JLMIT–Meeting Summary

 

Meeting Date/Time: 3/17/10 10:00 am -11:30 am

Location: Chinook Building, Conference Room 115 (1st Floor South side)

 

Attendees: Cynthia Adams (Teamsters Local 117), Fred Bentler (DNRP), Janice Evans (OIRM), Gary Hocking (DNRP), Matt House (Teamsters Local 117), Kristen Kussman (IFPTE Local 17), Jim Meith (HRD), Judy O’Leary (PH), Matt Pope (DOT), Jim Smith (Teamsters Local 117), Betty Sorbo (Teamsters Local 117), Peg Taglianetti (OIRM), Wayne Watanabe (DOT)

 

Agenda

 

·          DOT Staffing

·          Updates on IT Reorg

·          LANDesk Issues

 

DOT Staffing

 

Wayne Watanabe presented the DOT update.  They have had several meetings with L17 union reps Jacob Metzger, Whitney Hupf, HR Manager Nancy Schaefer and others to discuss implementation.  Issues covered include IT manager classifications, process for filling the new manager positions, and seniority.  There are currently 4 LAN Supervisor positions.  These will be changing to 2 new LAN Supervisor or Manager positions, which will be at a higher level than the current positions.  There are issues about what classifications the new manager positions will have.  The recruiting will be internal.  The process for filling them will need to be worked out.  All staff will continue to have jobs after the changes are done.  Wayne said they would consider the existing staff wherever possible for the new positions.  It was asked if there was a new org chart.  Wayne said not yet.  However, the new org chart will be the same as the existing published org chart with TBD boxes filled in.  Different bargaining units in Transit and Roads are involved in the changes.  An MOA has been created to address the transitions.  Seniority is one subject that is covered in the MOA.  The affected groups have worked out a consensus on how to define seniority as the start date at King County, which is reflected in the MOA.  It was asked if all were represented.  Jim Meith said all existing classifications will be, however, the new classifications are still under discussion.  Some employees will be moving out of the interest arbitration Transit bargaining unit to become part of the DOT represented (non-interest arbitration) group.  One employee is becoming represented by Teamsters L117.

 

Updates on IT Reorg

 

Janice summarized the other departments: DAJD, DNRP–done, DDES – dealing with budget layoffs, 4 IT positions lost, OIRM staying at status quo due to union organization.  DES – continues to have challenges finding manager for Operations group.  There is a continued issue of technical management for DES.  Jim Smith described how not all IT staff are represented.  One group is in the process of becoming represented.  It was agreed that staff of comparable classification to represented employees should also be represented.  The union reps will continue to explore this.  PH –wrapping up structural reorg.  Phase 1 is done; Phase 2 will be done within 2010.  It was mentioned that several supervisors had become represented by Local 17 within the last few months.  Some IT supervisor positions are still open.  CMS thus far is asserting that filling these must be by a competitive process, rather than by an accretion of duties process.  Discussions are ongoing with CMS about this.

 

Betty asked for new org charts for all departments.  Janice said she would work on those.

 

LANDesk Issues

 

Employee reps described various problems that have occurred with trying to use the new LANDesk software.  These include performance issues with running the desktop console software, difficulty in searching and finding tickets.  Peg stated that employees should not be penalized for problems using the software tools.  Janice said she would look into these.

 

Miscellaneous

 

Peg asked about ABT and whether this should be an appropriate forum to discuss it.  ABT bargaining meetings are now being held with the County and union reps.  Janice said she would look into this.

 

The meeting adjourned around 11:00 am.

 

Followup Items

 

 

Next Meetings

 

April 21 10:00 am – 11:30 noon – Chinook Building Room 115 (1st Floor South side)

 

Tentative Agenda for Next Meeting

 

·          IT Reorg Updates

·          New Org Charts