12/18/1972 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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I .~ I ICouncilman Bradshaw expressed concern that this would be a commission which would (meet regularly and require staff time and citizen participation to keep it going ,even if there were nothing new to discuss. ~ 'Mr. Horstrup said he didn't think this labor relations commission would be comparable : to the Human Rights Commission, but that such a body should be availabl.e and on cal].' Mrs. Campbell asked if minority complaints regarding labor union membership discrimi-' nation would be referred to such a commission. Mr. Horstrup said no. I Councilman Williams asked Mr. Horstrup if he knew of anything that had occurred 1 ,within the last year that would have been desirable fo,r this commission to have considered. Mr. ~orstrup mentioned the problem between labor and the City over a ' , I sewer contract. He felt this came about because someone in City government didn't ( fully understand the ramifications of accepting that contract and that perhaps a : labor relations commissions could have prevented this incident. Mr. Horstrup didn't recall the names of the people involved, but felt that this is an example of how I communicating through a labor relations commission could have prevented a problem. \ Mrs. Campbell asked if the current court case between the City and the Fire Fighters might have been prevented if such a commission existed. Mr. Flynn, president of the Fire Fighters,said he felt that a labor relations commission could have handled this situation. It would have given the Fire Fighters a chance for some input to a : commission, he said, and thought that at the time the Fire Fighters could have worked this out with the staff and eliminated the possibility of a court procedure. ~ Mr. Flynn referred to a proposal from the Fire Fighters of last September for a change in the charter and possibly in the ordinance. He said that after working. under the I ordinance the Fire Fighters feel there is need forft to be reviewed. Before any i changes in the ordinance or charter are considered by the Council, he felt a labor I :relations commission should be formed to establish dialogue between the union and 'City staff instead of having both parties draft independent proposals for change. I Councilman Williams asked Mr. Flynn if his primary reason for recommending this ''/ proposal was concern over whether any revisions will occur in the collective bargain-' ing procedure of the City. Mr. Flynn replied that it was not entirely his primary reason, but that he felt this was an area in which such a commission could function. He supported Mr. Horstrup's position that a labor relations commission could receive I information from both sides, explore the ramifications and possibly draft a proposal I to the Council for change in the ordinance and charter. With information from all i parties involved, he felt the Council could act more judiciously in any matter whether it is a question of picketing, changing the ordinance on collective bargaining or any I number of other items that might come before them. He felt that with input from all i parties involved, the commission could develop a more responsible program to present I ~to the Council. , ! Mr. Frank Jackson, president of the Lane County Labor Council, cited an example of \ ~ .?~ a confrontation which occurred in Springfield between members of labor, property \ ~ owners and police because of picketing during a strike. He endorsed the establishment, 'of a labor relations commission and felt it could prevent an incident such as the one i in Springfield from occurring in Eugene. ' Manager said Mr. Fletcher's proposal appears to.be directed toward general labor- \ management problems in the community. From present discussion there seems to be a ,possibility that such a commission wOuld also be concerned specifically with the area :of relations between the City of Eugene and its employees. He did not feel the two mixed. Manager said that if a commission to deal with the general area of labor problems in the community at large was desirable, then it would seem more appropriate I that such a commission be formed at the County level. Secondly, the Manager expressed! concern about the use of committees on a standby basis and their ability. to really be : constructive. He said his experience with committees has been that unless they are given work to do and a responsibility to perform on a regular basis, they tend to die out. He did feel that there is very real potential for the need of ad hoc committees to dea! with.spe.~_~fic prob~f!!!'~:. __._._ .__ .._~._..,.._.__. .__.__ h~_'_"'~ \Mr. Hershner agreed with the Manager's comments and said he felt a labor relations i commission would probably be more appropriately formed at a County level. He stated, that he could not vote in favor of such a commission until he had more input on i ~ specific things this commission would handle. IMrs. Beal asked if such a commission either on an ad hoc or continuing basis would i ~ "be able to adjudicate some of the labor problems and in doing so eliminate high i . court costs. Manager said there has been considerable effort between the City and . labor representatives to resolve disagreements before going into court, but did not 'know if a commission could have helped. c____ - ".' -... "~"_ .h_~~.--....."...,_.~ ._.---...-.,.'_,~ .----, ":. ...', ,. ...---_____ 310 .",'. 12/18/72 - 5 ~ r_ ,-...-._ ~L _1'_