04/28/1969 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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..., e 0::.4:1 4/28/69 I Mrs. Hayward moved seconded by Mr. McDonald that the bills as presented and read proper city officials authorized to draw the necessary warrants. Rollcall vote. present votipg aye, the motion carried. be allowed and the. All coupcilmen' Consideration of Request, Firefighters - Mr. McKinley read a statement regarding a proposed firefighters strike. He discussed the desire of the fire department for a pay schedule equivalent to the schedule proposed for positions in the police department, and their request for "parity" with the schedule of salaries recommended for. police. He outlined meetings held with representatives of firefighters and explained that little progress had been made, and'that the threat of a st~ike was still imminent. He indicated possibilities and alternatives if such a strike developed. e Mayor Anderson said the Council recognizes the importance of this issue and the difficulty with' , which it will probably be solved. He recommended that the Council appoint a committee to consist o~ Mrs. Hayward, Mr. Teague and a third party, possibly a non-resident with experience in personnel relationship, to hear both sides of. the issue and m?ke a fact finding study with recommendations to the Council, as it felt desirable and necessary. Recommendations would be non-binding, and wouJd serve only as guidelines. Mrs. Hayward said there might be sentiment on the Council to resolve the problem right now, and in her opinion, this should be established before appointing a mediation board. I Mr. Wingard moved seconded by Mr. McDonald that a committee be appointed ~onsisting of Mrs.' Hayward, Mr. Teague and a third party, possibly a npn-resident, with experience in personnel relationships, etc., to make a recommendation for mediation proceedings, which might be adopted by the Council. Mrs. Hayward said that committee recommendations would be non-bipding, and council members sitting on the committee would have to vote upon their own recommendations. It would make a great deal more sense to avail themselves .of State conciliation s~rvices. Mrs. Hayward moved seconded by Mr. Mohr tq amend the motion to provide for State conciliation services, 'rather than a commit.tee., as suggested by the M?yor. Mrs. Beal agreed that the matter should be put in arbitration, and suggested that the motion be further amended .to request the services of the State Conciliation Service in dr~wing up a~ arbi- tration agreement between the city of Eugene and the firefighters, subject arbitration to be final, and binding upon both parties. Mrs. Hayward asked if it was legal for the city to be involved in binding arbitration. Attorney said a decision of arbitrators has to beplace~ in action in the budget. The limitation will certainly apply to this arbitration board. Arbitration cannot set the budge,t! The City budget city's Mayor Anderson said the committee he proposed W) uld be essentially fact-finding, with recommendad ODS to be made to the Council. Mrs. Hayward said if representatives of city government were going to serve on the committee, it should also include representatives of the firemen. I There was further discussion concerning advisability of forming a conciliatory committee. It was felt a fact finding committee might be helpful, but that it should be an impartial committee. There was some feeling that the question should.be decided by the Council now, because of the timing. Mr. Wingard moved to amend the motion on the floor to seek the services of the State Conciliation Service to arrive at a decision on salaries through mediation. e Mrs. Hayward was asked to clarify her motion. She said. she thought it should be fact finding, and should be done by an impersonal g:udge, with a recommendation to the Council. Mrs. Hayward did not think council members should be on the committee. Mr. McDonald said the budget committee had passed to the Council a decision on salaries for the fire department and asked to amend the amendment to the motion on the floor, based on this question. The Mayor ruled this out of order as not relevant to the main motion. I Mr. Pat Flynn, Busine~s Agent, Local 851, found the motion for arbitration attractive, and thought possibly it could solve the situation. What the Council is acting on is in the realm of the budget committee. He pointed out the Council had had ample evidence. One fact. stood out. Nobody on the Council budget committee or administration will say that the fire.departmen~ is less than first rate, but in the state of Oregon, they are in the 8th pay structure. He outlined arguments the firefighters had previously presented to the Coun~il and Budget Committee, He asked the Council to vote down both motions and establish parity asked by the firefighters, and put it to the people and see if it can't be passed. Mrs. Beal moved ~econded ;by Mr. Mohr to table both the motions on the floor and the amendment. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Mohr moved seconded by Mrs. Hayw~rd that the City Council direct the administration of the City to report back to the budget committee a schedule of salaries for firemen equal to salary schedules o~ police, up to t~e two top positions in each department~ e Mr. Teague asked how policem~n and other personnel will feel about this. 4/2'8/69 9 I ~ j ..olIIl