[Labor Committee on October 21, 2024.]
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WELCOME TO TODAY'S MEETING OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S LABOR COMMITTEE, AND HAVE WE GONE LIVE ONLINE? TERRIFIC.
THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 2:00 PM ON THE DOT.
ALSO, WANNA SAY, HAPPY FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING TO EVERYONE.
REMINDER TO THE PUBLIC, PLEASE MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE.
TODAY WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, FROM OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS, JOINTLY ON THE 2024 HOPE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, UM, HAVE A MOMENT OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF HOPE, UH, PRESIDENT RICO PRESENT, UH, FROM HOPE'S PERSPECTIVE BRIEFLY ON THIS AGREEMENT.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, WE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A FEW SIGNED UP TODAY.
WE ARE JOINED, UH, BY COLLEAGUES IN CHAMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, AND VICE CHAIR MARTINEZ.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S, OFFICE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM PECS, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
DID I MISS ANYBODY IN PERSON OR ONLINE? SEEING, SEEING NONE.
WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING ONLINE AND ON HTV.
UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE UPLOADED ON THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE AS WELL.
UH, AND I WANNA THANK, UM, HR AND THE CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR ACTUALLY CIRCULATING THE AGREEMENT IN ADVANCE OF TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING.
IT ALLOWS NOT ONLY US, BUT THE PUBLIC, UM, AND CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
UH, WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AFTER THIS FIRST PRESENTATION AND THEN AFTER HOPE'S PRESENTATION.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I WANNA START BY THANKING AND RECOGNIZING EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, UM, BOTH AT THE TABLE AND ADVOCATING OUTSIDE OF THE NEGOTIATING ROOM.
UH, I WANT, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOPE, LOCAL 1, 2, 3 MEMBERS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU REPRESENT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT SERVE THIS CITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE TO HR, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS AS WELL AS LEGAL, UM, AND FINANCE VICE CHAIR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY REMARKS PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION? THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN.
UH, JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S A LONG, LONG TIME COMING.
UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE, THE HORSESHOE AS WELL FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE THIS ALONG PRETTY WELL AND THEN LOOK FORWARD TO TOMORROW AS WELL.
UH, IT WILL BE ON, WE, IT'S TUESDAY'S AGENDA, BUT WEDNESDAY'S THE COUNCIL VOTE.
UH, SO IT WILL BE ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA.
UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES DIRECTOR CHEEKS, UM, ELISA AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI, UM, IS GOING TO BE STEPPING IN, UH, WHEN APPROPRIATE AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, AND PLEASE, UH, BEGIN THE PRESENTATION WHEN YOU'RE READY.
CHAIR, UH, CAYMAN AND VICE CHAIR, UM, MARTINEZ.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT TODAY.
UM, WHAT I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING IS THAT WE HAD A LONG FIVE MONTHS OF NEGOTIATION.
A VERY, A LOT OF ROBUST CONVERSATION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE CONVERSATION WAS SOLIDARITY.
THAT WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE HEARING THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO SAY.
AND MOST DEFINITELY, I BELIEVE, AND I THINK THAT THEY WILL CONCUR THAT THE CITY HEARD WHAT THE MEMBERS HAD TO SAY ALSO.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PRESENTATION.
IF I COULD JUST HAVE ONE MOMENT OF, OF PRIVILEGE JUST TO PUBLICLY THANK, UM, THE CITY'S TEAMS FOR THEIR EFFORT.
IF, IF THEY WOULD ALL STAND UP.
UM, OF COURSE YOU'VE ALREADY SAID, UH, MYSELF, UH, DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI,
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DIETRA, NOR SULLIVAN WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.JANET MCOWEN, OUR COMPENSATION PERSON.
EE ELIZABETH ROGERS, OUR SENIOR DIVISION MANAGER, EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, UH, EDDIE AGUILAR, HERNANDEZ, WILL BRYANT, THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR FINANCE.
ROBIN JATTE, THE DIVISION MANAGER OF CIVIL SERVICE AND EEO, UH, ELLI RUBIO, WHO WAS THE ADMIN, UH, DURING, UH, THE, THE NEGOTIATION.
DARREN HILTON, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CARLA COLEMAN.
UH, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, AND CFO, DONALD FLEMING.
AND, UH, FIRST CITY ATTORNEY AND ALSO ANGELA REED.
UM, LASTLY, 'CAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE THIS VERY QUICK.
YOU ALL WANNA SEE THE PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE TABLE, THE HOPE TEAM AND THEIR NEGOTIATOR GARY STORES.
AS WITH ANY BARGAINING, WE DID NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
HOWEVER, THROUGH ACTIVE LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING, AND RESPECT ON BOTH SIDES, WE WERE ABLE TO PRESENT A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE GOVERNING BODY AND WE TO HOPEFULLY RATIFY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I'M GONNA ALLOW, UH, WILL BRYANT TO TAKE MY SEAT DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI HAS KIND OF A LITTLE TICKLE THIS MORNING, SO I'M LETTING THANK YOU.
AND UH, CHIEF FRANKLIN BROCK, I SHOULD HAVE REFERRED TO YOU BY YOUR TITLE, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ALL OF THIS, SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
THE OVERVIEW TODAY WILL CONSIST OF THE CITY'S HISTORY WITH HOPE, WHAT IS MEET AND CONFER, THE TERMS WHO'S COVERED, AND THEN WE WILL GO OVER OUR OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AGREEMENT.
AND AGAIN, WE SAVE SOME TIME AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION FOR QUESTIONS.
SO, HOW DID WE GET HERE? IN 2005, THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR AUTHORIZED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HAVE A MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT WITH A RECOGNIZED EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION.
IN OCTOBER OF 2006, THE CITY RECOGNIZED THE HOUSTON ORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HOPE AS THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE BARGAINING AGENT FOR OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
MUTUAL AGREEMENTS WHICH GOVERNS COMPENSATION, NON PENSION BENEFITS, HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT, GRIEVANCES, LABOR DISPUTES, AND OTHER TERMS OF CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT APPROVED, UH, APPROVED MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS TO DATE INCLUDE 2008, 2011, 20 15, 20 18, AND 2021.
AND HERE TODAY WE ARE PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OVER THE 2024 TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, THE FIRST AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND HOPE WE MET FOR 11 MONTHS, OVER 44 SESSIONS, THE 2024 AGREEMENT.
WE MET FIVE MONTHS WITH OVER 30 SESSIONS.
THIS CHART SHOWS THOUGH ACROSS THE BOARD PAY INCREASES AS WELL AS THE MINIMUM BASE PAY RATE INCREASES THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED TO HOPE SINCE 2016.
PROVIDED THIS AGREEMENT IS PASSED, IT WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2024, AND IT'LL CONTINUE THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
SOME TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT MAY CONTINUE UNTIL JUNE 30TH, 2028.
WHO'S COVERED THE BARGAINING UNIT CONSISTS OF ALL MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, CLASSIFIED MEMBERS OF THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SUBJECT TO CHAPTER 1 43 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
SO LET'S GET INTO THE OPERATIONAL PARTS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS THAT WE AGREED TO WAS THAT DEPARTMENTAL UNION REPRESENTATIVES WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS UNION STEWARDS.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO APPROVE, UH, TRAINING THAT'S PROVIDED FOR BY THE LMCC.
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATION.
AND IN THIS AGREEMENT THEIR ROLE IS EXPANDING.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
THE LMCC WILL CONTINUE AND IT IS AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE MAYOR, WHICH REVIEWS AND DISCUSS ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN TO THE CITY AND TO THE UMS. THE D-L-M-C-C WILL BE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.
IT IS REQUIRED FOR DEPARTMENTS WITH AT LEAST 25 BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS,
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AND IT WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REGARDING ISSUES PERTAINING TO OR AFFECTING DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC MATTERS.SUCH THINGS SUCH AS POLICIES, PROCEDURES, INCENTIVE PLANS, ET CETERA.
OVERTIME ASSIGNMENTS IF BUDGETED WILL NEED DEPARTMENTAL AND DIVISION PO WILL NEED A DEPARTMENTAL OR A DIVISION POLICY.
AND IT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED TO BE REVIEWED BY THE D-L-M-C-C.
ON TO ADDITIONAL OTHER THINGS REGARDING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
UH, WE'VE AGREED TO WHAT WE'RE CALLING A REST RULE.
DURING NORMAL OPERATIONS, BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS WILL BE ENTITLED TO 10 HOURS OF REST BETWEEN THE END OF ONE SHIFT AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SHIFT.
IT APPLIES TO NON-EMERGENCY OPERATIONS.
WITH REGARDS TO SICK LEAVE REGULATIONS, WE HAVE A 64 HOUR RULE THAT'S MANDATED BY OUR, UH, CURRENT CODE OF ORDINANCES, BUT WE'VE CHANGED IT NOW TO AN 80 HOUR RULE.
SO EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER STATEMENT AFTER THEY HAVE ACCUMULATED 80 HOURS.
MORE THAN 80 HOURS OF SICK LEAVE.
TODAY, EACH DEPARTMENT HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF GUIDELINES FOR LABOR UNIONS TO ACCESS EMPLOYEES IN THE WORK SITE.
SO WHAT WE ALSO DID IN THIS AGREEMENT WAS CREATE A UNIFORM PROCESS SO THAT HOPE DID NOT HAVE TO REMEMBER 25 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS GUIDELINES WITH REGARDS TO HOW TO ACCESS THEIR EMPLOYEES IN THE WORK SITE.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID IN THIS AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE'VE AGREED THAT LEVEL ONES, WHICH IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF FORMAL CORRECTIVE ACTION IN OUR PCAP PROGRAM, UM, WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRIEVANCE TO BE GRIEVED.
FORMAL CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE REQUIRED, UH, TO BE ISSUED WITHIN 180 DAYS FROM THE DATE THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OR THE INVESTIGATORY BODY DISCOVERS OR BECOMES AWARE OF AN INFRACTION OR A VIOLATION, EXCEPT IN THE CASES WHERE THERE IS ALLEGED MISCONDUCT, FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE, WHICH REQUIRES NOTICE TO OUR BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS.
WHEN THE, UM, IS THE SUBJECT OF FACT FINDING INVESTIGATION OR AN INVESTIGATION PERIOD, THE UM, IS REQUIRED AND THE UM, IS REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT, THE, UM, WILL BE ENTITLED TO A 48 HOUR NOTICE.
THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DEAL WITH OUR CLASSIFIED FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS AND A UNION STEWARD MAY BE REP MAY BE PRESENT DURING THESE MEETINGS.
AS STATED BEFORE, THE UNION STEWARD ROLE IS SOMEWHAT EXPANDING IN THIS AGREEMENT.
SO NOW WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE FINANCIALS.
SO THE CHART BELOW DEPICTS WHAT THE ACROSS THE BOARD PAY INCREASES AND WHAT OUR MINIMUM BASE PAY RATES WILL BE DURING DETERMINE THIS AGREEMENT.
EVERY, UM, WILL RECEIVE AT LEAST A NEW MINIMUM BASE PAY RATE OR THE ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER EXCEPT FOR SEASONAL INTERNS, SEASONAL TEMPORARIES, AND OUR POLICE AND FIRE TRAINEES.
IN THIS AGREEMENT, WE'VE ALSO INCREASED, UH, LONGEVITY PAY.
LONGEVITY PAY HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE 1975.
AND UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WE WILL INCREASE IT FROM $2 TO $3 BIWEEKLY FOR EACH YEAR OF COMPLETED SERVICE.
BILINGUAL PAY WILL ALSO INCREASE BILINGUAL PAY, UH, WILL INCREASE FROM $34 AND 62 CENTS TO $70, UH, BIWEEKLY, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH THE AMOUNT WITH ONE OF THE AMOUNTS OF THE POLICE CLASSIFIED BILINGUAL PAY IS ALSO GOVERNED BY AP THREE DASH NINE.
AND SO THOSE RULES AND STIPULATIONS WITH HOW EMPLOYEES ARE AWARDED BILINGUAL PAY WILL STILL NEED TO BE ADMINISTERED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT POLICY.
IN ADDITION, WE'VE ALSO MADE A FEW CHANGES TO COMPENSATORY TIME.
COMPENSATORY TIME FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, UM, WHEN IT IS A NON-EMERGENCY WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN PAY GRADES 29 AND BELOW.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THAT THEY CAN HAVE UP TO 60 HOURS PER QUARTER AND IT WILL BE PAID IN CASH.
OUR COMPENSATORY LEAVE AT THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR'S DISCRETION DURING EMERGENCY, UM, CONDITIONS, ALL UMS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PAY GRADE, UH, WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATORY TIME AS AN EXEMPT EMPLOYEE.
THEY WILL ALSO RECEIVE UP TO 80 HOURS PER CALENDAR YEAR AND IT CAN BE PAID IN CASH OR COMPENSATORY LEAVE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S AT THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR'S DISCRETION.
IF THE CITY RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FROM A STATE OR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEN THIS LEAVE MAY BE REIMBURSABLE AS WELL.
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CHANGES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WORK AT THE HEALTH CLINICS ON THE WEEKENDS.AND SO WE ARE INCREASING THAT AS WELL.
SO, UMS AND PAY GRADES 29 AND BELOW WHO WORK MORE THAN 40 HOURS DURING THE WORK WEEK.
AND THEY'RE WORKING AT THE HEALTH CLINICS ON THE WEEKEND ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE PAID IN CASH.
SINCE STAFF SCHEDULING IS HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THEN THIS PAID TIME IS BUDGETED FOR WITHIN THEIR BUDGET.
WE'RE ALSO INCREASING CALLBACK PAY FROM TWO HOURS TO FOUR HOURS.
WE'VE ALSO CREATED A NEW, UM, PAY FOR EMPLOYEES THAT'S CALLED EMERGENCY ACTIVATION PAY.
THIS OCCURS WHEN THE MAYOR DECLARES AN EMERGENCY EVENT AND NON-EXEMPT BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR TIER DESIGNATION, WHO ARE PERFORMING WORK DIRECTLY TO THE RELATED EMERGENCY AND THOSE WORKING HOURS IN OUR OVERTIME HOURS.
THEN THE NON-EXEMPT BARGAINING UNION MEMBERS SHALL BE CON COMPENSATED IN CASH AT TWO TIMES THEIR RATE OF PAY AND SPECIAL EVENT PAY.
ANYTIME A BARGAINING UNION MEMBER WORKS A SPECIAL EVENT SUCH AS THE THANKSGIVING PARADE, MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT IN JULY 4TH CELEBRATION, ET CETERA, AND THE TIME ACTUALLY WORKED IS IN EXCESS OF 40 HOURS, THEN THE NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEE WILL BE COMPENSATED IN CASH AT ONE AND A HALF TIMES THEIR RATE OF PAY INSTEAD OF COMPENSATORY TIME.
WE'VE ALSO CREATED SOME, UM, WHAT WE'RE CALLING PREMIUM ACTUAL HOLIDAYS AT TWO TIMES THE REGULAR RATE OF PAY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS THAT EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT TO WORK ON NEW YEAR'S DAY, JULY 4TH, CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY, WHEN THE ACTUAL DATE OF THAT HOLIDAY IS NOT OBSERVED, SHALL BE PAID AT TWO TIMES THEIR REGULAR RATE OF PAY.
WE'VE ALSO MADE A LITTLE MODIFICATION TO WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE FLOATING HOLIDAY.
THE FLOATING HOLIDAY SHALL BE AWARDED IN HOURS EQUAL TO THE UMS, REGULARLY SCHEDULED WORK SHIFT FOR THE DATE THAT THEY TAKE THE HOLIDAY, THE FLOATING HOLIDAY.
SO EMPLOYEES WHO WORK FIVE DAYS A WEEK, THEY RECEIVE EIGHT HOURS A DAY FOR THEIR HOLIDAY PAY.
BUT THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TO WORK NINE HOURS A DAY WILL BE AWARDED NINE HOURS A DAY FOR THEIR FLOATING HOLIDAY.
AND THE SAME GOES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TO WORK 10 HOURS A DAY.
IN THIS AGREEMENT, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT RESULTED IN ONE OF THE FY 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENTS, WHICH WAS TO REDUCE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VACATION LEAVE HOURS PAID AT SEPARATION.
SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN THIS AGREEMENT WAS THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE PAID UP TO 720 HOURS OF ACCRUED VACATION WILL BE REDUCED TO A MAXIMUM OF 70 HOURS, 700 HOURS.
AND THOSE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO BE PAID UP TO 360 ACCRUED LEAVE HOURS WILL BE REDUCED TO 340 HOURS.
THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO THE SICK LEAVE ACCRUALS OR SICK LEAVE PAYOUTS DURING THIS AGREEMENT.
IN ADDITION, WE ALSO HAVE CONCERNS WITH EMPLOYEES COMING TO WORK SICK IN ORDER TO EARN THE PERSONAL LEAVE HOURS.
AS A RESULT, WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM PERSONAL LEAVE HOURS BEING EARNED BASED OFF OF SICK LEAVE.
AND INSTEAD OF AWARDING EMPLOYEES 24 HOURS OF PERSONAL LEAVE HOURS EACH BENEFIT YEAR, WE ALSO CREATED WHAT WE'RE CALLING OUR MUNICIPAL FACE DOWN PROGRAM.
BOTH FIRE AND POLICE HAVE SOME FORM OF FACE DOWN PROGRAM, UH, TO TRANSITION THOSE EMPLOYEES TO RETIREMENT BY OFFERING HEALTH BENEFITS AT THE ACTIVE RATES.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE SUCH A PROGRAM FOR OUR, UM, MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE, WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE, WHO MEET AT LEAST A MINIMUM AGE OF 60 AND, UH, NOT ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
I'LL NOW TURN OVER THE PRESENTATION TO, UH, MR. WILL BRYANT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF, UM, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
BEFORE WE GET TO YOU, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE ONLINE WE HAVE, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, PECK PRESENT AS WELL AS STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICE.
AND WE WERE JUST JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S OFFICE, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BRYANT, PLEASE START WHEN YOU'RE READY.
UH, I KNOW ON THE SLIDE SAID MELISSA DKI, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT MELISSA.
UH, BUT WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT, SHE'S HERE TO SUPPORT AND WE APPRECIATE HER PRAC DOING BEST PRACTICES AND MASKING.
ALRIGHT, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO AS FAR AS THE PAY, UH, BASE PAY INCREASE, SO JUST TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT, 'CAUSE MOST QUESTIONS CAME ABOUT HOW DID WE GET THE BIWEEKLY, UH, PAY AS OPPOSED TO ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, HOPE'S INTENTION, UH, WHEN THEY CAME TO NEGOTIATION TABLE, TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES HAD A LIVABLE WAGE.
SO THEIR APPROACH WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELPED THE LOWER
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PAY GRADES MORE SO THAN WE DID THE UP UPPER PAY GRADES.SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, SO FOR THE FR 25, THE PAY PACE INCREASE OF ONE 16 BIWEEKLY EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 5.5% ACROSS THE BOARD.
ON AVERAGE, IF YOU WANT ANOTHER RANGE OF THAT INCREASE, AT MINIMUM, ONE INDIVIDUAL WILL GET 0.08% UP TO 11.7% INCREASE IN FY 25, UH, AGAIN, IN FY 26 AND FY 27 THERE WILL BE A 3.5% INCREASE AS WELL AS, UH, ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MINIMUM BASE RATE OF 1675 IN FY 25 UP TO $18 PER HOUR IN FY 27.
SO AS FAR AS NEGOTIATION, WHEN WE NEGOTIATE, WE USE THE GENERAL FUND ASD BASIS OF NEGOTIATION.
SO BASICALLY WE GO BACK BASED OFF WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED OR PLANNED IN THE GENERAL FUND AS OUR NEGOTIATION TOOL, AND THEN WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND GRANT FUNDS WILL FALL IN SUIT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE TABLE BEING THE GENERAL FUND COSTS AND THEN THE ALL FUNDS COSTS.
SO IN F FR 25 WE NEGOTIATED OR THE NEGOTIATION IN WITH THE, UH, BASE PAY INCREMENTAL ALL IN COSTS.
THAT INCLUDES FRINGE BENEFITS AS WELL TO BE $9.8 MILLION IN FY 25.
THAT'S BASED OFF 16.6 REMAINING PAY PERIODS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT'S THE FIRST PAY PERIOD IN NOVEMBER 1ST FULL PAY PERIOD.
JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING FY 26, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT FIRST ROW GOES UP TO FOUR 15.4 BECAUSE NOW WE GO BACK AND FACTOR ALL 26.1 PAY PERIODS.
SO THEREFORE YOU SEE THE INCREMENTAL COST IN FY 26 ONLY BEING 11.4.
BUT WHEN YOU ADD THE $15.4 MILLION, YOU GET TO 26.9 MILLION FOR THE TOTAL ALL THREE YEAR, ALL IN COST ON THE GENERAL FUND TO BE $75.6 MILLION.
WHEN WE GO BACK AND CALCULATE ALL UMS AND ACROSS ALL FUNDS, THE TOTAL COST OF THIS AGREEMENT WOULD BE $243 MILLION OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, THE ESTIMATES USED FOR THIS CALCULATION WERE BASED ON THE AUGUST 30TH PAYROLL.
SO IT'S VERY DYNAMIC IN NATURE.
SO WE HAD PEOPLE COME OFF THE PAYROLL, PEOPLE ADDED, THERE WAS ADJUSTMENTS.
UH, SO WE JUST MAKE, THESE ARE JUST ESTIMATES AT THIS TIME.
UH, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? AS FAR AS THE OTHER PAY, SO YOU, THINGS YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CALCULATE IS LONGEVITY BILINGUAL PAY AND SHIFT DEFERENTIAL.
SO WHAT WE GIVE YOU IS THE ALL FUND ALL IN COST FOR LONGEVITY, BILINGUAL AND SHIFT DEFERENTIAL FOR FY 25.
UH, FOR FY 25, WHEN WE GET INCREASE THE, UH, LONGEVITY PAY UP TO $3 PER HOUR, I MEAN PER CHECK OR PAY PERIOD, THAT EQUATES TO FOR ALL FUNDS, $2.7 MILLION, UH, BILINGUAL PAY.
WHEN WE INCREASE IT UP TO $70, UH, IT EQUATES TO CLOSE TO $900,000.
ANDIF SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL IS CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT'S CROSSED ALL FUNDS.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REMIND US THE DEFINITION OF SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL? 'CAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAY IN THE AGREEMENT.
SO SECOND SHIFT BEGINS, UH, FROM 12:00 PM TO 6:00 PM AND THEN THIRD SHIFT BEGINS FROM 6:00 PM TO 5:00 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING.
SO ANY START TIMES BETWEEN THOSE TIMES WOULD TRIGGER SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL.
AND THAT DOES NOT THOUGH INCLUDE, UH, THE MODELING FOR LIKE EMERGENCY ACTIVATION PAY AND THE INCREASES FOR THAT.
UH, I, I THINK I, I GUESS I CAN PRE, SO PER PREEMPTIVE SAY, WELL, THE NEXT QUESTION PROBABLY OKAY.
WHAT, HOW DOES THAT LOOK WITH THE FAR AS BUDGET? SO IN OUR FIVE YEAR FORECAST, WE DID PLAN HAVING A 3, 3 3 INCREASE, UH, FOR MUNICIPAL FOR THE HOPE CONTRACT IN OUR BUDGET.
SO WHEN WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE THREE YEAR COST, UH, BASICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT A DEFICIT OF A TWO 12.2 ACROSS FOR GENERAL FUND ACROSS THE THREE YEAR BUDGET.
SO THERE'S INITIAL SAVINGS IN FFY 25, AND THEN WE HAVE TO COVER THAT INCREMENTAL COST OVER THE 3% THAT WE BUDGET IN FFY 26 AND FFY 27 TO GET TO THAT, UH, NEGATIVE 12 POINT MILLION, $12.2 MILLION IN DEFICIT THAT WE DO HAVE TO COVER ON THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT COMPLETES, UH, HR AND FINANCES PRESENTATION AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN ANSWER THEM NOW OR IF YOU WASN'T SURE HOW YOU WANTED TO PROCEED.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL START, UM, WITH OUR QUESTIONS TOWARDS YOU ALL AND THEN WE WILL, UM, ASK QUESTIONS OF HOPE IF THERE ARE ANY, AFTER THEIR PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA ASK CITY LEGAL IF THEY DON'T MIND SITTING, UH, AT THE HORSESHOE IN THEIR SPOT.
'CAUSE SOME QUESTIONS MAY PERTAIN TO THEIR DEPARTMENT.
UM, FIRST, UH, AND BEFORE WE BEGIN THE FORMAL QUESTIONS, UM, CAN YOU STATE ONE MORE TIME, YOU MAY HAVE SAID IT.
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DOES THIS AGREEMENT COVER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? THIS AGREEMENT COVERS ABOUT, UH, A LITTLE LESS THAN 12,000 EMPLOYEES.UH, FIRST WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AT THE VERY END WAS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD THE ALL FUNDS FOR LONGEVITY AND, UH, SHIFT AND BILINGUAL, BASICALLY IF YOU ADD UP THE, THE AMOUNTS FOR SALARY AND THOSE AMOUNTS, THOSE ARE INCORPORATED IN THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
I'VE ASKED THAT OF, OF DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI BEFORE, AND IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAT YOU PUT IN THE, IN THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
IT, IT, IT, IT'D BE A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
THE ISSUE WITH THOSE OTHER PAYS ARE THEIR BEHAVIOR BASED.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS GOING TO LEAVE, IF THEY'RE GONNA SEPARATE OR NEW PEOPLE.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARDER FOR US TO CALCULATE THOSE VALUES BEYOND FFY 26 27.
IF YOU COULD TRY TO, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S DYNAMIC, BUT IF YOU COULD TRY TO BREAK OUT, UM, THAT LAST SLIDE YOU HAD WITH THE ALL FUNDS FOR LONGEVITY SHIFT AND BILINGUAL FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.
UM, ON, THERE WERE ALSO PROBABLY SOME, SOME FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON THE COMPENSATORY TIME.
DID Y'ALL COME UP WITH ANY KIND OF ESTIMATES ON WHAT, HOW THAT COULD IMPACT THE BUDGET AND ALSO ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS ACTIVE, I MEAN, UM, RETIRED EMPLOYEES, UM, ABLE TO HAVE THE ACTIVE RATE, IF THERE'S A FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THAT.
UM, AS WELL, IF THERE'S ANY ESTIMATES, IF YOU DON'T HAVE 'EM NOW, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE BASICALLY E EVERYTHING THAT'S CHANGING THAT WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF FISCAL IMPACT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WITH REGARDS TO COMPENSATORY TIME, REMEMBER COMPENSATORY TIME IS AWARDED BASED OFF OF THE OPERATIONAL NEED OF THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH COULD CHANGE FROM MONTH TO MONTH RIGHT.
SO THOSE MAY BE SOMEWHAT HARDER TO DO, UH, BUT WE ARE PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN OVER THIS CONTRACT, UH, ACTUALLY HAVE A BASELINE OF WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE LOOKING LIKE.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE EXACT 'CAUSE ALL THAT, ALL THAT'S REALLY CHANGING, BUT IF SOME THOUGHT WAS GIVEN TO THAT AND, AND ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS ONE, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
ON THE ACTUAL, UM, CONTRACT, DO WE KNOW, UM, ON THE, THE, THE VACATION, WHICH, UM, THANK YOU HOPE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR GIVING ON THE VACATION HOURS.
UM, DO WE HAVE, UM, ESTIMATES ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF, OF ON TERMINATION PAY? UM, HAS ANY PROJE HAVE ANY PROJECTIONS BEEN MADE AND WHAT THAT, UM, POTENTIAL SAVINGS WILL BE BY, UH, ADJUSTING THOSE ACCRUALS? SO AGAIN, AS FAR AS TERM RETURN PAY, THAT'S REALLY BEHAVIOR BASED.
SO YOU DON'T KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT FINAL NUMBER WOULD BE.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA CHANGE A, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND THE PEOPLE ARE CAPPED AT THE AMOUNT THAT THEY CAN GET PAID OUT MM-HMM
AND SO THE EXPECTATION, SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GET THAT OVER TIME.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET IT OVER TIME BECAUSE UNDERSTOOD.
YOU WANT, YOU WANT ACCRUE MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE PAID OUT AT THIS POINT.
WHEREAS BEFORE YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCRUE, I THINK 80 TO 120 HOURS DEPENDING ON WHICH, WHICH TIME YOU ENTER, ENTER INTO THE CITY THAT YOU CAN HAVE BANKED AS FAR AS ACCRUALS ON TOP OF YOUR PAYOUT.
AND, AND THE SICK LEAVE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
IT HAS NOT, OTHER THAN, OTHER THAN GETTING A DOCTOR'S NOTE AFTER 80 HOURS INSTEAD.
SICK LEAVE IS EXACTLY THE SAME, THE SAME.
UM, WELL I DON'T SEE WELLNESS HOURS IN THIS MCA IF I JUST MISSED IT, BUT IT'S THE SAME.
ARE WE DOING THE SAME ON WELLNESS OR HOW IS THAT WORKING? YES, MA'AM.
WELLNESS IS THE SAME AND WELLNESS IS, UH, ATTACHED TO THE COMPENSABLE SICK LEAVE PROGRAM.
OH, UM, I, I WAS, I BECAME AWARE OF SOMETHING IN THE GRIEVANCE SECTION CALLED, UM, DECISION MAKING DAY OR DECISION DECISION MAKING LEAVE.
UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH.
IS THAT USED OFF, I MEAN, IS THAT, DO WE HAVE ESTIMATES OF ON HOW, HOW MANY TIMES THAT'S BEEN USED OR WHAT COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DE DECISION MAKING LEAVE, WHICH IS MY, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF GRIEVANCE, THERE'S YOUR, YOU'RE, UM, OFFERED, UH, A DAY TO PROCESS WHATEVER'S GOING ON.
OR I, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN WHAT DECISION MAKING LEAVE IS.
SO A DECISION MAKING D LEAVE DAY IS A ONE DAY LEAVE WITH PAY.
THIS IS A DAY, UM, LET ME START BACK OVER.
THE DECISION MAKING LEAVE IS THE SERIOUS, THE MOST SERIOUS LEVEL OF CORRECTIVE ACTION IN THE MUNICIPALS CORRECTIVE ACTION PROGRAM.
THIS IS A ONE DAY LEAVE WITH PAY THAT OFFERS
[00:30:01]
THE EMPLOYEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANNA CONTINUE THEIR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OR IF THEY WANT TO, UH, OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO RESIGN.THIS, UH, PARTICULAR DECISION MAKING LEAVE DAY IS AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
SO IS IT, IS IT, I JUST HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT.
IS IT USED OFTEN? I MEAN, LIKE, ARE, DO 10 PEOPLE USE THAT A YEAR OR IS IT LIKE
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I, IF I MAY, I'LL GO IN, PUT YOU IN QUEUE.
UM, REMINDER TO GO IN QUEUE IF YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK.
UM, I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE AN AI CLAUSE ADDED IN.
UM, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN RECOGNIZING KIND OF THE FUTURE OF WORKFORCE IN GENERAL.
UH, SO THAT WE'RE ADDING THAT IN HERE I THINK IS TERRIFIC.
UM, AND ADDRESSING THE JOB SECURITY COMPONENT OF THAT AS WELL.
AND THE PRIVATIZATION CLAUSE, UM, THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED.
THE INCREASE IN PAY, UH, IS SO IMPORTANT.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE BUILDING ON YEARS PRIOR, RIGHT, 2022 AND THE 3%, AND MOVING FORWARD AND BUILDING ON THAT 3, 3, 3, UH, AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY ACTIVATION PAY.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE HOW MANY TIMES HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WE ARE, UM, AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED FOR EMERGENCIES.
UH, AND THE TOLL THAT IT CAN TAKE ON CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALL FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
WITH THAT, UH, THE REST RULE IS ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE A LOT OF CALL TAKERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING, UM, SOME CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW AS WELL AS I BELIEVE WE, IS THIS NEW THE DEPARTMENT LABOR MANAGEMENT COOPERATION COUNCIL, UH, IS THAT A NEW ADDITION OR IS IT JUST BEEN IMPROVEMENTS BUILT INTO THAT? IT'S NOT A NEW ADDITION.
IT WAS, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS, IT JUST WASN'T THAT DEPARTMENTS HAD TO ELECT TO, UM, TO PUT ONE INTO EFFECT.
BUT WITH THIS AGREEMENT, WE'RE NOW REQUIRING THEM TO PUT ONE IN EFFECT FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS OTHER THAN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
WELL, AGAIN, THE, THE STANDARDIZATION OF A LOT, LOT OF THINGS AND ADDING, UM, DIRECTION AND I WOULD SAY TEETH TO A LOT OF THIS, UM, I APPRECIATE, AND I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR FROM HOPE ON SOME OF THAT.
UM, FOR FINANCE, UH, AKIN TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU HAD MODELED THE PAY INCREASES AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, ESTIMATED PAY.
BUT AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE, DO WE HAVE ANY ESTIMATE AS IT RELATES TO, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKING ONE YEAR BACK LOOKING AT, UM, EMERGENCY ACTIVATIONS, WHAT THAT TIME AND COST MAY BE? IS THERE A WAY TO CALCULATE THAT? SO THIS IS ONE THING THAT, SO WE WOULD NEED A NEW WAGE TYPE, A NEW CODE IN ORDER TO TRACK THAT.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE, ONCE WE GET THE CODE ENTER INTO IT AND ENTER THAT WAGE TYPE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK IN RETRO AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT THE COST IS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T CAPTURE THAT COST OKAY.
OR ESTIMATE THAT COST AND ARE.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE PLANNING THOUGH, TO HAVE THAT CODE, UH, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT MOVING FORWARD.
HAS THE CONTROLLER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ALL OF THIS YET? A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT WAS PROVIDED TO THE CONTROLLER.
UNDER ARTICLE 10, UM, WITH EMERGENCY AND OVERTIME PAY, UH, ARE THOSE STATE AND FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS? HOW ARE WE DEFINING EMERGENCY? AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE FEDERALLY OR STATE DECLARED EMERGENCIES OR DISASTERS, ARE THOSE COSTS REIMBURSABLE AT THE ADDITIONAL, UH, LEVELS THAT WE'RE ADDING INTO THE CONTRACT? SO THOSE, THE EMERGENCY, UH, THOSE DISASTERS ARE DECLARED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND SO THOSE ARE, THOSE COSTS ARE REIMBURSABLE UP TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.
UH, THE RANGE CAN BE DEPENDENT ON THE ADMINISTRATION, 75 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE'VE HAD SOME THAT ARE 100% REIMBURSABLE, SOME 75, BUT THOSE COSTS, IF IT IS A DECLARED DISASTER, ARE POTENTIALLY REIMBURSABLE.
[00:35:01]
UM, WITH THE PAY INCREASES THAT WE'RE SEEING, AND I, I FULLY SUPPORT THE PAY INCREASES, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD, UH, SOME EXECUTIVE STAFF HAS SEEN VERY LARGE PAY INCREASES UPWARDS OF SIX FIGURES, UH, PREVIOUSLY.SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT FIELD EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE, HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED PAY RAISES, VERY LARGE PAY INCREASES THIS YEAR, ARE THEY TOO RECEIVING THESE NEW PAY INCREASES? IF THEY ARE, UM, AND THEY WERE ON PAYROLL BEFORE THIS AGREEMENT GOES IN PLACE, THAT WE'LL RECEIVE THE BIWEEKLY INCREASE.
AND FOR THE RECORD THOUGH, THAT WE ARE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT RECEIVING, UH, ANY PAY INCREASE NOR HAVE THEY IN, UH, I BELIEVE OVER A DECADE NOW.
IS THAT CORRECT? CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL NOT RECEIVE THE PAY INCREASE.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
I SEE VICE CHAIR AND Q GO AHEAD.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GO INTO THE 2025, UH, PAY INCREASE.
CAN YOU SHARE PROBABLY A BIT MORE IN DEPTH AS TO WHERE ARE MOST OF THOSE, UH, INCREASE IS GONNA LIE.
UM, YOU'RE SAYING SOME ARE, UM, AT, UM, I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED 0.8% TO 11%.
CAN YOU DIFFERENTIATE MORE OR LESS, UM, WHERE THOSE, UH, THOSE, UM, THOSE STAFF ARE GONNA BE GETTING MORE, MOST OF THE INCREASES? SO WHAT I, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, WE CAN GIVE YOU A TABLE SHOWING YOU WITH EACH OF THE RANGES AND TELL YOU THE PAY GRADES, WHERE EACH OF THOSE RANGES ARE.
SO WE DO HAVE A TABLE, IT'S A FULL SPREADSHEET, AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN JUST, WE CAN CHART IT OUT AND MAKE A VISUAL FOR YOU.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I, I DEFINITELY, UH, UH, LIKE THE WAY THIS IS, THIS FIRST PAY INCREASE IS, IS, UH, HEADING BECAUSE THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, 3% IS NOT MUCH AT ALL, UH, ESPECIALLY ON THE LOWER END.
AND SO, UH, THE ONE 16 FLAT RATE, UH, THERE'S FOLKS THAT I MEET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WORK AT PARKS, MAYBE AS A, YOU KNOW, A STAFFER AT ONE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND, YOU KNOW, 3.5% WOULDN'T BE TOO MUCH, BUT 116, UH, BIWEEKLY IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN, UH, SEE, UM, AS AS USEFUL.
UH, THE OTHER QUESTION IS FOR THE, THE, UH, ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE MAYOR.
UM, HOW, HOW IS THAT GONNA BE, UH, CHOSEN? IS IT GONNA BE HOPE CHOOSING THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO ADVISE THE MAYOR OR THE MAYOR WILL BE HAVING AN, UH, SOME KIND OF, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN THAT? SO THE WAY THAT THE, UM, THE LABOR MANAGEMENT COOPERATION COUNCIL IS SET UP IS THAT THERE'S FIVE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE CHOSEN BY HOPE AND INSIDE OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, THERE'S FIVE, UH, MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE CITY SIDE.
THE REQUIRED FIVE MEMBERS ON THE CITY SIDE INCLUDE THE HR DIRECTOR AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THEIR DESIGNEE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THREE PERSONS CAN BE ANY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE LAST QUESTION, I THINK THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES TO REALLY, UH, KIND OF DIG DEEP INTO IT, BUT WHAT, WHAT DO YOU PERCEIVE THE COST SAVINGS WILL BE FOR THE VACATION, UH, TERM CHANGE? AND AGAIN, WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO HOPE FOR WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THAT AS WELL.
UH, WE'LL PROVIDE SOME, WE'LL JUST USE SOME HISTORIC AID AND JUST COME UP WITH SOME PROJECTIONS ON BEHAVIOR.
SO WE'LL JUST USE HISTORY AND THEN WE'LL JUST PROVIDE.
AND ON ALL, ON ALL THESE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS, WE'LL GET THESE OVER TO THE DEPARTMENTS TODAY, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE THE VOTE COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, EVERYONE IS INFORMED PRIOR TO THE VOTE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I KNOW IT'S A QUICK TURNAROUND ON THAT.
UH, NEXT, UH, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN VERY QUICKLY.
AND THEN WE HAVE STAFF THANK YOU CHAIR ON THE PERSONAL DAYS.
SO WE'RE GETTING RID OF BASICALLY THAT YOU GET MORE DAYS IF YOU DON'T TAKE SICK DAYS KIND OF THING.
IT USED TO BE ZERO HOURS, YOU GOT THREE DAYS, 24 HOURS, AND THEN IF YOU TOOK, YOU KNOW, ONE SICK DAY, YOU GOT TWO DAYS.
AND SO WE'RE JUST NOW GIVING EVERYBODY THREE DAYS, 8 24 HOURS PERSONAL LEAVE.
SO WHAT WE, IT'S NOT TIED AT ALL TO SICK.
IT IS NOT TIED AT ALL TO SICK.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO, WELL, WHAT WE HEARD WAS WE HAD EMPLOYEES WHO WERE COMING TO WORK SICK.
SO THEY'RE COMING TO WORK SICK.
THEY MAY BE GETTING OTHER EMPLOYEES SICK.
AND SO NOW THE, YOU COULD POSSIBLY SEE A SMALL GROUP.
NO, I THINK, I THINK IT'S A GOOD, I THINK IT'S A GOOD MOVE.
DO, DO MONEY WISE, UM, IS IT KIND OF A WASH? IT IS A WASH BECAUSE WE DO BUDGET IT.
UM, WE BUDGET FOR ALL EMPLOYEES TO BE HERE 2080 HOURS PER YEAR.
AND SO THE, THE PERSONAL LEAVE DAYS ARE USE IT OR LOSE IT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY GET IN MORE, UH, AND IT'S
[00:40:01]
NOT COSTING US.AND THE SICK LEAVE POLICIES ARE REALLY, 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY EVEN MENTIONED SO MUCH IN THE, I MEAN, IT'S IT'S THE ORDINANCE THAT GOVERNS THE SICK LEAVE POLICY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
IT IS THE ORDINANCE THAT GOVERNS THE SICK LEAVE.
SO THERE WASN'T ANY KIND OF COMPARISON WORK DONE, UM, WITH OTHER ENTITIES WHEN THAT'S MORE OF AN ON THE ORDINANCE SIDE, IT'S DID THAT COME UP STILL SO BARGAIN DURING THE, DURING THE NEGOTI OR, I KNOW YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT, BUT LIKE IT'S IS ON THE SICK LEAVE, UM, SINCE IT'S STAYING THE SAME, WAS THERE ANY KIND OF, UM, I GET, I, I'M HAPPY WITH THE VACATION LEAVE THING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF, UH, OUR SICK LEAVE POLICY AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING MORE FOR THE COUNCIL TO, TO DISCUSS SINCE IT'S AN ORDINANCE.
SO LEAVE IS A PART OF BARGAINING BECAUSE IT IS, IT HAS A COMPENSATION COMPONENT TO IT.
UH, AND WE DID DISCUSS IT AT THE BARGAINING TABLE, BUT WE AGREED TO NOT TOUCH THE SICK LEAVE.
AND ON BACK ON COMP TIME, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT SLIDE UP AGAIN ON THE COMP TIME.
UH, SO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECT BASICALLY EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, IF THEY WORK OVER AND ABOVE, THEY CAN GET THE COMP TIME, WHICH IS EITHER PAID IN TIME OFF OR IN CASH.
SO ON THE COMP TIME, IT HAS TO BE, THEY HAVE TO BE ELIGIBLE SO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING HAS TO BE ELIGIBLE.
SO TYPICALLY IT'S LIKE A PROJECT BASE OR MM-HMM
ADDITIONAL HOURS THAT WOULD NOT TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN NEEDED IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR A COMPENSATORY TIME FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE AN EXEMPT EMPLOYEE WORKS MORE THAN 40 HOURS DURING THE WORK WEEK, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S FOR.
IT'S, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC IN THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE THAT TELLS US HOW AN EMPLOYEE CAN EARN.
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT KIND OF PARAMETERS DO DERO DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS USE WHEN DETERMINING IF IT'S COM IF IT'S TIME OR CASH? I MEAN, IS IT KIND OF JUST BASICALLY WHAT THE EMPLOYEE WOULD RATHER HAVE? UM, WELL, IT'S BUDGETARY, RIGHT? SO EITHER IF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET CAN AB UH, ABSORB IT BEING CASHED, THEN THEY WOULD SAY, OKAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH IF YOU WORK THIS ADDITIONAL TIME ON THIS PROJECT.
BUT IF IT'S A DEPARTMENT, THAT BUDGET MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY THAT.
AND INSTEAD THEY WILL SAY, OKAY, WELL I'LL GIVE YOU THE TIME.
AND THAT'S ALL, THAT'S JUST FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THE OVERTIME, UM, THAT YOU LAID OUT IS FOR THE ONES THAT AREN'T NON-EXEMPT? CORRECT.
NONE EXEMPT EMPLOYEES HAVE TO BE PAID AN HOUR FOR EVERY HOUR THEY WORK OVER.
AND I KNOW ARE THO ARE, ARE THESE INCREASES OVER THE LAST CONTRACT? YES.
UM, WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, WE'VE BEEN JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
AND THEN ONLINE BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UM, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING SOME QUESTIONS FROM STAFF, NOT COUNCIL STAFF, JUST ABOUT IT.
SO I MAY ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE END IF WE HAVE TIME.
UH, FIRST I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR LEGAL.
UH, THE 180 DAY RULE, UH, I BRING THIS UP IN EVERY, UH, UNION CONTRACT NEGOTIATION WITH THE CITY BECAUSE UNDER STATE LAW, UH, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THERE IS A, THERE'S THE 180 DAYS YOU HAVE FROM THE TIME OF DISCOVERY OF A, UH, WRONGDOING OR UNDER STATE LAW, 180 DAYS FROM THE TIME, UH, A WRONGDOING OCCURRED UNDER THIS CONTRACT.
IS IT 180 DAYS FROM THE TIME OF DISCOVERY OR 180 DAYS FROM THE TIME OF THE ACT OF WRONGDOING? IT'S 180 DAYS FROM DISCOVERY.
UM, AND IT'S SPECIFIC TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OR THE INVESTIGATORY BODY.
SO AGAIN, IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR THE CITY TO HAVE REASONABLE TIME TO DISCOVER THAT, UM, WRONGDOING HAS OCCURRED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS IT, BUT IT ALSO LIMITS HOW LONG THIS CAN BE DRAGGED OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, AN EMPLOYEE CAN SEE, UM, A RESOLUTION WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE, WE HAVE ONE OUTSTANDING, I BELIEVE, UNION CONTRACT THAT STILL DEFERS TO, UH, STATE LAW RATHER THAN DATE OF DISCOVERY, UH, WHICH I WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH.
WE NEED TO HAVE IT FROM THE DATE OF DISCOVERY TO ALLOW THE CITY TO ACTUALLY DISCOVER THAT THAT WRONGDOING HAS OCCURRED.
BUT WE STILL HAVE ONE UNION AGREEMENT THAT DEFERS TO DATE OF, UM,
[00:45:01]
WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.UN UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, STATE LAW WOULD GOVERN, UM, DISCOVERY OR, UM, WHEN THE FIRE CHIEF COULD TAKE THIS.
WELL, I, I WANNA THANK HOPE AND HR FOR INCLUDING DATE OF DISCOVERY THAT'S THE, THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS.
IN, UH, ANOTHER CONTRACT THAT WE'VE RECENTLY, UH, RATIFIED, UH, THERE'S A CLAUSE THAT SAYS THAT THE CITY AND THE UNION WILL NOT FILE OR SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS THAT AFFECT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT UNLESS IT'S MUTUALLY AGREED UPON.
DOES THIS AGREEMENT HAVE SIMILAR LANGUAGE? UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF THIS AGREEMENT HAVING IT SO THEORETICALLY UNDER, UH, THERE'S NO CLAUSE THAT WOULD STOP THE CITY.
IF THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO, UH, PASS MORE LAWS THAT ARE TAKING AWAY WORKERS' RIGHTS, UM, WHETHER THAT'S UNDER A DEATH STAR 2.0 BILL, UH, REST AND BREAK PERIODS, THINGS THAT THE CITY COULD BE PREEMPTED ON UNDER THIS CONTRACT, THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPORT THAT LEGISLATION.
I'M NOT SAYING THE CITY WOULD, BUT THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT TOOK AWAY FROM WHAT'S IN THIS CONTRACT.
COULD YOU ASK THAT ONE MORE TIME? YEAH, I WANNA MAKE SURE I TRACKED.
THE, IN OTHER UNION AGREEMENTS, THERE HAS BEEN LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT THE CITY AND THE UNION AGREE TO NOT, UM, ADVOCATE AT THE LEGISLATURE UNLE ON SOMETHING PERTAINING TO THIS CONTRACT UNLESS IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED UPON TO DO SO.
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE CITY COULD THEORETICALLY SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THE RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN SECURED UNDER THIS.
THEORETICALLY, I'M NOT SAYING THE CITY WOULD THEORETICALLY.
ARE THERE ANY CLAUSES THAT CAN BE CHANGED WITHOUT RATIFICATION OR APPROVAL BY COUNSEL THAT ARE SUBSTANTIVE? DEPENDS ON HOW YOU DEFINE SUBSTANTIVE.
THEY ARE, YOU DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO, UM, INTERIM AMENDMENTS THAT ARE UNDER 50,000 UNDER, I'M SORRY, 50,000 IN COST.
SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FINANCIAL IMPACT OR THEY'RE UNDER 50,000, THEN THAT CAN BE DONE BY AN INTERIM AMENDMENT.
UH, CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENCES IN EACH CONTRACT, UH, WITHIN THIS CONTRACT.
SO THERE'S CONTRACT GRIEVANCES, THERE'S EMPLOYMENT GRIEVANCES, AND THEN THERE'S DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS.
I I MAY BE, UH, DUMBING THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT OR OVERSIMPLIFYING IT, BUT COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE AND WHO OVERSEES THOSE? ABSOLUTELY.
STARTING WITH YOUR FIRST ONE, A CONTRACT GRIEVANCE, THAT IS WHEN THERE IS A DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF THE ARTICLES OF THIS CONTRACT, UM, THAT IS TYPICALLY BROUGHT BY HOPE, UM, THEY WOULD BRING IT ON BEHALF OF THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, OR AS HOPE AS THE, UM, THE MAJORITY BARGAINING AGENT.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES, UM, THEY ORIGINATE OUT OF CHAPTER 14 OF THE HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.
WE'VE AMENDED IT THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS AND WHAT HAPPENS, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, ACTIONS, UM, THAT CAN BE GRIEVED AND THEY'RE ENUMERATED IN THE CONTRACT, AND THAT CAN BE BROUGHT BY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES.
UM, WHERE THERE IS A STEP ONE THAT'S AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, STEP TWO IS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, AND STEP THREE IS BY A COMMITTEE THAT IS GOVERNED BY BOTH HOPE AND, UM, CITY MANAGEMENT WITH A, A NEUTRAL PARTY, UM, THAT WILL DECIDE ULTIMATELY WHAT THAT DECISION IS.
AND THE FINAL, UM, ACTION THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, DEALT WITH APPEALS OF INDEFINITE SUSPENSIONS, TERMINATIONS FOR CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTED EMPLOYEES, UM, AS WELL AS INVOLUNTARY DEMOTIONS.
AND THOSE ARE HEARD BY THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AND THAT'S WHEN AN EMPLOYEE CAN CHALLENGE A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR'S, UM, EMPLOYMENT ACTION.
AND SO WITH THE COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT GRIEVANCES, WITH THE COMMITTEE, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE SELECTED BOTH BY HOPE AND THE CITY THROUGH A DEFINED PROCESS? YES.
SO HOPE HAS A SAY IN THAT? YES.
HOPE SELECTS TWO MEMBERS, AND I BELIEVE THE TWO ALTERNATES AS WELL AS THE CITY HAS TWO.
NOW, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DEMOTIONS TERMINATIONS, OR AT LEAST FOR TERMINATIONS, THAT GOES TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND WE'VE HAD OTHER CONTRACTS COME BEFORE COUNCIL WHERE LANGUAGE HAS STIPULATED THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION WILL BE APPOINTED BY THOSE, UH, SELECTED BY THOSE UNION REPRESENTATIVES.
SO X NUMBER OF SEATS WILL BE BY THAT UNION X NUMBER OF SEATS BY THAT CITY, BY THE CITY, IS THAT CORRECT?
[00:50:01]
THAT IS CORRECT.DOES HOPE HAVE ANY SELECTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION? WELL, THE COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, UM, THROUGH THE MAYOR'S BOARD AND COMMISSION.
SO HOPE COULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS JUST AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER MEMBERS OF CITY HUMAN RESOURCES OR THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
BUT IN THE OTHER CONTRACTS, IT IS STIPULATED THAT THERE'LL BE, LIKE HALF OF THE SEATS WILL BE REPRESENTING, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, HALF WILL BE REPRESENTING THE CITY.
SO IS THERE ANY LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SEATS WILL BE, UH, REPRESENTING HOPE NOT IN THIS CONTRACT, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE BEING REVIEWED FOR TERMINATION AND OTHER MATTERS BY TECHNICALLY BY ANOTHER UNION SELECTIONS? THE, THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ARE FOR THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ONLY SAY THAT ONE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE THREE COMMISSIONERS RIGHT NOW THAT SIT ON THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FOR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES.
AND, UM, THEY ALSO SIT ON THE FIREFIGHTER AND POLICE OFFICERS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
SO THEY WEAR TWO HATS, BUT WHEN THEY ARE APPLYING THE RULES, THEY ARE APPLYING THE RULES ACCORDING TO OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS FOR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES.
BUT IT'S STILL, AGAIN, JUST TO GO BACK TO IT, IT'S STILL THE SELECTION WHO IS MAKING THOSE SELECTIONS UNDER CER OTHER UNION AGREEMENTS IS THAT SPECIFIC UNION, EVEN THOUGH THE, THAT SPECIFIC UNION MEMBER'S SELECTIONS WILL BE REVIEWING HOPE'S CSC CASES, THEY WILL NOT, THEY WOULD BE REVIEWING POLICE, IT WOULD BE POLICE AND FIRE.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID THEY WEAR TWO HATS.
SO IF YOU HAVE POLICE AND FIRE ON SELECTIONS ON THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, ARE THEY NOT HEARING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION CASES FOR HOPE? AND THEY, THEY WOULD NOT.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, THE COMMISSION HASN'T CHANGED, UM, IN THE LAST YEAR.
SO RIGHT NOW THE THREE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE ALTERNATES ARE HEARING ON ALL CASES FOR ALL EMPLOYEE GROUPS.
BUT THERE'S STILL NO OP AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO GET AT OKAY.
HOPE ISN'T UNDER THIS CONTRACT ABLE TO SELECT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE TO THIS AND I, I RESPECT, UH, HOW LEGAL NEEDS TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO, UH, HR.
WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS.
UH, SO UNDER ARTICLE 10, DO WE HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF SPECIAL EVENTS OR WAS IT AGREED UPON WHAT THOSE EVENTS ARE? WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION, BUT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN, UM, WHAT THOSE EVENTS WOULD BE, SUCH AS THE THANKSGIVING, THE JULY 4TH, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER SUPER BOWL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT REQUIRES US TO ACTIVATE SOME TYPE OF SPECIAL EVENT FOR IT.
WORLD CUP, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND IN ARTICLE NINE, INFORMATION REQUESTS, UM, THERE, THERE'S A, A STIPULATION IN WHICH IS IMPORTANT THAT HOPE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYEE INFORMATION UPON REQUESTS, I BELIEVE QUARTERLY.
UM, BUT THAT INCLUDES VERY PERSONAL INFORMATION LIKE HOME ADDRESSES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IS THAT, UH, PROTECTED INFORMATION FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE PUBLIC? JUST SO I WANNA MAKE SURE, AGAIN, HOPE HAS ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION, BUT IS THAT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN PULL AN EMPLOYEE'S HOME ADDRESS? SO UNDER, UM, THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE IN THE AGREEMENT, UM, WE, WE INITIALLY WASN'T PROVIDING HOPE WITH THE HOME ADDRESSES, BUT THEN WE RECEIVED AN OPINION FROM THE AGS OFFICE THAT STATES THAT HOPE CAN HAVE THEIR MEMBERS' INFORMATION.
UM, AND SO WE DO RELEASE THAT AS WELL AS IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS SAID YES, THAT THEY, WE CAN RELEASE THEIR INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I, THAT'S, YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD.
I DID WANNA MAKE SURE ALL EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE, EX ASIDE FROM HOPE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, A SELECTION PROCESS WHERE YOU CAN SAY WHETHER OR NOT YOU APPROVE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, UH, NOT CITY RELATED INFORMATION, BUT PERSONAL PRIVATE INFORMATION TO BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC OR NOT.
LAST, LASTLY, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, NOTHING IN THIS IS BEARING ON OR TAKING AWAY FROM, UH, THE RIGHTS FOR DEFINED BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS.
DEFINED BENEFIT, NOT DEFINED CONTRIBUTION? CORRECT.
THE HOPE AGREEMENT, UH, IN INCLUDING OUR MEET AND CONFER PROCESS IS NOT GOVERNED, UH,
[00:55:01]
BY THE STATE LEGISLATION THAT AUTHORIZES THIS AGREEMENT.AND INSTEAD, THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL PENSION IS ACTUALLY GOVERNED BY A SEPARATE STATE LEGISLATIVE, AND THIS DOES NOTHING.
UH, IT STILL PRESERVES THE RIGHT OF CITY EMPLOYEES TO TAKE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE TIME OFF, UH, PRENATAL WELLNESS, TIME OFF AND TIME TO TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THOSE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS THAT FIRST YEAR.
UH, I SEE WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING SLIDE 10.
UM, WE'RE NOT TOTALLY CLEAR WHAT IT MEANS BY LEVEL ONES ARE GRIEVABLE AND FORMAL CORRECTION ACTION.
DOES THIS RELATE TO ALL DOCUMENTED PERFORMANCE CONCERNS? NO, MA'AM.
SO THE LEVEL ONE, UH, WITHIN OUR POSITIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION PROGRAM IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF FORMAL CORRECTIVE ACTION.
UM, AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, SINCE IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF FORMAL CORRECTIVE ACTION, THEN, UH, WE'RE ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO, TO GRIEVE THAT, UM, INFORMAL LEVELS OF CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, UM, COACHINGS, UH, COUNSELINGS AND PERFORMING IMPROVEMENT DISCUSSIONS.
AND WHEN THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE FORMAL CORRECTIVE ACTION.
AND THE LEVEL ONE IS THE FIRST LEVEL.
DOES THE UNION GET INVOLVED IN ANY DOCUMENTED PERFORMANCE CONCERN OR DOES IT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO? NO, NOT UNTIL WE GET TO THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, HANDLED BY MANAGEMENT AND THEIR OBSERVED BEHAVIORS.
UH, I, I, SORRY, I THOUGHT ONE OF THE COUNTS MEMBERS WAS GOING IN QUEUE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY ARE.
THERE WERE TWO QUESTIONS WE GOT.
I DIDN'T WANNA CALL YOU OUT BY NAME.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU GIVE SOME MORE DETAILS AROUND THE LEVEL ONE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND THE LEVEL TWO? YES.
SO THE LEVEL ONE, LIKE I STATED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE POSITIVE PERFORMANCE, UM, POSITIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION, UH, PROGRAM, WHICH IS AP THREE DASH SEVEN, THAT PROGRAM IS SET UP FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO, UM, IT'S A PROCESS FOR US TO TRY AND CORRECT THE EMPLOYEES BEHAVIOR, RIGHT? AND SO WE TRY AND USE DIFFERENT MEASURES SUCH AS COACHINGS, UH, COUNSELINGS, UM, PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT DISCUSSIONS, WHICH IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF DOCUMENTED, UH, PORTIONS TO TRY AND CORRECT THE BEHAVIOR.
AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS THE LEVEL ONE, WHICH IS THE FIRST FORMAL LEVEL CORRECTIVE ACTION.
IF THAT'S UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN WE MOVE TO THE LEVEL TWO.
UH, SO, SO WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO IN LEVEL ONE? IN A LEVEL ONE? WE HAVE ANOTHER WRITTEN DISCUSSION WITH THE EMPLOYEE THAT'S DOCUMENTED, UH, WHERE WE OUTLINE THE, UH, BEHAVIORS THAT NEED TO CORRECT THAT THEY NEED TO CORRECT WHETHER THAT IS IN PERFORMANCE, ATTENDANCE, SAFETY, OR BEHAVIOR.
AND WE GIVE THE EMPLOYEES, UM, WAYS OF HOW WE EXPECT THAT BEHAVIOR TO CORRECT.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT'S A FORMAL WRITTEN NOTICE.
YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
SIGN OFF ON IT, PUT IT IN YOUR FILE.
AND THE LEVEL TWO, THE LEVEL TWO IS THE NEXT STAGE.
AND AT THE, AT THIS PARTICULAR STAGE, IF THE EMPLOYEE STILL IS NOT, UM, SEEING, UH, CORRECTIVE ACTIONS OR CORRECTIVE BEHAVIOR OR SAFETY PRACTICE IN, IN ANY OF THEIR JOB PERFORMANCE, THEN WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
UH, AND THEN THE THIRD LEVEL IS THE DECISION MAKING LEAVE.
WHAT EXACTLY IS LEVEL TWO? WHAT I MEAN, LEVEL ONE, YOU DO THE WRITTEN NOTICE.
LEVEL TWO IS ANOTHER WRITTEN NOTICE.
SO IT'S THE SECOND WRITTEN NOTICE MM-HMM
AND THEN THE THIRD LEVEL WOULD BE THE DECISION MAKING LEAVE.
THAT IS THE ONE DAY OF PAID LEAVE WHERE WE HAVE THE EMPLOYEE TO GO HOME AND THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO STAY GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OR IF THEY WANT TO RESIGN.
SO IF THEY BEHAVE BADLY, VERBAL DISCUSSION CONTINUES A WRITTEN NOTICE, THEY SIGN OFF, CONTINUES ANOTHER WRITTEN NOTICE SIGN OFF, AND THEN IF THE BAD BEHAVIOR CONTINUES A PAID DAY OFF? CORRECT.
HOWEVER, I JUST WANNA ALSO STATE THOUGH THAT IT DEPENDS UPON WHAT THE LEVEL OF THE INFRACTION IS.
BECAUSE AN YOU COULD SKIP LEVELS, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO START ONE.
DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND I MEAN, I'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSIONS OF SOME BEHAVIOR WHERE IF THEY WERE WALKED OUT THE DOOR IMMEDIATELY, SO.
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ALL RIGHT.UH, WILL A NEW EMPLOYEE THAT IS HIRED NEXT YEAR RECEIVE THE NEXT 3.5 IF THEY START WORKING BEFORE THE NEXT SCHEDULED INCREASE? YES.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
IF AN EMPLOYEE DOES NOT USE SICK HOURS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, DO THEY STILL GET THE THREE DAYS? NO, THE THREE DAYS ARE NOW GONNA BE AUTOMATIC, AND SO THEY'LL RECEIVE THEM IN OCTOBER OF EACH YEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, ANY ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, UM, I DO WANT TO BRING DIRECTOR CHEEKS BACK UP FOR ONE MOMENT.
SHE WANTED TO MAKE SOME FINAL REMARKS, BUT AGAIN, I WANNA THANK, UM, LEGAL, FINANCE AND OF COURSE HR AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FROM THE CITY SIDE, UH, FOR THIS, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF, FRANKLIN BRONX.
I THINK YOU SAID HOW MANY, HOW MANY SESSIONS? LET'S PUT OVER 30.
YES, WE HAD OVER 30 PUBLIC SESSIONS, BUT OF COURSE THERE WERE MANY ADDITIONAL SESSIONS THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE, UM, HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
AND AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, VICE CHAIR FOR THE TIME BEING UP HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, I WOULD BE VERY REMORSEFUL IF I DID NOT COME BACK AND SAY THAT, UM, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, OR LISA FRANKLIN BROCKS WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL AS WE PUT, UH, PACKAGE THIS TOGETHER.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PUBLICLY GIVE HER THANKS FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS DONE.
AND I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, LABOR WILL CONCUR THAT, UH, IT WAS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF HER HARD WORK, MIDNIGHT AND DEDICATION THAT SHE HAD TO PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, THIS AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU.
IT, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE TEAM.
UH, WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
AND NEXT, UH, THE CHAIR IS REC PROUD TO RECOGNIZE, UH, HOPE PRESIDENT SONYA RICO
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE LABOR COMMITTEE.
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS SONYA RICO AND I'M THE PRESIDENT FOR HOPE AFSCME LOCAL 1, 2, 3.
AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS, WE HAVE FINALLY REACHED AN ATTENTI AGREEMENT AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ASKED FOR THE BEST TO COME.
THIS NEW MEETING CONFER WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS SOME OF MY, OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, AND HOPEFULLY HELP TO BRING SOME CHANGES IN DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS SOLID WASTE, HECK, FLEET MAINTENANCE, AND HEALTH TO NAME A FEW.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, CITY EMPLOYEES ARE FAR BELOW THE MARKET.
IN MOST OF OUR JOB CLASSIFICATIONS, WE DON'T WORK FOR THE CITY TO GET RICH.
THE COST OF LIVING EVEN HERE IN HOUSTON HAS SHOT UP OVER THE YEARS.
MANY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN YOU NEED OVER $20 AN HOUR TO LIVE HERE.
WE HAD A FOCUS ON CLOSING THE GAP, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE AT THE LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE.
THAT'S WHY OUR FIRST YEAR INCREASE IS A FLAT RATE OF 116 INCREASE BIWEEKLY.
THIS FLAT RATE MEANS THE FUNDS WILL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT WITH THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
THIS AGREEMENT INCREASES THE MINIMUM WAGE TO GREATLY BENEFIT SOME OF OUR HARDEST WORKING MEMBERS.
WE'LL BE AT $18 BY THE END OF THE AGREEMENT IN 2027, WHICH IS A LOT CLOSER TO THAT $20 MARK THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT.
THESE INCREASES WILL AFFECT SO MANY OF OUR HARDEST WORKING MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE JANITORIAL STAFF AND AVIATION, OUR PARK MAINTENANCE CREWS, AND OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF IN GENERAL SERVICES AND LABORERS AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS JUST TO NAME A FEW.
WE ALL MATTER AS CITY EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WITHOUT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RUN AS EFFICIENTLY AS IT DOES.
MOST OF US NOT ONLY WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WE ALSO LIVE HERE AND OWN OUR HOMES HERE.
SO WE CARE ABOUT THE WORK WE DO.
AS YOU KNOW, I AM A 3 1 1 TELECOMMUNICATOR.
MYSELF AND AMETHYST HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE MULTIPLE LEAKS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CALL CENTER.
WORK HAS FINALLY BEEN DONE AS WE HOPE THAT IT'S FINALLY ELIMINATED THE LEAKS THAT HAVE BEEN SO HARD TO FIND.
HOWEVER, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TREATMENT WE GET AS CITY EMPLOYEES WHEN WE COMPLAIN ABOUT BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS A LEAK.
AMETHYST WAS AT THE THREE ONE ONE CALL CENTER A FEW WEEKS AGO AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE COSTING HIM A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE WE KEPT COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE LEAKS.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO MADE THESE COMMENTS IS UPSET BECAUSE HE'S HAVING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, WHICH WE ALL
[01:05:01]
KNOW IS NOT COMING OUT OF HIS POCKET, BUT HE STILL HAD SOMETHING TO SAY.ALL WE WANT IS TO WORK IN A PLACE WHERE THE CEILING WON'T CAVE IN AGAIN.
OR AS A TIER ONE EMPLOYEE, WE WON'T HAVE TO RELOCATE BECAUSE OUR CALL CENTER IS NOT SAFE TO WORK IN DURING ANY RAIN EVENT.
WHY ARE HIS COMMENTS NECESSARY AND WHY IS OUR COMPLAINT LOOKED AT NEGATIVELY? IT'S CLEAR IF WE'RE GOING TO CALL OURSELVES A WORLD CLASS CITY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR CITY WORKFORCE AND AS HOPE MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SPEAKING UP ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
FOR ALL OF YOU AND EVERYONE YOU REPRESENT, WE SUPPORTED MANY OF YOU AND YOUR PEERS ON CITY COUNCIL AND MANY OF YOU HAVE SUPPORTED HOPE MEMBERS RIGHT BACK.
THE WORK WE DO KEEPS HOUSTON RUNNING AND THIS AGREEMENT IS GOING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK NOW.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR AGREEMENT HERE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I ECHO WHAT I SAID PREVIOUSLY TO ALL THE MEMBERS.
UM, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS, THE TIME, THE EFFORT, THE STRIDES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
I APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THERE'S STILL, UH, MORE TO BE DONE.
BUT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE PAY INCREASES, UH, COULD YOU SHARE SOME OF THE, I THINK FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, SOME OF THE GAINS THAT MAKE THIS CONTRACT, UM, WORTHWHILE AND WORTHY OF OUR SUPPORT? I THINK SOME OF THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN WHILE WE'VE BEEN OUT RATIFYING THE CONTRACT WAS, UM, THE EMERGENCY ACTIVATION FEE, UH, THE CALLBACK PAY.
UM, JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE BEING RECOGNIZED AS TIER ONE EMPLOYEES AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING THAT EXTRA PUSH.
UM, THE EMERGENCY PREMIUM, I'M SORRY, THE PREMIUM HOLIDAYS THAT WE'RE GETTING PAID FOR AS 3 1 1.
WE WORK THOSE HOLIDAYS AND SO DOES 9 1 1 FLEET MAINTENANCE.
SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LOWEST PAID AND WE'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR THOSE, UH, HOLIDAYS.
I WISH IT WOULD'VE BEEN MORE, BUT WE GOT FOUR.
AT LEAST THAT'S A BIG WIN FOR US.
AND YOU'RE NOT JUST THERE DURING THE HOLIDAYS.
SO THOSE, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME REALLY POSITIVE, UH, THE PHASE DOWN TWO IS REALLY POPULAR.
UM, THAT'S NOT POPULAR REALLY FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA LOSE A LOT OF MEMBERS, UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF THE POPULATION, BUT PEOPLE ARE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE PHASE DOWN.
UH, THE THREE PERSONAL DAYS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT POSITIVE.
THE CONTRACT ITSELF HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
UM, EVERYBODY SAYS THIS IS THE BEST CONTRACT WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR.
I I CAN'T SAY CONGRATULATIONS YET 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME HOPE MEMBERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, REALLY WANNA THANK HOPE AND ENCOURAGE MEMBERS, UM, THAT CITY EMPLOYEES TO JOIN HOPE BECAUSE WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE MEMBERS AND PAYING DUES, UH, THEY'RE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF HOPE'S ADVOCACY IN THIS.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, WE DO HAVE TWO, UH, STAFF AND WE HAVE STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBER AND Q UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, SONYA, THANK YOU TO YOU AND HOPE AND ALL OF THE, UM, PEOPLE.
WE, WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS 'CAUSE YOU GUYS GOT TO SIT WITH THIS FOR FIVE MONTHS AND
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS ARE, ARE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN HANDLE.
AND AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING, SO I'M ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY IN HERE.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY IN HERE BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOUR WORK IS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE PHASE DOWN THING AND, AND SINCE, CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT POLICE HAS HAD IT AND I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN, GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT WOULD WORK FOR SOMEBODY.
SO IF YOU ARE 60 YEARS OLD, START STARTING JANUARY 1ST.
HOW MANY YEARS OLD? 60 YEARS OLD.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 15 YEARS AND YOU'RE 60, YOU'LL HAVE 75 POINTS JANUARY 1ST, YOU CAN THEN RETIRE.
AND THE BENEFIT WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD BE PAYING YOUR INSURANCE BENEFITS THE SAME AS IF YOU WERE STILL A CITY EMPLOYEE.
SO A LOT OF EMPLOYEES HOLD ONTO THEIR JOBS.
OH, SO THE PHASE DOWNS JUST, JUST CONCERNING THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND THAT'S THE QUESTION I WAS ASKING AND WELL, YOU GET TO RETIRE AT 60, SO THAT'S A PLUS TWO, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THE LAW, THE RULE OF 75 STILL APPLIES.
UM, BUT, UH, UH, SO, OKAY, SO THAT THERE'S NO OTHER BENEFIT TO PHASE DOWN OTHER THAN, UH, PAYING THE ACTIVE RATE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I SHOULD BE ADDRESSING YOU AS CHAIR.
I KNOW THERE'S FINANCIAL SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS.
SO WHILE WE'RE HOSTING THIS AS A LABOR COMMITTEE, UM, I, I WANNA THANK THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR THEIR EYES ON THIS, THEIR ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT, UH, NEXT STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
UH, SONYA'S A DISTRICT H CONSTITUENT BY THE WAY.
[01:10:01]
KNOW, GIVE YOU YOUR KUDOS AND YOUR, YOUR CLAPS AND APPLAUSE FOR, UH, WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.UH, YOU'RE VERY TRANSPARENT AND I BELIEVE I'VE CALLED YOU AND TEXTED YOU NUMEROUS OF TIMES SINCE FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS.
AND YOU WERE, YOU'VE CALLED ME BACK, TEXTED ME BACK, GAVE ME SOME MORE CLARITY ON IT, AND, UH, I WAS ABLE TO RELAY THAT ON OVER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE REST OF THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND THAT'S THE JUST OF EXTRA STEP THAT YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO WAIT.
WE COULD HAVE JUST WAITED TILL THIS, BUT, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH AND, UH, TO YOUR AMAZING TEAM AS WELL.
I SEE YOU GUYS ALL THE TIMES, ALWAYS UP AND DOWN THE FLOOR MAKING SURE EVERYBODY'S SIGNED UP AND EVERYBODY'S BECOMING A MEMBER.
AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT GOOD PUSH.
UH, I WILL SAY JUST FOR, UH, ALL CITY EMPLOYEES BENEFIT, UH, THERE'S A VACCINE, UH, RIGHT VACCINE DIS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DISTRIBUTION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES ON OCTOBER 24TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AT THE GARDEN LEVEL AUDITORIUM.
SO PLEASE GET YOUR FLU VACCINE, YOUR COVID VACCINE, UH, AND WE APPRECIATE HR MAKING US THAT AVAILABLE TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
WITH THAT, UM, AGAIN, I THINK ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE, I BELIEVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE JOSE SOTO, SORRY.
HEY, JOSE, GO AHEAD WHEN YOU'RE READY.
COUNCILMAN ALCO MARTINEZ INGER.
UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE EXPRESSED YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS CONTRACT AND WILLINGNESS TO VOTE.
YES, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND TO THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HOPE YOU TOO WILL SUPPORT US, UM, WHEN THIS COMES UP ON WEDNESDAY.
AS YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF HFDI SPOKE RECENTLY AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THIS BRIEF.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS JOSE SOTO, A 21 YEAR CITY EMPLOYEE OF HOUSTON, AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF HOPE SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
HOPE 1 2 3 HAS HAD ITS CHALLENGES, BUT WE'RE STILL HERE.
WE ARE STRONG AND OUR MEMBERSHIP IS GROWING.
LAST CHECKED OVER 3,700 MEMBERS.
IS THIS A PERFECT CONTRACT? NO.
BUT IS IT A FAIR CONTRACT? I WOULD SAY YES.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ARE STILL PAID MORE PER HOUR, BUT THIS CONTRACT WILL GET US CLOSE.
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO REMIND CITY COUNCIL, THE STAFF HERE TODAY AND HOUSTONIANS THAT THE 12,000 CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEES ARE IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR DAILY LIVES.
FROM THE MOMENT YOU WAKE UP, WHEN YOU TURN YOUR WATER ON, YOU HAVE CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING WATER.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE SEWAGE IS PROCESSED.
WE HAVE CITY EMPLOYEES DAILY GOING TO PICK UP TRASH.
AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO REMIND EACH ONE OF YOU THAT WE STILL HAVE SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING 12 TO 16 HOURS A DAY.
AND IN MANY CASES, THEY'RE DRIVING TRUCKS WITH NO AC CONTINUOUSLY DURING HOUSTON HEAT CITY HOUSTON EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO THE NINE ONE CALL TAKERS.
THEY ANSWER YOUR CALLS WHEN YOU NEED, WHEN YOU ARE CALLING FOR AN EMERGENCY, AND YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE AS A NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER WHAT THAT COULD DO TO YOU.
OVER TIME LISTENING TO THE PLEAS OF HOUSTONIANS WHEN THEY TAKE THAT CALL.
FLEET MAINTENANCE WORKERS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY MAKE SURE THAT HPD AND HF HFD HAVE THOSE VEHICLES READY TO MAKE THOSE CALLS FOR EMERGENCIES.
UM, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND VOTE YES TO THIS CONTRACT.
WE WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR, HIS ADMINISTRATION, HR FOR WORKING TO GET THIS CONTRACT READY.
UM, AND I'LL SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, COUNCILMAN ALCORN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON BUDGET ISSUES IN THE FUTURE.
SO IF WE DO FIND AND WE CAN HELP FIND INEFFICIENCIES, WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CITY GOVERNMENT WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THAT HOPE MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS CITY OF HOUSTON A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.
[01:15:01]
HOPE ME, A HOPE UNION MEMBER AND THE DISTRICT REP OF SOLID WASTE.I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT WE WON IN THE AGREEMENT, AND THAT IS THE 10 HOUR ARREST RULE.
YOURS, MINE, AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY.
MANY DEPARTMENTS WORK THEIR WORKERS ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 14 HOUR A DAY AND HAVE THEIR WORKERS TO BE BACK ON THE CLOCK.
THE 10 HOUR RULE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO HOME AND GET 10 HOURS OF REST BEFORE HAVING TO GET BACK ON THE CLOCK.
GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S REST AFFECT PRODUCTIVITY, SAFETY, SERVICE, AND DELIVERY.
REMEMBER, MANY OF US OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY.
WOULD YOU LIKE, WOULD, WOULD YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE A HUGE TRUCK IN YOUR DISTRICT AFTER I WORK 14 PLUS HOURS A WEEK WITH HARDLY ANY REST? SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AT THE CITY.
THE CITY ALWAYS SAY THE WAY YOU COME TO WORK IS THE WAY WE WANT YOU TO GO HOME WITH THIS.
IN OUR MEETING CONFER, WE MADE SAFETY A PRIORITY.
WE ARE TRYING TO HOLD THE CITY TO THAT WORK.
AGAIN, THE 10 HOUR RITUAL WILL HELP US TO BE ABLE TO BE REFRESHED FOR WORK.
IT HELPS WITH SAFETY, HEALTH CONCERNS, AND IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON OUR AGREEMENT WHEN IT COMES UP FOR YOU TO APPROVE IT.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
I THINK THE 10 HOUR OFF RULE MAKES PERFECT SENSE JUST TO YOUR POINT.
SO IT IT'S A, A GOOD THING WE INCLUDED IT.
NEXT, JOHN SCOTT, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M A MECHANIC TWO IN THE FLEET.
I'M DISTRICT REP OF FLEET AND FOR HOPE 1, 2, 3.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR NEW AGREEMENT.
OUR CITY WORKERS AND PUBLIC FROM PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS, FIRE AND POLICE, THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON.
THEY ALL DEPEND ON THE WORK WE DO IN FLEET TO LITERALLY KEEP THEM RUNNING.
WITHOUT FLEET, THIS WHOLE CITY SHUTS DOWN.
ONE OF THE AREAS I'M PROUD OF IN OUR NEW AGENDA IS THE EMERGENCY ACTIVATION PAY.
WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, I'M TIERED, WHICH MEANS I WILL BE HEADING INTO WHEREVER I'M NEEDED WITH MY COWORKERS TO WORK.
AND WE'LL BE THERE UNTIL WORKING, UNTIL THE EMERGENCY IS OVER.
WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE MAKING SURE THOSE VEHICLES ARE RUNNING SO THAT THEY CAN, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN BE SAFE.
THIS AGREEMENT RECOGNIZES THE SACRIFICE WILL, WILL, WE'RE ALL MAKING AS CITY EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY TIER ONE WORKERS LIKE ME, WE'VE ADDED LANGUAGE TO OUR EMERGENCY ACTIVATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPENSATED FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO WHEN THE CITY NEEDS US MOST.
HOUSTON DESERVES A WORKFORCE THAT IS EXPERIENCED AND DEDICATED, AND THIS AGREEMENT IS GOING TO HELP US ATTRACT AND KEEP THE TALENT WE NEED.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT OUR NEW AGREEMENT.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST AMETHYST.
SO MY NAME IS AMETHYST JAMES AND I'M A 3 1 1 TELECOMMUNICATOR TWO, AND THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOPE LOCAL.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES FOR EIGHT YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE CHALLENGES WE FACE DAILY.
IMAGINE HOUSTON, WITHOUT OUR OUR 3 1 1 CENTER, THERE WILL BE NO ONE TO DIRECT CITIZENS IN THE MIDST OF A NATURAL DISASTER.
NO ONE TO GUIDE AND PROVIDE CALM TO A SENIOR CITIZEN WHEN THEY'RE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
NO ONE TO SUBMIT THE THOUSANDS OF
[01:20:01]
REQUESTS WE RECEIVE DAILY.SURE, YOU CAN PAWN THESE DUTIES OFF TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, BUT HOW EFFECTIVE WOULD THAT BE? HOW EFFICIENTLY WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB WITH ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL CALLS AND EMAILS? IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE DISASTER.
BUT I'M JUST ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF HOPE MEMBERS ACROSS DOZENS OF DEPARTMENTS WHO DO THEIR PART TO MAKE SURE THE CITY RUNS.
MAYBE IT'S FIXING OUR STREETS, MAINTAINING OUR PARKS, CARING FOR PATIENTS AND OUR HEALTH CENTERS, OR PICKING UP OUR GARBAGE OR EVEN MAKING SURE OUR NEW BUILDINGS AND HOMES ARE SAFE.
CITY WORKERS DO ALL OF THIS AND MORE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK FOR OUR CITY AND FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH A LOT OF BRILLIANT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO'VE COME AND WORKED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY NEVER STAY LONG TO STOP IN, TO GET A BIT OF EXPERIENCE.
WHEN I ASKED WHY THEY CHO WHY THEY CHOSE TO LEAVE, THEY WOULD TELL ME THAT THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO WORKING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON ANYMORE.
THE BENEFITS LACK COMPARED TO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
CITY EMPLOYEES WORK HARD EVERY DAY.
WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF HOUSTON'S RESILIENCE.
OUR EFFORTS, WHILE OFTEN LOOKED OVER, ARE INDISPENSABLE TO OUR CITY'S ABILITY TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY UNDER PRESSURE.
WE DESERVE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.
WE DESERVE SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS.
OUR LABOR IS NOT JUST A JOB, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE CARRY IT OUT WITH PRIDE AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION.
PLEASE VOTE YES TO APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT.
THE PROOF IS IS IN OUR STEADFAST DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, WE HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM VICE CHAIR MARTINEZ.
AND IT'S JUST MORE OF A, UH, WELL, MAYBE A COMMENT AND QUESTION FIRST.
UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU THIS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND, UH, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THE HOPE MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DONE ON THIS CONTRACT.
UH, YOU ARE CORRECT, RIGHT? Y'ALL, Y'ALL HOLD UP OUR CITY IN WAYS THAT FOLKS SOMETIMES CAN'T SEE AND DEFINITELY OVERWORKED.
UM, AND MAYBE A QUICK QUESTION IF, UM, IF YOU'RE OKAY ANSWERING THIS.
SO THE, THE PAY INCREASE, THE, THE FIRST FY TWENTY FIVE A HUNDRED SIXTEEN, UM, WOULD YOU SHARE WHAT THAT FY 26 3 0.5 WOULD BE FOR YOU? SO THIS FIRST ONE, 16 FLAT RATE WOULD BE ABOUT A 6.7% INCREASE FOR ME.
UM, WHICH I MAKE, UH, 20 21 66.
SO ABOUT 6.7%, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
3.5% WOULD BE ABOUT, UH, WITH THE INCREASE OF THE ONE 16, PROBABLY ABOUT, UH, 80 CENTS INCREASE.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT.
AND I THINK, UH, I WANT TO DEFINITELY THANK, UM, HR AND, AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A FLAT RATE INITIALLY.
UM, AND JUST TO REALLY SHED SOME LIGHT INTO WHAT IS IT WHEN IT'S A 3.5% OR A ONE 2%.
RIGHT? AND, AND JUST HOPEFULLY WE COULD WORK AT A BETTER, BETTER WAY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE INCREASES.
UM, SOMEONE THAT IS MAKING 20 PLUS AN HOUR CAN SEE A BIT MORE OF AN INCREASE WHERE MM-HMM
IF SOMEBODY WAS MAKING 50, $60 AN HOUR, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT 3.5 IS ACTUALLY A BIT MORE SIGNIFICANT.
SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY MM-HMM
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND TO EVERYONE THAT HAS SPOKEN, UM, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH HOPE AND I KNOW THE FINANCE DIRECTOR'S GONE, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, WORKING OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS FOR THIS CONTRACT.
AND, UH, VICE CHAIR, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT POINT BECAUSE WHEN WE SEE PERCENTAGES, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PUBLIC, THEY MAY SAY THAT'S A VERY BIG NUMBER, BUT PUTTING INTO THE CONTEXT AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENNESS ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUAL IMPACT IS, SO THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT BASE PAY INCREASE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED THE QUESTION.
'CAUSE WE'VE SEEN EXECUTIVE STAFF, UM, RECEIVING IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA POINT FINGERS, VERY LARGE PAY INCREASES, AND THEN THAT INCREASE ON TOP IS GONNA BE A BIG BUMP FOR THEM.
[01:25:01]
THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE A DECADE, 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, AND ARE STILL YES.UH, WORKING AS HARD AS THEY EVER HAVE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT TYPE OF, UH, BUMP AND BENEFIT IN THAT PAY.
SO WE, WE DO HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
UH, BUT I REALLY, AGAIN, WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TO THE TABLE, UH, AND THE FINAL PRODUCT OF THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UH, AND I, I HEAR Y'ALL LOUD AND CLEAR ON THAT.
UH, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND BEING HERE TODAY.
THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK IT AND HTV, UH, FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
UH, THE AGENDA AND PRESENTATIONS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBPAGE.
AND THE RECORDING OF THIS MEETING IS ALSO POSTED ON HTVS WEBSITE.
FRIENDLY REMINDER, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE.
UH, EARLY VOTING HAS BEGUN, UH, AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 3 26 3 20 6:00 PM THANK YOU.