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On a positive note, we have been working with the County CEO to get Covid Bonus pay procedures and portal login in order to claim the bonus. We received notice this week that the portal will be up and running on November 1st with instructions on how to submit our Covid Bonus forms online and get our pay by 12/30/2021. We are working with the County and the Department to get clear instructions for our members on the procedures and help to navigate the system and ensure all eligible members are paid for their hard work under our negotiated fringe benefits contract. We will be getting additional information to our members as the final details are set.
On the Covid Vaccine Mandate front, we continue to work hard to balance the safety of our members and the public we serve as we navigate the implementation of the Executive Order. We are at Impasse officially and we now have a hearing officer assigned and a meeting to negotiate with third-party mediation help on November 16th. We also continue to navigate the County's relentless push to drive numbers of compliance upward at all costs even as we bargain. The County managers might have the math right but they don’t have the personal and systemic costs calculated.
The Unions have been very supportive of the vaccine as part of the formula to protect our members and the citizens we serve in this war on the pandemic. But we would also like to have other tools at our disposal like antibody testing for natural immunity, and a testing track with ring and periodic testing combined with the use of all safety gear, physical distancing and cleaning procedures. While we continue to work to get agreement on these items, the County continues to slowly push its version of the plan.
In the next week or two, we expect "Notices of Testing Requirements" to be issued to our members and we have seen those notices go out to the managers first. If and when you receive one of these notices, please do not panic. We are expecting these notices to be issued. We continue our requests to members to refrain from registering with Fulgent and the County. We have not finished properly vetting the security and registration process with Fulgent. While we have made progress on this front as stated last week, we are not yet finished. We understand that receiving one of these notices can be alarming, but know that your Union is working diligently to ensure that our personal and medical information is protected. This process of verification takes time but it is worth the wait as we fight to be 100% sure that we know where every piece of data is and how it will be used both now and in the future. In addition know that your rights of representation for any such push to micro discipline as leverage is in place and the law. Your rights to representation, due process, and appeal are all in place and we stand ready to represent you.
We are close to finishing the final vetting and negotiated changes to the authorization policies and the disposal of samples and data security. It is ultimately your choice if you register with Fulgent, however, if you choose not to register, know that you have the right to representation. If your supervisor asks you to register or fill out any form, respectfully ask that they issue the request to you in writing. If you are pushed to fill out the form, respectfully ask to contact your Union representative. Use the following phrase if pushed: "My Union is currently bargaining accommodations for this item. If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative be present."
While we continue to bargain for accommodations and a testing track, we have also put a great deal of time into the medical and religious exemptions and are prepared to represent all members if needed. At this time we do not encourage the selection of exemptions until we finish bargaining through Impasse. If you have medical and/or religious or moral objections, you will have Local 1014 representation to navigate that process once adherence to any compliance is in place. It is critical that you notify the Union if you have elected either exemption. Do not hesitate to reach out to any of the Executive Board members either directly or through the Union at 310-639-1014 or at info@local1014.org.
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As we navigate this storm, we remind our members and our chief officers, who mostly still belong to Local 1014, that we are one family and one mission. Not one member of our Department is arguing for decreased safety or working conditions or reduced vigor in keeping the public safe. We believe we can have a balanced vaccine program, a high rate of vaccination, AND accommodate our members who have strong reservations about the vaccine.
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OPEN ENROLLMENT IS CLOSING SUNDAY!
Don't forget Sunday is the last day to enroll in the most comprehensive plan available to Firefighters anywhere in the nation. The Local 1104 Health Plan is tailored to meet our Firefighters’ needs. It is the #1 choice for our members and their families.
We are committed to ensuring our members have the benefits they need to start a family. That is why this year, we will be expanding our benefits to include enhanced fertility benefits including In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). We now provide a $ 10,000-lifetime benefit for diagnosis, $ 25,000-lifetime benefit for treatment, and a $25,000 lifetime benefit for drug therapy. |
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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