have wider provisions.  A link to Washington State Law RCW 42.56 covering Public Disclosure is below:

 

http://appsleg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56

 

The County proposed to change how positions are posted.  Currently, positions should be posted for all position vacancies.  The County wants s to change this to posting only positions that are going to be filled.  Some members expressed that the County currently seems somewhat out of compliance with this rule.  The County also proposed to reduce the number of business days for the Union to file a grievance.  The current IT BU contract states the grievance must be filed within 30 working days from when the grievant became aware of the potential grievance.  The County further wants to change the escalation path for grievances.  The current contract’s escalation path for grievances is:

 

Step 1.  Division Director or Designee.

Step 2.  Department Director or Designee.

Step 3.  Human Resources Director or Designee.

Step 4.  Arbitration.

 

The County proposal is for Step 1 to be the employee’s immediate supervisor, Step 3 HRD to be removed, and Steps 1 and 2 moved up correspondingly.  Discussion ensued about what these changes would mean and whether they were desirable for employees.  The County proposal on RIFs (reductions in force) has been removed from the table for the time being.

 

Other subjects were discussed.  It was asked whether COLA had been established for next year.  Also, the layoff bumping pool in relation to the IT reorg was questioned.  (The current contract specifies the following bumping layoff groups: DES – ITS Div. (now ITSO), DES – Finance and Business Operations Div. (FBOD), DES – Non-ITS or FBOD, DNRP, DDES DCHS, DAJD, and DJA.  Persons undergoing layoff may bump the least senior positions within their classification series in those layoff groups.)  Behnaz said she would look into these matters.

Next Meetings

 

The next bargaining meeting is planned for Thursday 10/19.  The next PC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 11/14 at noon.

 

The meeting adjourned around 1:00 pm.