Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process

 Specify procedures for keeping management informed as to progress of negotiations.

 If there are one or more new members of governing body, individual meeting(s) or closed session to brief such new member(s).

 Establish agency approach to labor relations.

 Explain the MMBA, the agency’s employer-employee organization relations system, and relevant personnel ordinances and rules.  Give background on unions, union officers and history of negotiations.  Explain how the process works; the role of governing board members; closed sessions; and what to expect.

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Develop negotiating data.

 Gather salary and other benefit survey data.

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Other “comparable” public agencies.

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Private employers in area.

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Multi-year agreements in effect.

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Recent settlements.

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Consumer Price Index (CPI).

 Compile current payroll costs for unit.

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Unit “profile,” including:

 Number and job classes of employees.

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Distribution of salary schedule.

 Insurance costs (medical, dental, vision, etc.).

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Total base wages.

 Total wage related by item (e.g., retirement, overtime, “incentive” pay, etc.).  1% factor (i.e., determine the amount of a 1% increase in the current top-step base wage).  Total non-wage related by item (e.g., insurance, flat dollar premium pay).

 Cost of salary range movements in forthcoming year.  Average unit wage.

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Paid leave time usage.

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Turnover.

 Review with operating management the last MOU and ordinances/rules/established practices subject to meet and confer requirements.

Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process ©2019 (s) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 53