TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution approving the 2017-2019 Memorandum of Understanding with the Long Beach Lifeguard Association. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In accordance with instructions from the City Council, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement has been reached with the Long Beach Lifeguard Association (LBLGA). The LBLGA represents approximately 207 employees in job classes such as Marine Safety Captain, Marine Safety Officer, Marine Safety Sergeant - Boat Operator, and Lifeguard Non-Career.
Since September 2017, City management and the LBLGA have held eight negotiation sessions along with numerous joint salary survey meetings regarding their open MOU, which expired December 2016. A tentative agreement has been reached and jointly signed by representatives of the City and LBLGA. The proposed MOU provisions are consistent with recent agreements reached with the Long Beach Firefighters Association and the Long Beach Police Officers Association.
The proposed MOU includes a three-year term, from January 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019, and includes the following major provisions:
1. General Wage Increase:
a. 3 percent effective January 1, 2017
b. 3 percent effective October 1, 2017
c. 3 percent effective October 1, 2018
2. Economic Crisis Provision - Allows the City to re-open the MOU if the City faces a fiscal hardship as defined by Long Beach Municipal Code Section 3.94.030.C. Changes to the MOU provisions must be based on mutual agreement.
3. Skill Pay Modifications:
a. Marine Safety Sergeant (Summer Appointment) - Eliminates the administrative steps to set-up temporary Marine Safety Sergeants and allows the Fire Department the flexibility to provide an equivalent hourly skill pay equal to 15 percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate when assigned.
b. Junior Lifeguard Coordinator - Effective January 1, 2018, convert per diem payment to an hourly skill pay calculated at 4 percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate. The hourly skill pay will be effective between the months of April 1st to September 30th.
c. Dive Team - Effective January 1, 2017, Dive Team hourly skill pay will be converted from a flat rate to 6 percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate. Swift Water Coordinators and Dive Team Coordinators are not eligible for this pay.
d. Dive Team and Swift Water Coordinator - Effective January 1, 2017, Swift Water Coordinator and Dive Team Coordinator hourly skill pay will be converted from a flat rate to 6 percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate.
e. Dive Team in Combination with Certain Coordinator Pay - Effective the first full pay period following the adoption of the MOU by the City Council, Swift Water Coordinators and Dive Team Coordinators assigned to the Dive Team to routinely and consistently perform hazardous activities to implement health and safety procedures shall receive an additional hourly skill pay equal to 4 percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate when assigned.
f. Coast Guard License - Effective the first full pay period following approval of the MOU by the City Council, Marine Safety Captains will be eligible to receive the Coast Guard License skill pay.
g. Education Pay - Effective the first full pay period following October 1, 2018, the existing Education Pay will be converted from a flat dollar amount to an equivalent percent of top step Marine Safety Officer base hourly rate, as calculated by the Human Resources Department.
h. Deckhand - Effective the pay period following the approval of the City Council, the deckhand per diem pay will be eliminated.
i. Junior Lifeguard Instructor - Effective the first full pay period following approval of the City Council, the Junior Lifeguard Instructor per diem will be increased from $5.00 to $6.00. The per diem will also be extended to employees in the Lifeguard-Hourly Non-Career classification assigned to perform the specialty duties of Senior Lifeguard, Dispatcher, Ride Along, and Stingray Cart Operator.
4. Overtime - During the term of this agreement, the City may conduct audits of positions to determine FLSA exempt and non-exempt status. If the City determines that an employee’s position status should be changed, the City agrees to meet and confer with the bargaining unit about the change in FLSA designation. The parties agree that any changes will be based on mutual agreement.
5. Healthcare - The maximum cap for increases to family coverage was raised from $25 to $30 and the employee premium share formula was adjusted to allow the City to place amounts over the cap into a bank that can be applied to the employee rates in the future. In addition, LBLGA agreed to work through the Health Insurance Advisory Committee (HIAC) to manage employee benefit cost increases.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on February 20, 2018, to ensure timely implementation of the MOU provisions.
FISCAL IMPACT
This agreement has a total estimated net fiscal impact of $443,000 in the Tidelands Fund (TF). The estimated FY 17 and FY 18 portion of the cost are $157,000 and $156,000, respectfully, with both these costs hitting in FY 18. The FY 18 budget will be adjusted through a mid-year budget adjustment. It is projected that there will be no net impact to the FY 18 Budget as there are sufficient revenues anticipated to cover these costs. The FY 19 impact will be addressed as part of the annual budget process. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH APPROVING THE 2017-2019 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION; AND AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; AND DIRECTING CERTAIN IMPLEMENTING AND RELATED ACTIONS
Respectfully Submitted,
ALEJANDRINA BASQUEZ
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER