Please be at 5th Street & Adams at 12:00 noon for a walk to the capitol building. Bring your family and show support for the your fellow workers! Please do NOT wear your uniform during the protest, and do NOT use city time to participate. You may use vacation time or off duty time to join us in keeping city jobs with city employees.

Related Links

Phoenix Union Members Protest from Lynh Bui, Arizona Central.

Unit 3 had to negotiate six furlough days per MOU year to reach the concessions demanded by the City of Phoenix. Since we don’t have the deferred compensation other units had since our members have always wanted the money in wages we had to come up with another way to reach 3.2% in concessions. It was either furlough days or further cuts to wages or cutting longevity or merit wages. With furlough days there is some benefit to the employee since they do get the day off.

As with any time off, employees must request and be approved for the time by supervision prior to taking the time off. If you take furlough pay even though the time is unpaid.

Remember, there are three paychecks in July and December this year, so those would be good months to schedule furlough days. We know some employees have scheduled vacation days for a furlough day to reach their quota. Employees are expected to keep track of their furlough obligation. Also keep in mind if you work 4-10 schedule you can take a full 10 hour furlough.

We were able to negotiate with human resources to allow employees to to take four hours off as furlough time rather than a full day in Unit 3. In some departments (with the Director’s approval) less than four hours may be taken. This would allow employees to take less than a day off for a doctor’s appointment or other activity.

Through ECHRIS you can also increase your withholding tax to lessen the effect of the furlough day on your net pay. Just remember to go back in and change it to a normal withholding after that pay period so you don’t end up owing taxes at the end of the year.

If you have any questions, you can call our office or Human Resources/Labor Relations at 602-262-6607.  We are dealing with problems as they arise on a case by case basis.

In solidarity,
Nancy Gray

As a cost saving measure, the city is expected to save close to a million dollars annually in printing costs, paper and the cost of fuel for delivery to the various departments city wide.

For those with direct deposit, the information available on your pay stub is exactly the same information as your paycheck report in e-CHRIS. The format is similar to what you are used to seeing as well. Plus, e-CHRIS has the added benefit of instant access to every paycheck issued to you over the last several years.

If you currently receive a live paycheck (no direct deposit), your paycheck will be mailed on payday Fridays from City Payroll to the mailing address you have on file with e-CHRIS. City employees are encouraged to verify the mailing address currently on file with the city by logging into e-CHRIS and selecting Home and Mailing Address from the Personal Information tab of the main navigation screen.

Employees wishing to change from a live paycheck to direct deposit may also make this change in e-CHRIS. Please take the time to verify your banking information before saving. Pre-notifications are no longer made to the banking industry, and your selection will be automatically deposited to the requested account on the next available payday.

If you need help with e-CHRIS, with setting up your direct deposit or viewing/printing your pay check online, please contact the e-CHRIS helpline at 602-534-4357, or contact your local payroll clerk.

Volunteers from the fire department’s alarm room have been working at the camp for the last several years, and have been using their personal vacation hours to be able to make the trip. This year, however, the Local 2960 has agreed to allow these dedicated union members to attend the camp with out loosing their vacation hours.

Dianne Meyer is this year’s Activities Coordinator and has been involved with the camp for the past eleven years. Being able to get the time off to attend the camp usually has meant using 40 or more hours of her own vacation.

“When I had to use my vacation time I was having to choose between spending a vacation with my family or making a difference in the community. It’s a huge relief to not have to make that choice.”

The request for assistance was made by Rae Olk, a steward for the fire department. This will be her 6th year as a volunteer at Camp Courage. She was quick to point out that the Local 2960 has always given generously to support the camp.

“The union has gone above and beyond this year, as they have done in past years. They help us through financial donations, supported us as we collected books for the camp library,” Olk said. “Whatever we have asked for, they’ve given us double.”

For dispatcher Sam Lopez, it provided an opportunity to participate and still take the time to recover before her next shift. Admittedly a little nervous about her first year as a volunteer, she knows that “councilors come home exhausted from the experience, but also very happy that they went.”

Rae agreed, adding that “you are drained, but also immediately looking forward to the following year to do it all again.”

According to Sam, “It’s all about the kids. They get the chance to get away from the hospitals, the doctors and the treatments. They get to be normal kids and not looked at funny just because they have burn injuries.”

“Seeing what these kids go through and how they continue to have a positive attitude, you start to realize that all the petty things we complain about are nothing,” Dianne said.  She added that it is a grounding experience for her and her life. “It reminds me of what’s really important in life, and refocuses my priorities.”

Camp Courage runs from June 13th to June 19th, and takes place at the Pine Summit Campground in Prescott, AZ. The mission of the camp is to “provide a safe camp environment which fosters personal growth and development, promoting confidence and self esteem of youth burn survivors.”

How You Can Help!

The councilors making the trip this year have lots in store for the attendees. Regular camp activities include horseback riding, swimming and a  challenging ropes course which snakes through the trees.

A theme night entitled “Create Your Own Superhero!” is also planned. Camp Courage is looking for any kind of costume supplies for this theme activity. Wigs, clothing, accessories, face paint… anything kids can use to dress up.

Campers also have access to a camp store, where they can redeem tickets given out for competing in various activities around the camp. (Kinda like the rewards counter where you might redeem ski-ball tickets in an arcade.) The camp store is also always in need of small toys, trinkets, candy or snacks. Also needed are a few “big ticket” items to encourage kids to combine their tickets as a cabin to purchase something they can all use together.

If you would like to help out by donating any of these items, please contact Steve Ryan at steve.ryan@afscme2960.org and I’ll make arrangements with you personally.

A medical coverage premium holiday will take place during April 2010 for employees and retirees. This premium holiday keeps medical coverage in full force while saving employees, retirees and the City premium costs for one month.

How is this premium holiday possible? The self-funded health insurance program implemented by the city in 2005 has resulted in medical and prescription drug costs that are somewhat lower than the cost trends that were originally projected.  While this is the second year in which a premium holiday has been deemed possible, it is not anticipated that a premium holiday will occur annually.  The decision to provide a premium holiday is preceded by careful analysis of the Health Care Benefits Trust’s performance, input from the Health Care Task Force, and recommendation by the Health Care Benefits Trust Board.

Active employees with City health coverage will not see the usual premium deduction from their April 9th and April 23rd paychecks. If you are wondering what your current premium deduction amount is, you can find it on your check stub in the Before-Tax Deductions section next to “BCBS PPO,”  “BCBS HMO,” or “CIGNA HMO”. Please note that premium deductions are usually taken on a pre-tax basis which means the increase to your net pay on April 9th and 23rd will be less than the deduction amount.  This is because the pre-tax deduction will, instead, be taxable income on your April 2010 paychecks.

This can be viewed online using e-CHRIS Self-Service.

• From the city intranet, in Self-Service go to Payroll and Compensation -> View Paycheck->Before Tax Deductions.
• From an outside computer, you may access e-CHRIS at http://phoenix.gov/phxechris.html

Employees affected by lay-off are included in the premium holiday if they have city health coverage. The city health coverage they have in place on their last day worked will be extended through April 2010 at no cost to the employee.

Please contact the Benefits Office with questions at 602-262-4777 or benefits.questions@phoenix.gov.

An investgatory interview occurs if

1. management questions you to obtain information, and
2. you have a reasonable apprehension that your answers could be used as a basis for discipline or other adverse action.

You must ask for union representation either at the beginning of or during the interview. Management does not have to remind you of this right.

If your request is refused and management continues asking questions, you may refuse to answer. Your employer is guilty of an unfair labor practice and charges may be filed.

If you are called to a meeting with management, read the following or present a copy of the attached card when the meeting begins.

“If my responses to your questions could lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or adversely affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that you summon my union representative. Until my representative arrives, I choose not to answer any questions.”

• Work for an employee  that has 50 or more employees
• Have been employed for at least 12 months
• Have worked 1250 or more hours in the previous 12 months, and
• Work where at least 50 employees are employed within 75 miles.

Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave over a 12 month period to:

• recover from a serious health condition (medical leave)
• care for a spouse, parent, or child with a serious health condition (family-care leave)
• care for or bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster child (child-care leave)

You may take medical and family-care leave on an intermittent basis. If you work five days per week, you may take up to 60 individual days. You can also take FMLA leave on a reduced schedule basis. For example, you may work part time after an operation.

Other features of FMLA include:

• Leave may not be delayed of denied because your employer is in a busy period.
• You may be asked to submit a medical certification from a health care provider.
• If your need for leave is foreseeable, you must provide advance notice of 30 days when possible.
• After your leave, you must be returned to the same or a substantially equivalent position.
• Your employer may not take adverse measures against you because of FMLA absences.

FMLA violations should be reported to your union representative. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or concerns about how to use this benefit.

Links:

• U.S. Department of Labor (Wage and Hour Division). Page details the exact policy and news regarding recent policy changes. (http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/index.htm)
• AFSCME International’s Fact sheet for FMLA Leave. (http://www.afscme.org/issues/1764.cfm)

We, the trustees of Local 2960 have reviewed the books and records of the local for the period of July 2009 through December 2009 and aidited the petty cash for the period ending February 2010. The audit took place on February 24th, 2010.

We find the records to be in compliance with the financial standards code as follows:

1. Is the income received, deposited and accounted for in accordance with Article II of the code? YES
2. Are funds held in custody in accordance with the provisions of Article III of the code? YES
3. Are procedures for authorizing expenses as outlined in Article IV of the code regularly adhered to? YES
4. Is the actual spending of subordinate body funds done in accordance with the provisions of Article V of the code? YES
5. Is the Treasurer maintaining the records required by Article VI of the code? YES
6. Are monthly operating statements being regularly prepared and submitted under Article VII of the code? YES

No exceptions were noted for the audit of February 24th, 2010.

Signed: Karen E. Poe, Trustee, Mark Long Sr., Trustee & Natasha Nimer, Trustee

In late June, the new MOU for 2010 through 2012 will go into effect. Stewards and staff members from the Local 2960 have been busy answering as many questions and concerns as possible from the members in all of our departments. However, we discovered that many of you are asking the same things. We wanted to make an effort to answer as many of those frequently asked questions as possible and made the information accessible to everyone involved. If you still have unanswered questions, feel free to ask away at the bottom of the post. (Questions will be moderated and sent to the most appropriate staff member or steward for an answer.)

Q: What date does the new contract go into effect?

A: July 1st, 2010.

Q: I have vacation time scheduled before the new MOU goes into effect. Can I use furlough days for this vacation, or do I have to wait until the new goes into effect.

A: The 48 hours (6 days) of mandatory furlough time will not take effect until the start of the fiscal year for 2010. This means that furlough time taken prior to this date will not “count” toward the goal of 48 hours per fiscal year. However, city managers have extended the “voluntary furlough program” through the remainder of this budget year, which means that the opportunity may be there. Consult with your management staff if you would like to pursue this option.

Q: Can I use my furlough hours in partial days instead of full shifts?

A: This depends largely on the area in which you work. The city AR policy states that furloughs must be taken in a minimum of 4 hour increments without prior approval from your department head. However, there are department heads who have already given their consent to accommodating furloughs of less than four hour intervals. Our advice is to involve the union stewards in conversations with the managers in your area as early in the process as possible. We are all looking for solutions that will minimize the impact of the furlough time on our employees. If it works for your managers and it works for you… it works for us.

Q: Will people be allowed to carry over more than the maximum vacation time or for the next two years? What will happen in 2012 when our vacation banks have an extended amount of time in them? Will the vacation buyout for people retiring in the next two years be allowed to exceed the current 450 hour maximum?

A: Because we conceded our ability to buy back our vacation time for the next two years, the current cap of vacation time hours has been extended through the duration of the 2010-2012 MOU. When this benefit is restored in 2012, the existing vacation buy back rules should resume.

For those lucky enough to be retiring within this two year period of time, the City of Phoenix will still pay you for your accumulated vacation hours up to the current cap of 450 total hours.

Q: When is the last vacation buyback period, and what are the requirements for me to sell my vacation back to the City?

A: The last opportunity to cash in your vacation time will occur in the last pay period in May. In order to cash out vacation time, you must have already used at least 40 hours of either comp time or vacation. A maximum of 40 hours of vacation may be sold back to the city.

Q: Will the accumulation of comp time hours be effected by our new contract?

A: No. The only foreseeable effect on your comp time banks will be the inability to sell off accumulated comp time annually. The buy back period for this benefit was in December which falls after the start of our fiscal year. (The vacation buy back periods and comp time buy back periods are different.) Comp time accumulated in excess of the 200 hour maximum will automatically be converted into cash, just like it always has been. And, of course, you may still use comp time hours as paid vacation hours just like before.

Q: Other units were able to negotiate for significantly less than 48 hours in furlough time. How did that work?

A: The other units in question were able to concede other benefits that equaled out to 3.2% of their total benefits and wages owed to them by the city. Other units, for example, were  able to give back higher amounts of their deferred compensation or a higher percentage of their wages to make up the difference.

Q: Could we have given back our tuition reimbursement funding instead?

A: We tried. City personnel were not willing to negotiate this point with any of the bargaining units, feeling that an educated workforce would be worth more to the citizens of Phoenix in the long run. It wouldn’t have made that big of a difference anyway; it was only worth approximately $800,000.

Q: What about funding for uniform allowances?

A: Again, we tried. The issue at hand was that uniform allowances did not amount to a dollar savings that made it worth our while to consider the option. There are not a lot of employees in the Local 2960 who receive this benefit to begin with. These employees would likely have still been required to wear job-specific attire to work every day. This would have been an additional out of pocket expense in an already strained paycheck.

Q: Why was there only one option presented to us for ratification? Other units seemed to have more flexibility in choosing the options that worked for them.

A: Of the seven collective bargaining units that negotiated with the City of Phoenix officials, exactly one had a ballot that allowed its members to pick and choose from a set of concession options.To the leadership within the Local 2960, the fact that they needed to do this suggests that they had not been in touch with their constituents prior to the barganing process this year.

Before any member of the Local 2960 began to speak with city personnel, we surveyed our members for their opinions of which issues were most important to them. The survey results allowed us to go into the negotiation with a specific direction in mind. Your feedback to us told us that wages and longevity pay ranked among the highest priority and we sought to protect as much of those benefits as possible during our negotiations. Negotiating for protections in longevity pay could not take place fairly without negotiation for merit increases as well. (We didn’t wish to unfairly protect our senior employees and expose our junior members who are still subject to merit increases.) Knowing that we needed to protect these three things, we constructed our concession package to the city accordingly.

Turnout for our surveys was only about 10% of the total overall membership of the Union. So if you feel under represented, and you did not return a survey this year, you have only yourselves to blame. We will be looking into ways to make sure that your opinions can be heard more clearly when we enter negotiations for 2012, including the possibility of submitting your survey online in addition to by mail or in person.

Q: What was the concession package worth in dollar amounts?

A: First, we would like to stress that, unlike some of the other bargaining units, we did not blindly give back money to the city. Every dollar conceded was accompanied by a specific goal in mind. “Want us to take a pay cut? Fine, save this department from being eliminated.”

Overall, the negotiated package conceded 3.2% of the total overall expenditure of the city on Unit III employees back to the general fund in order to balance the city budget for the next two years. These concessions were necessary in order to save approximately 170 jobs that would have otherwise been eliminated to make ends meet.

In actual dollar amounts, the package was close to $6 million. The 1% wage reduction was worth about $1.5 million. The majority of the money conceded came from the 48 hours of furlough time, which was worth $3.5 million dollars. Vacation buyback, linguistic pay and the .01% deferred compensation cut made up the $1 million dollar difference.

The current budget situation brought forth an unprecedented necessity to concede our hard earned dollars and benefits; in the history of the Local 2960, we have never taken this deep of a cut in wages or benefits. We hope never to have to do this again.

Q: Did we gain anything at all in these negotiations?

A: Absolutely. 170 people will still be receiving a paycheck tomorrow. Many of these people had received notices from the City informing them that their positions had been eliminated prior to our negotiations. They then came back to work with notices in hand saying that they no longer needed to worry about the loss of income or benefits.

The groups of employees that were directly effected by the efforts of or negotiation team will be featured on this web site as soon as possible. They include a group of full time and part time employees who supply 6,000 meals per day to city residents.  75% of an entire department of fire inspectors were spared the chopping block. Employees of numerous libraries and community centers still have jobs thanks to negotiations done at the Local 2960’s table.

Q: That’s great for them, but my job was never in danger. How do I personally benefit from the concessions?

A: Still not convinced, huh? What about the possibility of working a half a day every other Friday for the next two years?

Time away from work is as much of a benefit as a uniform allowance or a merit increase. Instead of taking a larger cut in your wages, you now have the option to just relax for a few extra hours a month. Furlough time may represent the loss of income to some, but it can also mean more time at home with loved ones. You can also choose to carry forward the savings by scheduling time off in the mornings instead of taking your little ones to day care. Ever want to make your son or daughters tee ball games more frequently? How about doing a little more volunteer work? All of this is possible with the necessity of taking off furlough hours to save the city money. We encourage you to make this work in your favor!

Q: Taking furlough time will effect the gross amount of money I am earning for this year, and will effect the amount of money that I have available for my retirement. Is it possible to write a check back to the general fund instead of taking furlough time?

A: Yes, it will be possible to do this. However, the amount that you will need to give back to the general fund includes the daily cost of your health and insurance benefits as well as your hourly salary. We estimate that this should be about 120% to 125% of your hourly rate. If this is an option you would like to pursue, contact the union hall for the procedure.

Q: We are taking a 1% reduction in our wages for the next two fiscal years. How will this be calculated?

A: You should see a 1% reduction in your wage rate for what ever step you are in in your current pay plan. Keep in mind, however, that merit increases based on your years of service are still in tact, as well as the longevity pay that you accumulate if you are already at the top of your pay scale.

Q: What is a “sunset clause” and why is it important?

A: The “sunset” clause is a statement in our MOU that guarantees that the concessions that we have made this year will be restored in two fiscal years when we negotiate our 2012-2014 contract. This means that at a bare minimum, our benefits will be restored to our current levels by July of 2012.

When the time comes in two years, we expect to gain much more than we lost in this round of negotiations. Our ability to do this will depend on your continued support and feedback. We will continue to negotiate diligently to ensure that our union brothers and sisters get the wages and benefits that we so rightly deserve.

The final count was 85% in favor of the package and 15% opposed.

Approximately 40% of the 1008 registered union members showed up to cast their vote on Friday. It was easily the biggest turnout for a contract ratification that the Local has ever had.

The changes that were made will begin to take effect on July 1st, 2010, which is the start of the fiscal year for the City of Phoenix.

The concessions as they were listed in the ballot proposal will be incorporated into the new Memorandum of Understanding for 2010-2012. We will have a copy of that MOU for download on the website as soon as it is written and verified by the Executive Board and our Local staff members.

Our task was not easy this year. We were asked to risk people’s jobs, absorb lost benefits and take cuts in our paychecks. And yet, as I personally watched people having to wedge their ballots into the box toward the end of the day, I noticed a funny thing. People were still managing to smile. Handshakes and hugs were passed out freely. Our brothers and sisters within the union stood firm together.

This election has provided many stories of triumph and successes across all of our departments. In the upcoming weeks while we prepare the final version of the new MOU, I hope to share the ones that I overheard with you all within these pages.

I also know that there are still lots of questions out there. Our stewards are equipped with many of the answers, and the time to start getting organized for the upcoming changes is now.

Also, feel free to general questions here, but please make them constructive. (Negative comments will be deleted; the time for negotiation is officially over.) You are most likely not alone with some of your concerns. It is the mission of the Local 2960 to do the best we can in helping you find the answers.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.