SR Holguin, PC is a union-side labor and employment law firm with nearly four decades of experience representing private sector unions, public sector unions, and multi-employer trust funds. SR Holguin, PC is committed to providing full-service legal representation to each of our clients.
One way in which SR Holguin, PC ensures our clients and their members stay informed is by keeping you updated on recent developments relating to workers’ rights. Today’s updates come following the release of the May 26, 2021 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda. There are three items in particular that could impact you.
- Workers Who Could be Impacted: Non-Represented Airport Police Classes
On May 7, 2021 the City Administrative Officer sent a Report to the City Council entitled “Postponement of Salary Increases For Non-Represented Airport Police Classes – Amendment to Ordinance No. 186937.”
The Report provided in part, “[t]he ordinance submitted…amends Ordinance No. 186937 to provide revised salary increase dates for the non-represented classes of Airport Police Commander (Code 3233), Assistant Airport Police Chief (Code 3234), and Airport Police Chief (Code 3232) to be consistent with the revised dates approved by the City Council for postponing salary increases for the City’s non-represented classes…The revised dates are as follows:
Previous Date Revised Date
January 31, 2021 June 19, 2022
January 30, 2022 January 29, 2023
June 19, 2022 June 18, 2023.”
Therefore, the Report calls for “the following actions by the City Council and Mayor:
1. That the City Council, subject to the approval of the Mayor, adopt the attached ordinance, approved as to form and legality by the City Attorney, amending Ordinance No. 186937, to postpone previously scheduled salary increases for the non-represented classes of Airport Police Commander (Code 3233), Assistant Airport Police Chief (Code 3234), and Airport Police Chief (Code 3232); and
2. That the City Council authorize the Controller and the City Administrative Officer to correct any clerical errors, or, if approved by the City Attorney, any technical errors in the above ordinance.”
On May 10, 2021, the City Council’s Personnel, Audits, and Animal Welfare Committee considered the ordinance. The Committee’s Report stated in part, “[a]fter consideration and having provided an opportunity for public comment, the Committee moved to recommend approval of the recommendations contained in the CAO report. This matter is now submitted to Council for its consideration.”
Now, agenda item 21 of the May 26, 2021 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda calls for the Council to consider the ordinance.
2. Workers Who Could be Impacted: City of LA Employees
On May 5, 2021, the Personnel Department sent a Report to the Council entitled “Modification of Prior Council Action Approving a Letter of Agreement Modifying the Special Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking – City Employee Parking and Temporary Suspension of Parking Fees.”
The Report provided in part, “[o]n February 23, 2021, the City Council approved an LOA to the City’s Special Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking (Special MOU) regarding terms and conditions for temporarily suspending employee parking fees for six pay periods.” This was discussed in a prior post on this site.
The Report went on to state “[t]he LOA applies to all City employees and labor organizations covered by the Special MOU. However, the wording of the action as adopted by the City Council appeared to limit the application of the LOA to only four of the City’s labor organizations, as follows:
February 23, 2021 City Council Action…:
A[pprove] the proposed LOA, attached to the Council file, modifying the Special Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking, providing terms and conditions for temporarily suspending employee parking fees for six pay periods with the following entities:
a. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
b. Laborers’ International Union of North America
c. Los Angeles Police Command Officers Association
d. Service Employees International Union, Local 721
The Personnel Department did not note the inconsistency between the language of the action and the terms and intention of the LOA until after City Council had acted. As a result, in order to provide that the record of the City Council action is fully aligned with the terms and intention of the LOA, the Personnel Department recommends that the City Council, for the record, modify its prior action as follows:
‘Approve a proposed Letter of Agreement (LOA) modifying the Special Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking, providing terms and conditions for temporarily suspending employee parking fees for six pay periods.’
Upon modification of the City Council action, the Personnel Department will move immediately to implement the parking fee suspension.”
Therefore, the Report calls for the City Council to “modify its prior action approving a Letter of Agreement (LOA) to the Special Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking regarding terms and conditions for temporarily suspending employee parking fees for six pay periods.”
The City Council’s Personnel, Audits, and Animal Welfare Committee waived consideration of the Report.
Now, agenda item 30 of the May 26, 2021 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda calls for the Council to consider the Report.
3. Workers Who Could be Impacted: Workers Throughout the City of LA
On April 28, 2021, a Motion was introduced by Councilmember Paul Koretz (5th District) and seconded by six other Councilmembers. The Motion provided in part, “[r]ecently, Governor Newsom announced the goal of fully re-opening the State’s economy by June 15, 2021. While the State has made important strides in getting individuals vaccinated, it is clear that more should be done. High need communities, including essential workers, still face barriers to vaccine access due to a lack of transportation options, work obligations, and disruptions to vaccine deployment. Additionally, many vulnerable residents, especially essential workers, may have already exhausted the existing 80-hour benefit due to either prior infection or exposure to COVID-19, and thus lack the necessary hours to take time off work to get vaccinated. Therefore, the City must take additional actions to further support individuals to complete the vaccination process.”
Therefore, the Motion calls for “the City Council request the Mayor to revise the Emergency Order relative to Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Due to COVID-19 to include provisions to grant all employees employed by private businesses/entities located in the City of Los Angeles, irrespective of the size of their employer, up to an additional four hours of paid leave per injection to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as paid time off for any vaccine related side effects.”
The City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Recovery and Neighborhood Investment waived consideration of the Motion.
Now, agenda item 34 of the May 26, 2021 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda calls for the Council to consider the Motion.
We hope these updates are helpful to you.
Fraternally,
SR Holguin, PC