Unit 14 Civil Service — August Report

Sisters and Brothers,

This period of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus is unprecedented for probably all of us. What I have learned over the past few weeks is that this virus picks and chooses who it is going to kill, no matter the age or health of the victim. It is extremely important that we are aware of our surroundings and who is near us. As you continue to go to work every day as an essential worker, always keep your loved ones in mind. One instance of bad timing or poor protection can be devastating.

Below are updates to our contracts.

LAUSD: As virtual schooling begins; our members are physically on the job every day. While the risk of Covid is diminished by the presence of fewer people, it is still important to exercise good judgement while working. Always remember to wear your masks and maintain distance from your co-workers and other employees. We are still negotiating your new contract despite these uncertain times. We fully intend to bring you an agreement worthy of your vote. Stay tuned.

LA County: As of this writing, the County is still unwilling to negotiate over the impact of potential layoffs. Their tactic is to try to dictate terms without proper negotiation. We have not agreed to any action proposed by the County. They continue to threaten us with layoffs if we do not agree to their terms. I will keep you posted as things develop. IBEW Local 11 will fight tooth and nail to keep our members working.

Our group grievance at DPW was very successful. The department agreed to train their supervision on Covid protocol, and they assured us that they will be vigilant with reporting and contact tracing should there be an infection issue. I want to thank the 20 plus members that joined the grievance and especially our PW traffic signal steward, Yezdan Marquez for the hard work involved in getting this done.

LA City: The Coalition of City Unions has very nearly reached the goal of 1300 applicants for the Separation Incentive Program. The last count was 1277. You may have heard rumors that because we have not hit the magic number, we will now be subject to furloughs. This is just a rumor. The Coalition is currently still negotiating with the City to extend the SIP so that we can hit the goal. If in fact, we do have to face a furlough situation, I will definitely keep you as informed as possible.

MOU 35: As hiring hall employees, you might from time to time, feel that you are treated poorly. I have no doubt that this in fact, does happen. Despite this, you continue to bring value and craftsmanship to the City. We continue to fight and negotiate better terms for your new contract. Unfortunately, everything seems to be on hold due to Covid. I assure you that I am diligently ensuring that your contract is on the Building Trades agenda on a regular basis. I very much appreciate your continued patience and understanding my brothers and sisters.

For further information, please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at (626) 712-4769. Alternatively, you can email me directly at arida@ibew11.org.

Fraternally,
Luis Arida
Civil Service Business Representative
IBEW Local 11