Local 261 and PEC Unions Unite to Stop Elimination of Citywide Seniority.

Union members packed the last Civil Service Commission meeting of the year to express our outrage over DHR’s underhanded attempt at sneaking a proposal to eliminate interdepartmental bumping for all permanent workers. With no notice to the unions and the Commission itself, DHR added this controversial item to the agenda just days before the Christmas Holiday, a time they expected no one would be paying attention. But they were wrong as hundreds of union members showed up to the Commission meeting and stood united in opposition to their proposal.

Jennifer Johnston, DHR Director for Public Policy, claimed the reform measure has been under discussion since 2005. Factually false, Local 21 Executive Director, Bob Muscat told the Commission that not only was this proposal an inexcusable sign of ill will on the City’s part, it was also a surprise to all parties. Further, it was timed to minimize opposition from City employees and their unions. Even the Commission’s vice president, Don Casper took issue with Ms. Johnston’s false claim. He traced in painstaking detail the full history of the civil service reform process. He substantiated that yesterday was indeed the very first time any mention of this proposal was made.

David De La Torre, Theresa Foglio, Dan Feerick & dozens of members from our Union, along with the other unions in the PEC, testified on the devastating effects that eliminating interdepartmental bumping would have on their careers and livelihood. One after another, angry and impassioned members stood at the podium and spoke of how City employees have always worked with the City in times of need (including our recent 4.62% pay cut) and how the proposal to eliminate Citywide bumping was a stab in the back of every one of the thousands of city workers that help keep San Francisco running. Members made note of how this proposal will push out older employees as well as employees with specialized skills that the city relies on. “We are City employees, not department employees,” one member told the Commission.

The only voices in support of the proposal came from various HR officials, including Vitus Leung from General Services Agency, Stephanie Cain from the SF School District, Robert Thomas from Human Services Agency and, of course, Ms. Johnston.

As the meeting ended, the Commission agendized the item once again, slated for their February meeting. All of the unions vowed to be back. Local 261’s position is simply that we are opposed to any consideration of eliminating Citywide seniority as they did for managers a few years back. We will talk about specific problems and ways to improve the system i.e. additional notice on layoff, etc, but we are not interested in any proposals that decrease employment security. In these times of high unemployment and other pressures on city employees, there is no need to even have this discussion.

After the holidays, we will be notifying all members about the February Civil Service Commission meeting.
(special thanks to IFPTE Local 21 for their press release.)

Urgent! 
 
SF Civil Service Commission Could End
Citywide Bumping, Weaken Seniority on Monday. 
 
ACTION NEEDED NOW – DON’T LET CITYEMPLOYEES GET SCROOGED
 
In a sneaky move by the City, the Civil Service Commission will vote on whether to end citywide bumping and weaken seniority just 5 days before Christmas.  The City’s Department of Human Resources is moving this proposal now, in the hope that the holiday spirit has all of us looking another way.   ‘Its professionally insulting’, Local 21 Executive Director Bob Muscat told the SF Council yesterday.
 
In the middle of the economic downturn, city employees have made substantial economic sacrifices and worked with the city to keep its’ financial house in order and save jobs and services. 
 
An attack on job security through the elimination of departmental bumping is simply the last thing we need or deserve.  San Francisco is the only city in the Bay Area considering such a draconian measure. 
 
Here is how it will work:
During layoffs, you would bump into a similar position in your department.  If no position was available in your department, YOU’D BE LAID OFF!  You WOULD NOT bump into another city department.  Not only will this increase layoffs, but staff with more seniority who work in smaller departments could be laid off before individuals with less seniority in a larger departments.
 
Here is how you can stop this undemocratic and unfair proposal:
1.     Attend the Civil Service commission meeting onMonday, December 20, 2pm @ City Hall Rm 400.  A big crowd will send a message to DHR and the Commission that we can be both in the holiday spirit and diligent about protecting our rights and security. 
2.   Send the Commission a message TODAY! 
Key Points to make: This proposal has just been sprung on us and should be delayed until everyone can study it.  This proposal will result in more unemployed San Franciscans.  This is blatantly unfair to hard working, loyal city staff.  It undermines the city’s system of merit service.
 
You may contact Commission members by email or fax.  Commission staff will forward emails and faxes addressed toindividual commissioners to them right away.  Commissioners should be addressed as President Normandy or Commissioner Gorrono, etc.  You MUST include your full name and preferably your address.  Do not use city email or faxes to send these messages.
 
Please send your individual messages TODAY so that they get to the Commissioners before the weekend.
 
Civil Service Commission
E. Dennis Normandy, President
Donald A. Casper, Vice President
Morgan R. Gorrono,Commissioner
Mary Y. Jung, Commissioner
Fax - 415-252-3260
Email: civilservice@sfgov.org
 
Please send a copy toAnita.sanchez@sfgov.org of the Commission for the records.
 

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