It was a Brisk morning to head to the the Employee Relations Board yet hundreds of EAA members upset at further concessions and fed up with working for less marched over to the ERB to demand the CAO bargain Fairly and fight the declaration of impasse.
Errol A. Griffin strolled into the ERB to face off with EAA seeking to have Impasse declared, Instead the ERB ruled that no Impasse exists and a mediator as requested originally by EAA nearly two months ago will begin assisting with bargaining without the declaration of impasse
MOU 61 Inequity
Now what is interesting to point out to the members of EAA is just how sweet a deal the CAO gave it’s very own employees in MOU 61, although they have to pay the 4% for medical they get to do it in steps1, was this offered to EAA members? Was this one of the many points of contention the negotiating team had? Now a mediator will attempt to resolve these issues and hammer out a fair contract for EAA Union members.
United We Can Win!
Clearly a turning point for EAA, and coalition members alike was achieved on the 11th floor today, members fed up with an overspending council who pushes blame on an educated workforce made up of the best available candidates in Southern California and across the nation had reached it’s boiling point.
Hundreds of members, one cause. End the concessions, simple message I have tried to convince members of for years, it was taking hold. members weren’t quiet in the concerns they shared about their pay and benefits and no longer felt ashamed of earning a fair salary.
One EAA Officer at today’s ERB hearing said, ” EAA members have once again stepped up and shown our work matters. If we could stand up together as a united city family, we’d make an impact.”
Miguel Santana
What was clear is when the members of EAA came prepared to fight they did so to take a stand, what may not be clear to others is the unification of members across union lines and classifications that is taking place.
Future Actions, the fight has just begun.
In certain classifications Job Actions were held that were very successful in previous years, these job actions now have taken on a new role and become a topic of concern for the CAO. Members from every union have had enough.
Coalition members have clearly stated they will decertify any union which attempts to seek ANY further concessions, members have begun meeting to discuss possible job actions and these cross union lines. Fed up members in certain classifications are more then ready to act when needed to protect the collective interest of LA City Workers and it isn’t about union specific anymore it is about employees as a whole.
EAA, SEIU 721, ASCFME 3090, Luina 777, it isn’t about you, it’s about us and we will work together to end any further concessions which have not been previously agreed to. United we are sending a message that we will no longer be the scapegoat of this council.
Today it was EAA members tomorrow it is all members.
(1) From the MOU 61 Contract
B. Retiree Health Benefit
1. Effective July 1, 2011, all Unit members who are members of LACERS shall
contribute an additional two percent (2%) of their pre-tax compensation to defray
a portion of the City’s cost of providing retiree health insurance, thereby resulting
in a total employee retirement contribution flat rate of nine percent (9%).
2. Effective January 1, 2013, all Unit members who are members of LACERS shall
contribute an additional two percent (2%) of their pre-tax compensation, thereby
increasing the employee contribution to defray a portion of the City’s cost of
providing retiree health insurance to a total of four percent (4%). Effective
January 1, 2013, the total employee retirement contribution flat rate shall be
eleven percent (11%) and shall be subject to modification pursuant to future
MOU negotiations in accordance with applicable Charter provisions.