Category Archives: Negotiations

All things related to Contract Negotiations

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, News

Call to Action! – Budget Hearing, Wednesday, 9/12 @ 5:30 PM

We need our Brothers and Sisters of AFSCME Local 2432 to come out in force wearing your AFSCME green this Wednesday, September 12 @ 5:30 PM for the Budget Hearing – City Hall Commission Chambers.

Back in July, the City Commission in their role as the CRA Board, voted for the Beach CRA to give back the maximum amount that still allowed the Beach CRA to continue with projects.The CRA is now working behind the scenes to lower the amount of money that the Beach CRA will give back to help the City’s General Fund.

It is imperative that that the CRA Board/City Commission sticks to its word to make the Beach CRA give back the maximum amount to help the City’s budget. Many of the City’s needs INCLUDING OUR CURRENT CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS will be negatively impacted if the CRA Board/City Commissions back-tracks.

WE NEED A STRONG SHOWING TO SEND A MESSAGE! THE CITY CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT AFSCME – SPREAD THE WORD AND SHOW UP IN SOLIDARITY IN YOUR AFSCME GREEN!

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, News

Reminder – CALL TO ACTION for Today @ 5PM – Outsourcing of AFSCME Jobs!

City management has confirmed that the potential outsourcing of City departments is now under consideration!  Come to the Commission Meeting @ 5PM today (Tuesday), July 3rd at City Hall in the Commission Chambers, Room 219.

Your participation is critical in showing the Commission that AFSCME employees have a vested interest in the advancement of the City. The grass is not greener using contractors as they have learned with the (Waste Pro) Sanitation outsourcing debacle.

Wear your AFSCME Local 2432 T-Shirt. Don’t have one, wear a green shirt. Parking is available at the Union hall if you are unable to park at City Hall – 2734 Hollywood Boulevard (rear lot off Van Buren). Show the Commission that we help make Hollywood happen!

In Solidarity.

Christopher Cassidy, President
AFSCME Local 2432

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, Political

CALL TO ACTION – Outsourcing of AFSCME Jobs!

City management has confirmed that the potential outsourcing of City departments is now under consideration!  Come to the Budget Hearing @ 5PM on Tuesday, July 3rd at City Hall in the Commission Chambers, Room 219.

Your participation is critical in showing the Commission that AFSCME employees have a vested interest in the advancement of the City. The grass is not greener using contractors as they have learned with the (Waste Pro) Sanitation outsourcing debacle.

Wear your AFSCME Local 2432 T-Shirt. Don’t have one, wear a green shirt.  Show the Commission that we help make Hollywood happen!

In Solidarity.

Christopher Cassidy, President
AFSCME Local 2432

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, News

Hollywood Outsourcing Your Job?

This afternoon, one City Commissioner put all of us on notice.

She told everyone, that she FOUND OUT that the City could OUTSOURCE ALL of the jobs in at least 2 departments. But, she made it known that she would never outsource the police or fire departments.

Beach Rescue?

Building Department?

Information Technology?

Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts?

Public Utilities?

Public Works?

Other departments? She wouldn’t say.

And it only gets worse! Watch her tell everyone that your health and pension benefits should be slashed!

Don’t believe it?   See the following clip from this afternoon’s workshop meeting:

Come to the Budget Hearing next Tuesday, July 3rd at City Hall, in the Commission Chambers, Room 219. The Budget can affect your job, your family’s healthcare, and your pension benefits.

As soon as we can determine what time this will be brought up at the meeting, we will send you an update.

Wear your AFSCME Local 2432 T-Shirt. Don’t have one, wear a green shirt.

In Solidarity.

Christopher Cassidy, President
AFSCME Local 2432

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, News

Pending PERC Ruling – Financial Urgency

As most of you know, when the City took away some of our pension benefits back in 2011 in Financial Urgency, Local 2432, the PBA and IAFF Local 1375 filed unfair labor practice charges against the City with PERC to contest Financial Urgency, and ultimately, those claims ended up before the Florida Supreme Court.

The Florida Supreme Court held that the City violated the State Constitution, and ordered PERC to hold hearings to determine what remedies would be appropriate. Those hearings have now been held, and we are awaiting PERC’s decision as to whether the City will be required to restore all of the pension benefits back to what was in effect before Financial Urgency. Once the PERC process has run its course, we do not expect that the PBA, IAFF nor AFSCME will bring any additional litigation against the City regarding Financial Urgency.

During our first contract negotiations session, the City expressly stated that it recognized that it needs to treat all of its union-represented employees equitably, whether members of Local 2432, the PBA or IAFF Local 1375. Not only are we seeking to have our pension benefits fully restored, but also, to have the City address the shortcomings that we have all experienced with our healthcare coverage since the switch from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Cigna.
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From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations, News

PERC – Bargaining Units

The Florida Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), based upon the Florida Constitution and state laws, determines which city jobs are to be included with the General, Professional or Supervisory Units, and which must be excluded.

Last year, we filed a petition with PERC to have our units recertified, and to get clarification as to which jobs should be included within our bargaining units. Based upon this process, it became clear that over the years the City had improperly slotted several job classifications outside of our bargaining units into Managerial or Confidential positions.

We have a final hearing on May 1st, and then PERC will issue its final orders listing all bargaining unit positions, and all excluded Managerial or Confidential positions.

Once this PERC recertification process has been completed, and since we have already started contract negotiations with the City, we will also bargain hard for these additional employees.

Stay tuned.

From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Members, Negotiations

Jobs Saved!

AFSCME Brother and Sisters,

Our E-Board was recently notified of several part-time positions being eliminated resulting in layoffs in the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.

We promptly filed a demand with the City to bargain over its decision, and the potential devastating impact that would have on our fellow employees.

Since we were not able to save those jobs through bargaining, we attended the City’s budget hearing this week, and made sure that the City Commissioners were aware of this situation. After nearly 1.5 tense hours of debate, the Commissioners approved the budget, but gave clear instruction to the City Manager and his staff to find a way to save these jobs.

This is exactly why we are all members of AFSCME Local 2432. This time, the City Commission heard us loud and clear. We may not always succeed, but as you can obviously see, we fight hard for our membership.

Elections, From the Chief Steward, From the President, Important, Negotiations

Ratification Vote – MOU’s (Health Insurance)

Local 2432 Brothers and Sisters,

There will be a ratification vote held on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 between 7AM – 7PM at the Union Hall – 2734 Hollywood Boulevard (parking in the rear). All employees in AFSCME covered positions are eligible to vote. Below are highlights from Memoranda of Understanding that were negotiated with the City regarding health insurance changes that will affect all three of our bargaining units.

1. Additional Cigna Health Insurance “In-Network Only” Plan Option

Extensive negotiations were conducted with the City over its interest in reducing healthcare costs. After much discussion and meetings with the City’s health insurance consultants, a third plan was crafted that provided for lower City costs, as well as lower employee up front costs, with an in-network only plan.

Through this plan, if elected, employees electing single coverage (no covered dependents) will have 100% of their premium paid by the City, and if any dependents are added, then the City will pay 90% of the premium, with the employee responsible for payment of the other 10% of the premiums.

Employee co-pays under the alternative “In-Network Only” plan are $30 for primary care visits, $40 for specialist care visits, and $75 for urgent care visits.

2. Flexible Spending Accounts (“FSA”) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (“HRA”)
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Compensation Study, From the President, Important, Interesting, Members, Negotiations, News

Contract Ratification Vote: Results!

The vote to ratify all three AFSCME contracts passed overwhelmingly and is headed to the City Commission for a vote  tomorrow (Wednesday, 4/6) @ 1PM at City Hall.  Thanks to all who’ve worked hard during this process and to everyone who came out for the vote today.

Come by the Commission Chambers tomorrow @ 1PM  in your AFSCME green as a show of solidarity if you can and thanks again to our members for your continued support.