SEIU 721 members under the Better Way for LA Agreement are protected from layoffs this year, despite Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s harmful plan to lay off 1,000 employees. Here are the facts:
1. No layoffs for SEIU Local 721 members covered by the coalition agreement for 2009-2010.
“The undersigned parties agree that any employee represented by any union that is a member of the Coalition of Los Angeles City Unions will not be subject to layoff or a mandatory unpaid furlough program during the time period from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011.” – From the Coalition Agreement
- City employees covered by the Better Way for LA agreement will not face layoffs or furloughs before June 30, 2010. Lawyers for the Coalition sent Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana a letter on January 25, stating that “under no circumstances can the City unilaterally implement layoffs or furloughs of employees represented by Coalition unions in this fiscal year.
- The CAO has told the City Council and the media that Coalition-represented employees will not be affected by layoffs or furloughs this fiscal year.
2. The coalition agreement includes protections for 2010-2011.
“In fiscal year 2010-11, if the City elects to lay off any member in any classification represented by Coalition bargaining units, all wage movement outlined in the MOU extension will be advanced by one year (retroactive if necessary) for all Coalition bargaining units.” – From the Coalition Agreement
- SEIU 721 members agreed to defer raises for two years and extend the contract for two years until 2013-14. If the City moves to lay off Coalition-represented employees after June 30, 2010, it must pay a 3% COLA on July 1, 2010, and 1.75% cash payment on Nov. 1, 2010. The contract would expire in 2012-2013.
3. City must satisfy requirements before laying off workers.
“The City shall utilize all appropriate layoff avoidance tools, (e.g., transfers, Charter Section 1014 transfers) to avoid layoffs in General Fund positions.”
– From the Coalition Agreement
- Besides transferring employees to special funds, other requirements include: issuing bonds, using State and Federal assistance funds (e.g. Stimulus funds, FEMA, and other State/Federal funds provided in emergency situations), evaluate the Public Private Parking Partnership, and maximize full indirect cost recovery to the general fund of all special fund/proprietary departments.
4. Privatization cannot result in layoffs, demotions or furloughs of Coalition-represented employees.
“No Coalition member shall be laid off, demoted or suffer loss of pay or benefits as a result of the contracting of unit work…. If any Coalition member subject to the provisions herein is displaced as a result of contracting, he/she shall be retained in a position within a classification represented by the Coalition.” – From the Coalition Agreement
- SEIU 721 members cannot be laid off because of privatization, and they will remain part of the Coalition.
5. Employees transferred to special funds or proprietary departments remain part of the Coalition and retain their rights.
- To create savings, the Coalition Agreement provided for the early retirements of 2,400 city employees in general budget and proprietary departments.
- If further relief was needed to avoid layoffs or furloughs, there would be a transfer of employees from the general fund to proprietary departments or special funded departments such as the Los Angeles World Airports and the Los Angeles Harbor.
- The mayor announced on Feb. 4 that transfers would begin in 2009-2010.