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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-HRC-2003-10-27HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE Regular Meeting October 27, 2003 Members Present: Alderperson Peterson, Alderperson Blumenthal, Alderperson Mack, Alderperson Hershey Members Excused: Alderperson Cogan Staff Present: Schelley Michell-Nunn (HR Director), Steve Thayer (Controller), Liz Vance (Deputy Youth Bureau Director), Marcia Fort (GIAC Director), Brian Carman (CSEA Administrative Unit Vice President), Denise Malone (Administrative Secretary) Others Present: Carl Feuer, High School Students Chairperson Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. A. Agenda Review, Approval of Minutes & Announcements There were no announcements, additions or deletions to the agenda. The Committee reviewed the minutes from the September 2003 meeting. Alderperson Blumenthal made a motion to approve the September 22, 2003 minutes. Seconded by Alderperson Mack. Motion carried 4-0. B. Employee Comments & Common Council Response Brian Carman, City of Ithaca employee and CSEA Administrative Unit Vice President, spoke in support of the living wage survey conducted by the Alternatives Federal Credit Union (AFCU) and endorsed by the Living Wage Coalition. According to this survey, with an adjustment for the City of Ithaca health insurance benefits, the minimum wage for 2003 is $17,554 per year. Human Resources Committee October 27, 2003 Page 2 Mr. Carman stated that there are 13 CSEA employees that would be affected by this survey. Of the 13 CSEA employees, 7 are members of the CSEA Administrative Unit. Mr. Carman asked that the City meet with the union to discuss implementing the living wage standard. Mr. Carman stated that the union would be willing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to move up the affected employees. To do so would improve morale. He mentioned the differences in starting salaries between the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County. Mr. Carman stated that starting salaries in the CSEA DPW Unit had not been increased since 1994. Mr. Carman asked the City to please discuss the living wage standard as it is set forth by the resolution according to AFCU criteria and with the endorsement of the Living Wage Coalition. In response, Alderperson Hershey stated that the City has attempted in each contract with the union to increase the minimum salaries proportionate to the increase with the wages, but that the union refused to let it happen. He asked Mr. Carman to please encourage union members to negotiate for the entire salary scale not just for the active members. The Committee thanked Mr. Carman for his comments. C. Chairperson’s Report. None. D. Affirmative Action Advisory Committee Update. None. E. Sub-Committee Updates. None. F. Personnel Items 1. Controller’s Office a. Request to Amend Personnel Roster The Controller’s Office requested to amend the Personnel Roster by deleting one (1) Principal Account Clerk (CSEA Administrative Unit – Grade 9) and adding one (3) Payroll Coordinator (Confidential Compensation Plan – Grade 3). The reclassification includes an eight percent salary increase retroactive to April 10, 2003. After discussion, Alderperson Her shey made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Mack. Motion carried 4-0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. Human Resources Committee October 27, 2003 Page 3 2. GIAC a. Request for Compensation Review GIAC Director Marcia Fort requested that a formal review be conducted of the salary range for the Deputy Director of GIAC position. Ms. Fort do not believe that the current compensation plan adequately and fairly reflects the level of responsibility involved in the GIAC Deputy Director position. The range was established in 2000 and lists the GIAC Deputy Director position well below that of the Youth Bureau Deputy Director position. Ms. Fort expressed her concerns to the HR Director, who, along with Deputy HR Director Valerie Saul, re-evaluated the position and recommended that the position be moved to grade 4 of the Management Compensation Plan. After discussion, Alderperson Hershey made a motion that, contingent upon consultant Mary Hall being contacted and asked to review the Deputy Director of GIAC position, a resolution would be written and included on the agenda for November 5, 2003 Common Council meeting provided that the review result confirms that the position should be moved to grade 4. Seconded by Alderperson Blumenthal. A vote on the motion resulted as follows: Ayes (3): Blumenthal, Hershey, Peterson Nays (1): Mack Motion Carried 3-1 Alderperson Mack asked that it be on the record that he voted not against the request of moving the title to grade 4 but against the process. 3. Youth Bureau a. Request to Exempt from Residency Requirement The Youth Bureau requested that the Deputy Director of the Youth Bureau be exempt from the Residency Requirement. After discussion, Alderperson Hershey made a motion to approve the request contingent on the last resolve Human Resources Committee October 27, 2003 Page 4 saying that Ms. Vance is deemed to have enough service to meet the requirements of the Residency Requirement. Seconded by Alderperson Blumenthal. Motion carried 4-0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. G. Directors’ Reports Human Resources Director Schelley Michell-Nunn reported that the quarterly recognition award would be on the agenda for Common Council. H. Mayor’s Report. None. I. New Business 1. Workforce Diversity Plan Draft Ms. Fort reported that the members of the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee (AAAC) spent the last year developing the Workforce Diversity Plan. The plan is in draft form and would be a move in the direction toward diversity. Ms. Fort stated that there would be a summary in the front of the document. The plan would be shared with department heads and Senior Staff. After feedback has been received from department heads and Senior Staff, changes will be made and the final document would be put on the HR Committee agenda. This plan would be adopted in place of the current City’s Affirmative Action Plan. The Committee discussed the document. The Committee suggested the following changes: 1. Be consistent throughout the document when referring to supervisors and/or department heads. 2. Change the font type. 3. Attribute 4, Plan 1 should read: The City of Ithaca’s Mayor, Common Council, its officers and department heads shall develop a clearly defined and communicated system for addressing accommodations for individuals with disabilities. 4. Should attributes 1 and 2 be switched? Human Resources Committee October 27, 2003 Page 5 Ms. Fort thanked the HR Committee for their support at the AAAC Committee meetings and asked that any further comments to this document be given to her. The Committee thanked the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee for this document. J. Old Business 1. Livable Wage Chairperson Peterson stated that she invited Carl Feuer of the Living Wage Coalition to the meeting to discuss the living wage issue for specific employees. Mr. Feuer stated that the Living Wage Coalition is involved in promoting the idea of living wage. He has worked with Common Council to adopt a policy related to the living wage standards. The policy did include a statement about the City’s own employees and referenced the AFCU living wage standard, which is updated periodically. Mr. Feuer expressed concern that there were some City employees that appeared to be below the living wage standard proposed by AFCU that the City seemed to support. The Committee discussed the discrepancies in how the living wage was calculated. Mr. Feuer stated that the confusion, in part, was because the Credit Union (CU), whose standard we typically use, was calculating the living wage for their employees. Based on the CU survey, and since the City provides 100% of the health insurance premium, the living wage is $17,554. Should the City not provide 100% of the health insurance premium, then the wage should include enough for the employees to purchase health insurance (taking into account the percentage that the employee is required to pay for the health insurance.) Alderperson Hershey asked if there would be an undersupply of low wage employees with the proliferation of all the new businesses and what could the City do to encourage all businesses to pay a decent wage to the employees. Mr. Feuer responded that in situations where employers are paying less than the minimum wage, this causes people to take multiple jobs. It is important for the City, having adopted the resolution, to recognize that there is a discrepancy in some of the City employees’ wages and correct it. It really makes a statement to the Human Resources Committee October 27, 2003 Page 6 businesses when the City not only believes in a living wage but also ensures that all City employees earn a living wage. This may cause employers to move forward in paying the living wage or cause pressure to businesses to do better. Anytime the City has a role to play in concretely supporting a business, there should be a quid pro quo. After the Committee discussed what it would cost to bring these employees up to the living wage standard, the consensus recommendation of the Committee was to put money in the restricted contingency fund, to continue discussing this issue in the budget process and to delay making a decision for another month. This would allow issues including a memorandum of understanding to be resolved with the unions. HR Director Michell-Nunn stated that the she would make a report to Senior Staff about this matter. K. Adjournment With no further business, on a motion by Alderperson Mack the meeting was adjourned at 9:13 p.m.