SR 12-19-2023 5N
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 19, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.N
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Oles Gordeev, Acting Director of Human Resources, Human Resources
Department
Subject: Adoption of a Resolution Accepting Tentative Agreement and Authorizing the
City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Side Letter of Agreement with the
Coalition of Santa Monica Employees (Coalition)
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15324 (Class 24
Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Adopt the proposed Resolution (Attachment A) accepting the tentative
agreement and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute
a Side Letter of Agreement with the Coalition of Santa Monica Employee
(Coalition).
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Summary
In accordance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA), the City and the Coalition of
Santa Monica Employees (Coalition) have met and conferred and have reached a
Tentative Agreement (TA) on the terms and conditions of medical benefits for
miscellaneous employees.
Discussion
The overall policy of the City has been to maintain competitive benefits and working
conditions in a high-cost geographic labor market to attract and retain a high -quality
workforce to serve our community across a wide range of specialized services. Since
most, though not all, City jobs are comparable to those in other competing municipal
organizations, the City has traditionally looked to full-service cities in our region of
similar size and financial strength for labor market comparisons.
The Coalition represents all City employees, with the exception of Police and Fire. On
June 23, 2020, the City and the Coalition entered into an Umbrella Agreement
governing medical benefits. The terms of the Umbrella Agreement are set to expire on
December 31, 2023.
The substantive change to be effectuated to the Umbrella Agreement by this
Amendment will shorten the time new hires are eligible for medical benefits, as follows:
• The current rule in the Umbrella Agreement is that the effective date of medical
benefits for employees hired by the City is the first day of the month following 30
calendar days of employment. Effective January 1, 2024, the new rule will be that
the effective date of medical benefits for employees hired by the City is the first
day of the month following an employee’s date of hire.
The City met and conferred with the Coalition in accordance with the provisions of the
MMBA, and the parties have reached a tentative agreement to amend the Umbrella
Agreement with the proposed term.
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The terms of the proposed amendment to the Umbrella Agreement continue to keep the
City in alignment with our 11 comparable peer cities while simultaneously preserving a
level of benefits that will keep the City competitive in a tight labor market. Peer cities
include Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Culver City, El Segundo, Glendale, Inglewood,
Pasadena, Redondo Beach, Santa Barbara and Torrance. The City of Los Angeles and
County of Los Angeles may also be included as a comparable agency depending on the
classifications being surveyed.
Environmental Review
The negotiated changes to medical insurance coverage are categorically exempt
pursuant to Section 15324 (Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Class 24 consists of actions taken by
regulatory agencies to regulate employee wages, hours of work or working conditions
where there will be no demonstrable physical changes outside the place of
work.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The recommended action contained in the Amendment presented in this report does not
result in an additional financial impact to the City. The annual cost of fringe benefits for
each budgeted position is already included in the City’s adopted budget.
Prepared By: Oles Gordeev, Acting Director of Human Resources
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. 12.19.23 Coalition Roll-Over Resolution
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1
City Council Meeting: December 19, 2023 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA ACCEPTING THE
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO EXECUTE A SIDE LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH THE COALITION OF SANTA
MONICA CITY EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS, authorized representatives of the City administration and the Coalition
of Santa Monica Employees, have met and conferred in accordance with the Meyers-
Millias Brown Act (“MMBA”), codified at Government Code Section 3500 et seq., and have
reached agreement on wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 3505.1, on December
19, 2023, the tentative agreement reached between authorized representatives of the
City administration and the Coalition of Santa Monica Employees was presented to the
City Council of the City of Santa Monica for consideration; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 3505.1 requires preparation of a written
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the employee organization if a
tentative agreement is reached and adopted by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Side Letter of Agreement is to promote and provide
harmonious relations, cooperation, and understanding between the City and the Coalition
of Santa Monica Employees;
5.N.a
Packet Pg. 392 Attachment: 12.19.23 Coalition Roll-Over Resolution [Revision 1] (6180 : Side Letter of Agreement with the Coalition of Santa Monica
2
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica hereby accepts and
approves the tentative agreement that has been reached between authorized
representatives of the City administration and the Coalition of Santa Monica Employees
and authorizes the City Manager to execute a Side Letter of Agreement with the Coalition
of Santa Monica Employees in accordance with this agreement,
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney
5.N.a
Packet Pg. 393 Attachment: 12.19.23 Coalition Roll-Over Resolution [Revision 1] (6180 : Side Letter of Agreement with the Coalition of Santa Monica