August 9, 1999

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - KATHLEEN LINDBLOM

We are once again experiencing a growing problem - CONTRACTING OUT BCEA WORK! As you may recall, a couple of years ago we were experiencing a growing problem with the City contracting out our work without "meeting and conferring" with the BCEA in violation of our MOU. During the last contract negotiations process, this was a major issue, so much so that the BCEA was requesting stiff penalties be placed on those managers who did not comply with the MOU requirement. The issue was discussed at the E-Team level on numerous occasions and we were assured that this would no longer occur. Well, that worked for a short time, but now it seems once again to be a growing problem. If you know about or observe contract work being performed in the City, tell your steward or call the BCEA Office and let me know right away so that I can check and verify that the City has complied with their contracted obligations to us. This is a very important issue in the current Negotiations and we are once again proposing stiff penalities for violations. Each of you should understandd that every job that is contracted out is potentially a BCEA-represented employee's job being eliminated! Management is always looking for ways to downsize and cut costs. Contracting out BCEA work can be an "end run" to eliminating your job! LET ME KNOW ASAP!

Speaking about Negotiations . . . the BCEA Negotiations Team has had several sessions with the City. We are working diligently on numerous issues including salary, retirement benefits, and job security. We have several more sessions scheduled with the City this month and we are hopeful to wrap this up as quickly as possible. I know everyone is anxious for news and as any information becomes available that we can share, we will let the membership know. As always, the process takes time and that lends to rumors. Don't listen to the rumors; they are just that! As I said, when we have something concrete, we will share it with everyone!

The Executive Board has scheduled a General Membership Meeting for Wednesday, September 1, 1999, at 6:00pm, at the Fire Training Center. The last General Membership Meeting held on May 19, 1999 was well attended. During this meeting a lot of good ideas were brought up that were included in our Negotiations proposal. After the business portion of the meeting, we held the money drawing. The drawing was up to $75.00. the name drawn was Jan Steese, but unfortunately for her, she was not in attendance. That means that this meeting' s drawing will be $100.00. We also had five other prize drawings for items that were donated to our Annual Picnic. We will be holding a couple of these prize drawings at the upcoming meeting. I hope to see everyone there!

The last item I would like to bring to your attention is to ask for your help for a fellow member. One of our members has been suffering with a serious illness and has run out of time. A time bank has been established for Mary Carrillo, a custodian in the Police Department and wife of another member, Sergio Carrillo, Public Works Heavy Truck Driver. Per Administrative Procedure II-34, any employee may donate vacation, floating holiday, or compensatory (in lieu) time to the time bank. Sick time may not be donated. Donations must be in four hour increments and the employee donating the time must maintain at least 168 hours in their own combined time bank. If you are interested in donating any time, please contact the Employee Relations Department.

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT - Vince Kieffer

The BCEA and the City are in negotiations for a new contract as you read this article. I know that the majority of employees are concerned about how much more money that might be receiving as a result of these meetings. This is every understandable, but everybody should know that salaries are just a tiny part of our contract. In fact, most of our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covers working conditions that we have to live with on a daily basis. Our contract is really just a large document that attempts to address many diverse and unique situations that occur to our membership in their everyday dealings with the City management.

With this in mind, the Negotiations Team would still like to hear more of your input regarding any problems that you might be experiencing at your job site. The more specific information that we have in our hands at the negotiation table, the better! When we complain about the City's uniform contractor, it helps to have as many examples of contract abuses as we can waive in their faces. If we show concern about about part-timers not getting enough benefits or having their hours cut, we need as many examples as we can get. If the City contracts out work that is usually done by BCEA-represented employees, we need that information to be able to to confront City management about it!.

Any information that you would like the Negotiations Team to have can be dropped off at the BCEA Office between 8:00am and 5:00pm. If this is not convenient, then give it to your steward and ask them to forward it or drop it in the interoffice mail to the BCEA Office. Please do not delay if you have any suggestions. The sooner you submit your concerns, the sooner we can try to rectify them. Thank you!

CHIEF STEWARDS' REPORT - Bob Kaczmarek

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) and CFRA (California Family Rights Act) - These two acts coordinate to allow twelve (12) weeks of leave per year for a serious health condition for yourself, a child, a spouse, a parent, or the birth of adoption of a child. The employer need only know that a serious health condition exists and is certified by a health care provider, not the nature of the condition. These two acts overlap in most cases, except pregnancy disability. The CFRA excludes leave for pregnancy disability but allows for "bonding" leave. In a case where the mother has a pregnancy disability and leaves work for two (12) weeks of FMLA, the mother or father are still allowed up to twelve (12) additional weeks of leave to bond with the child. This leave need not be taken immediately after birth or after the conclusion of the FMLA leave, but must be taken within the first year after birth. The City of Burbank requires employees to use accrued leave balances before unpaid leave is granted. The employer cannot require you to use compensatory time (i.e. in lieu time), but you can choose to use it. Upon returning from FMLA and/or CFRA leave, the employer cannot use your taking leave again you (i.e. remove you from merit step because you were out on FMLA leave). If this happens to you, contact us immediately. There are other rules regarding notice to the employer and the employee. These are covered in Administrative Procedure II-36.

NEW BCEA MEMBERSHIP CARDS

The New BCEA membership cards are now available to all BCEA members! To obtain your membership card, you will need to stop by the BCEA Office and show identification. EAch member will have to pick up his/her own card (no exceptions). This will identify you as a BCEA member and these cards can be used for several discount programs with local merchants.

DELETED?? - Michael Castro & Norma Brolsma

How many of us believe that our e-mail messages are really deleted from the City computers when you press the delete key? Not according to Administrative Procedure III-10 "Computer Use Policy", dated April 28, 1998. As stated in ths procedure . . ."

1. STATEMENT: All non-work related use is prohibited. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination."
2. PROCEDURE:

1. "No material or data transmission that reside on the City's computer network or e-mail system should be considered private or confidential."
2. "Employee computer accounts and passwords are not confidential."
3. "Employees should be aware that it is possible for the system administrator to retrieve deleted to e-mail messages."