(April 21, 2004) -- At its April 20 meeting, the City Council voted 7-1 (Reyes-Uranga abstaining and Baker absent for meeting) to approve LB City Hall's first-ever agreement (a memorandum of understanding or MOU) with a collective bargaining organization (i.e. a union) comprised of most of LB City Hall management.

The "Long Beach Management Association" doesn't represent the City Manager (who works under contract for the City Council) or a small number of others working directly with him or the managers of some enterprise funds (like the Water Dept.)...but it does represent a lengthy list of city management positions (identified in the MOU, which we post on a link below).

In a memo to Councilmembers approved by City Manager Jerry Miller, Human Resources Director Kevin Boylan (not a member of the management union) said cost savings under the MOU should total slightly over $1 million in FY 05.

Those MOU savings are in addition to downsizing and management cuts contemplated as part of City Manager Miller's three year financial strategy.

[LBReport.com note: We neglected to make the point about additional planned management reductions and savings clear in our editorial fuming about scheduling a Council vote on the MOU (negotiated in March, ratified by the management union on March 30) on April 20, a week after the April city election. We acknowledge that management's three year financial strategy anticipates further management reductions and savings beyond the MOU's expected savings. However, we're still fuming about the timing of the MOU vote and lack of visible Council discussion of its potential long-term taxpayer consequences.]

Mr. Boylan's memo to the Council stated in pertinent part:

There was scant Council discussion of the item (number 53 on a 63 item agenda). 8th district resident Lew Nelson (a member of the City Hall-appointed "Government Reform Task Force" mulling changes to the City Charter) spoke in his individual capacity and was the only person to testify. He spoke in opposition.

"I'm not here to speak against the content of the memorandum of understanding. I am here to speak in opposition to the concept of this [MOU] which will give bargaining rights to the Long Beach Management Association...I ask you to delay voting on this matter until the next Council meeting so we can get more public input...I'm concerned with management unions in general...I'm not opposed to bargaining units for employees but I have a serious problem with bargaining units with management people," Mr. Nelson said

The following is the verbatim response of 8th district Councilman Rob Webb:

Councilman Webb then voted for the MOU.

The final vote was 7-1; Reyes-Uranga abstained; Baker was absent for the entire meeting.

The MOU expires on Oct. 1, 2004.

To view the MOU in pdf form, click here.