LABOR AGREEMENT - AFSCME LOCAL 189 AND WATER BUREAU - WATER METER TECHNICAN WAGES, SENIORITY AND COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS - LETTER OF AGREEMENT
Binding City Policy
BCP-BHR-17.59
PURPOSE
Section 1. The Council finds:
1. The City and the District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU), of which the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 189 (AFSCME Local, 189) is a signatory Union, are parties to a collective bargaining agreement effective July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017 (the 2013-2017 CBA).
2. AFSCME Local, 189 is the sole and exclusive bargaining agent on behalf of employees employed in the Water Meter Technician (WMT) and the Utility Worker (UW) classifications at the Portland Water Bureau (PWB).
3. On July 14, 2014, the City notified AFSCME Local, 189 of its intent to revise the Water Meter Technician (WMT) classification series to include a new WMT I classification, the reclassification of the previous WMT I classification to WMT II and the reclassification of the previous WMT II classification to WMT III.
4. On July 16, 2014, AFSCME Local, 189 filed a timely demand to bargain over the proposed changes to the WMT classification series.
5. On August 5, 2014, pursuant to the City’s obligations under ORS 243.698 et seq., representatives of the City entered into negotiations with AFSCME Local, 189 concerning the wages, seniority and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements for the new WMT classification series.
6. On October 2, 2014, the City and AFSCME Local, 189 entered into a Letter of Agreement (LOA), Exhibit A attached, that establishes the wage rates, seniority and CDL requirements for the new WMT classification series.
7. The LOA provides that employees appointed to the Utility Worker (UW) II classification (Job No. 30000077) who are assigned to the Customer Service Group at the PWB and who work in the Meter Shop will be transferred to the new WMT I classification (Job No. 30002158). Employees appointed to the former WMT I classification will be transferred to the new WMT II classification (Job No. 30000142) and employees appointed to the former WMI II classification will be transferred to the new WMT III classification (Job No. 30000143).
8. Employees appointed to the new WMT I classification will have a job classification seniority date that is the same as their former UW II job classification seniority date.
9. If an employee who has been appointed to the new WMT I classification bumps back to a position within the UW II classification in any bureau, the employee must obtain a CDL within six months of returning to the UW II classification. If an employee fails to obtain a CDL within six months, the employee will be laid off in accordance with Article 14 – Layoff/Recall of the 2013-2017 CBA.
10. The wage rates for the new WMT I classification will be the same as the current UW II classification.
11. The wage rates for the new WMT II classification will be as follows:
Entry Six Months One Year Two Year
$23.03 $24.25 $25.53 $26.75
These wage rates were set to address a salary anomaly in which the new WMT I wage rates were originally higher than the WMT II wage rates.
POLICY
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
a. The LOA between the City on behalf of the PWB and AFSCME Local, 189 attached hereto as Exhibit A is ratified by this Council.
b. The PWB is authorized to pay for wage increases for the new WMT classification series for the current year out of its current service level budget.
c. This ordinance is binding City policy.
Section 2. The Council declares that an emergency exists in order that this action occur without delay; therefore, this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage.
Link to Exhibit A - Letter of Agreement (PDF Document, 198 kb)
HISTORY
Emergency Ordinance No. 186879, passed by City Council and effective November 12, 2014.