Laborers' Union PEC Team talks Contracting Out, Seniority, Expedited Arbitration, etc at City Hall this am. Votes out of PEC talks re: messaging.

City Hall Today: The 261 PEC negotiations committee met earlier today with city representatives to continue our discussions surrounding alternatives to the 37.5/”part time” work week. From the beginning the Mayor’s Office has consistently represented that the scenario was a “proposal” and that they were open to alternatives through the “process” whether by collectively bargaining or meeting and conferring to reach agreement. Many, many meetings have taken place since the layoff/rehire notices dropped. The Mayor’s office has on two occasions since then, granted moratoriums on letter distributions. The new date at which the scenario would actually take place is May 15, 2010. From the onset, including at the Laborers’ Union Hall last month when we all (SFBCTC, Mayor Newsom, the Laborers, and contractors and developers,) advocated for creating work opportunities for construction workers with Fee Deferral legislation for development, the Mayor invited us to “open” in order to come up with alternative…so, you did. With respect to the Laborers Union membership, the parties are closing in on a solution and preparing for a ratification vote. It should be noted that while we have been negotiating with the City individually as a result of our unique bargaining unit realities (alternate work programs, stimulus, apprenticeship, public outreach, volunteers, park advocacy groups, and public-private partnerships,) we have participated in discussions at the so-called “big table” ie. SFLC PEC coalition. Most recently, at that table counter-proposals have been hard to come by as a result of the as of yet determined SEIU input. In the meantime, it has been necessary for the participants (other Unions,) to engage in direct (public) messaging to their own membership which at times has been inconsistent with our own. Unfortunately, this resulted in our own team’s decision this morning to unanimously move away from these discussions while continuing our own as well as discussions at the SFBCTC table where Larry Mazzola of the UA has represented our joint interests well. "I'll tell you this, if we don't get a handle on messaging quickly, we'll take more steps backwards in the public eye. WE have been honest and the Mayor's office has been with us too. I am proud of our team and of our progress...WE will get this thing done!"
- Vince Courtney Laborers' Union Representative
(pictured: Mayor Newsom and L261 Business Manager Ramon Hernandez talk alternatives at the Laborers' Union Hall,) Keep checking in to be informed as we work towards "GETTING IT DONE!"