Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process

 Review grievances under the current MOU or personnel rules to determine whether changes to such provisions are appropriate.  Consider recommendation of new employment-related policies or procedures to enhance efficient operations.  Communicate such recommendations and information to those responsible for developing negotiating proposals.

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Act as resource to negotiating team.

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Oversee effective administration of agreements.

g. Tax Advisor

 Provides advice to negotiating team, staff and governing body regarding any unintended tax implications or issues related to the proposals involving compensation provided to employees. A tax advisor should periodically review existing MOU agreements to determine if the agency’s implementation of existing provisions complies with applicable tax laws. 2. S ELECTING THE N EGOTIATING T EAM Ideally, every agency negotiating team should include four areas of expertise: a person experienced in local agency labor relations and negotiations to serve as chief negotiator; someone fully familiar with agency finances and budgetary issues; a staff member knowledgeable about the agency’s personnel administration; and one or more departmental representatives to provide operational expertise. Beyond these areas of expertise, it is desirable that at least one member of the team has, in the normal course of his or her responsibilities, day-to-day contact with the CAO to ensure that the CAO is kept apprised of the status of negotiations on an ongoing basis. In addition to being knowledgeable, members of the negotiating team should be individuals that are tactful, insightful, and flexible, and who listen well, and are perceived as credible and fair by employees and supervisors. Individuals that tend to “fly off the handle” easily, are hostile and antagonistic to the process, are preoccupied with being seen as the “good guy,” are “nit-pickers,” lack patience, a sense of humor, and/or human relations sensitivity, should not be designated as members of a negotiating team. Some larger agencies have found it helpful to designate a management backup group for providing guidance to the negotiating team in caucuses. This can be a group of varying size consisting of a City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Controller and/or Department Heads that are not directly involved in the negotiations.

With the organizational framework in place, the negotiating process itself can be initiated.

Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process ©2019 (s) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 49