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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard Item #12, Attachment 1AttachmentIMay5,2020JeffBenderBoardPresident,TDPUDBoardofDirectorsTruckeeDonnerPUD11570DonnerPassRoadTruckee,CA96161DearMr.Bender,Asyoumaybeaware,IBEW1245andTruckeeDonnerPUDarecurrentlyindisputeovertheapplicabilityoftherecentlynegotiated,December2019,retireemedicalcapincreasecontainedinTitle19oftheMemorandumofUnderstandingbetweenIBEW1245andTDPUD.TheretireemedicalcapincreasewasincludedinaTentativeAgreement(TA),thatwaspresentedtoandagreeduponbytheBoardfromtheDistrict’soutsidecounsel,JoeWiley,onDecember12,2019,thelastdayofbargaining.WiththeunderstandingofapprovaloftheTAfromtheBoard,attheUnion’snextunitmeetingonDecember17,2019,aratificationvotewasheld,andtheTAwassuccessfullypassedbytheUnionmembership.OnJanuary1,2020,theeconomicprovisionsoftheTA,approvedbytheBoardandacceptedbythemembership,wereimplementedbytheDistrict,includingtheretireemedicalcapincrease,whichwasaccordingly,paidtoaifretirees.InearlyFebruary2020,theUnionbecameawarethattheDistrictwouldnotcontinuetopaytheretireemedicalcapincreasetocurrentretirees,incontraventionofwhatwasbargainedandratifiedbytheUnion’smembership.Consequently,onFebruary5,2020,agrievancewasfiledonbehalfoftheretirees.ThisledtothediscoverythatalthoughtheBoardhadapprovedandagreedtotheTA,ithadnotbeen“formallyadopted”inanopenmeeting,whichmadethegrievancepremature.Basedonthisinformation,theUnionwithdrewitsgrievanceonFebruary12,2020,withtheintentionofrefilingoncethedisputebecameripe.OnthemorningofFebruary20,2020,aninformalmeetingwasscheduledtodiscusstheissue.InattendancewereGeneralManagerMichaelHolley,WaterUtilityDirectorBrianWright,IBEW1245AssistantBusinessManagerAlFortierandIBEW1245BusinessRepresentativeMikeVenturino.Duringthemeeting,Mr.HoNeyconveyedinconfidencethatthecancellationofpaymenttocurrentretireeswasduetooutsidepressurefromunrepresentedretirees.HefurtherstatedthattheBoardwasinclinednottoapprovetheTAuntilthepartieshadresolvedthediscrepancy.However,noresolutionwasreachedatthatmeeting. AnothermeetingwasscheduledforFebruary25,2020,tofurtherdiscusstheissue.TheattendeesincludedoutsidecounselfortheDistrict,JoeWiley,WaterUtilityDirectorBrianWright,ElectricUtilityDirectorJoeHorvath,IBEWAssistantBusinessManagerAlFortierandBusinessRepresentativeMikeVenturino.Duringthemeeting,thepartiesagreedthattheywouldexecuteasideletteragreementthatwouldincludetermsforresolvingtheretireemedicalcapincreasethroughthegrievanceprocess,sothattheTAcouldbeadoptedbytheBoard.ThiswasexecutedbytheDistrictandtheUniononMarch3,2020andMarch5,2020,respectively.Withthesideletteragreementinplace,theTAwasfinallypresentedtoandadoptedbytheBoardatitsMarch18,2020meeting.FollowingtheadoptionoftheTAbytheBoard,theUnionrefileditsgrievanceonbehalfoftheretireesonApril14,2020.InaccordancewithTitle14oftheMOU,theUnionrequestedaninformalmeetingwiththeGeneralManagertodiscussthegrievance.ItwastheUnion’sexpectation,basedonthelanguageofTitle14,thatitwouldreceivearesponsefromtheGeneralManagerregardingthisrequest.However,onApril15,2020theUnionreceivedacknowledgementofreceiptthegrievancefromBrianWright,ActingGeneralManager—notMichaelHolley,GeneralManger-referringthemattertotheDistrict’soutsidecounsel,JoeWiley.InhisApril16,2020response,Mr.Wileystatesthat‘ratherthangothroughthetraditionalstepsofthegrievanceprocedure,andbaseduponoursideletterontheissue,Irecommendthatweproceeddirectlytoarbitration.”Hisproposaltoexpeditethegrievancetoarbitration,however,isnotwhatthepartiesagreedtointhesideletteragreement,norissuchactioncontemplatedwithinTitle14.Duringtheeventsdescribedabove,therewasaBoardmeetingheldonApril15,2020.Amongtheagendaitemsforthismeetingwas“ActionItem#13,”whichpertainstoDistrictCode4,Personnel.Title4,chapter4.07outlinestheprovisionsforemployeebenefitssuchasretirement,medicalleaveandinsurance.DuringtheMarch18,2020BoardmeetingResolution2020-09wasadopted.TheApril15,2020meetingwastofurtherclarifyDistrictCode4,Chapter4.07.050,Post-RetirementHealthBenefitsunderResolution2020-10tofallinlinewiththeamountsbargainedinDecember2019.ThiswasquicklyremovedfromtheagendabyMr.Holleyandnoactionwastaken.ItistheUnion’sunderstandingthatanyincreasestotheretireemedicalcapsnegotiatedovertheyearshavealwaysbeenaffordedtocurrentretirees,asTitle19,(19.2)(1)2allows.However,seekingamiddleground,onoraboutApril16,2020,theUnionproposedthattheDistrictpaytheincreasetoallcurrentretireesforthetermofthecurrentMOU,2019-2024,butthatstartingJanuary1,2025,increaseswouldgosolelytomemberswhoretiredonorafterthatdate.IntheUnion’sestimation,thisisbothanequitableandreasonablesolution.Not onlydoesitupholdtheparties’mutualintentatthebargainingtable,italsoresolvesthecurrentgrievanceandprovidestheDistrictwithanenddate.PleaseadvisewhethertheUnion’sproposalisacceptable.Sincerely,-’)fl_______IJAfJyJzTeaCMñeVenturinoBusinessRepresentative1BEW1245 TO:MichaelHoNeyGM,TDPUDFROM:MikeVenturino—BusinessRepresentativeLocal1245Date:4114120IBEWLocal1245TDPUDGrievanceFormgrievance#01-2020STATEMENTOFFACTSEWissubmittingagrievancepursuanttotheMemorandumofUnderstandingbetweentheTruckeeDonnerPUDandIBEWLU.1245,TitIel4GrievanceProcedure.OnoraboutApril1,2020,TDPUDfailedtomakeappropriateretireemedicalpaymentsinaccordancewiththeMOU.SECTIONOFMOUVIOLATEDTITLE19EMPLOYEEBENEFITPROGRAM,andallotherapplicableTitles,Policiesand/orProcedures(I)Post-RetirementMedicalandDentalBenefits:REQUESTEDREMEDYOFGRIEVANCETheUnionrequeststhattheDistrictceasepracticeofviolatingtheMOUandmaketheretireeswholeforalllosses.IBEW1245Representative: