Local news- Press Release
City of Manhattan Beach California - City Council Imposes its Last Best and Final Offer with MBFA 22 September 2022 ( news )
City of Manhattan Beach , state California ( By Press Release office)
Sep 22,2022
| 18| 2
Press Release:
City Council Imposes its Last , Best and Final Offer with MBFA ( PDF )
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jessica Vincent , Communications and Civic Engagement Manager
jvincent@manhattanbeach . gov• ( 310 ) 802 - 5405
CITY COUNCIL IMPOSES ITS LAST , BEST AND FINAL OFFER WITH MBFA
Local Fire Services Maintained Without Cuts
Manhattan Beach , CA ( September 22 , 2022 ) - After exhausting all pathways to address the City Council’s goals in its labor negotiations with the Manhattan Beach Firefighters’ Association ( MBFA ) , the City Council voted unanimously to impose its Last , Best and Final Offer with the Association at its meeting on September 20 , 2022 . This action follows years of ongoing negotiations with no resolution . The proposal aims to address the Council’s goals of maintaining our local fire department services , reducing excessive overtime , and improving the decision - making and autonomy for Fire Department management .
“The Council’s decision to impose its Last , Best and Final Offer does not come lightly and is certainly not personal , ” said Mayor Steve Napolitano . “I’m disappointed that we are at this point . However , the Council remains committed to structurally improving the challenges that exist within the MBFA agreement and find ourselves at a point where we need to reset . I would like to reiterate that these negotiations have never included contracting with the L . A . County Fire Department , nor is it about past chiefs , revenge or retribution . It is about gaining management control of the Fire Department , enhancing services , and providing the Council and the Fire Chief the authority to do what is best for the Fire Department . The imposition of the Council’s proposal is not an end to negotiations; it is a time where we can pause and begin anew , as we hope to engage in healthy discussions with the MBFA to set the groundwork for a fair and balanced long - term agreement in 2023 . ”
In line with the California Government Code , the City Council held a public hearing regarding impasse on September 20 , and unanimously adopted a resolution to resolve the impasse by implementing its Last , Best and Final Offer issued during the negotiations . The proposal implemented includes:
An immediate 3% cost - of - living increase .
Modifications to the “constant staffing” provision to reflect a minimum , rather than a prescribed number , of eight employees per shift . This provides the Council with the opportunity to increase staffing levels and reduces costly overtime .
Improvements to the City’s Fire Prevention Bureau by hiring dedicated professionals with career expertise and technical job knowledge , which will enhance the Community Risk Reduction Bureau within the Fire Department . This change promotes stability and consistency , and reduces the learning curve that takes place as firefighters fill these positions on a rotational basis every one to two years , at a 12 . 5% pensionable increase .
Aligning specialty pays , such as longevity pay and paramedic pay , for new employees with the labor market , while maintaining all firefighters as paramedics .
Updating the parameters under which firefighters attend voluntary training , and modify the way in which additional leave time is managed and allocated , in an effort to reduce the number of shifts that are filled on an overtime basis .
The terms of the City Council’s final proposal seek to reduce excessive overtime thereby reducing undue firefighter burnout , stress , and fatigue; provide increased management autonomy , flexibility , and decision - making; and foster a good work environment and appropriate staffing levels for firefighters . Implementing the terms of the City Council’s final offer will not negatively affect emergency and medical response . The City Council is committed to providing the highest levels of public safety that the community expects while increasing the sustainability of the Fire Department and its employees , to ensure local fire services now and into the future .
###
Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents .
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below .
Acrobat Reader
Windows Media Player
Word Viewer
Excel Viewer
PowerPoint Viewer
PLAY the NEWS
* May be useful for visually impaired persons .
Press release information :
Direct link to press release:
Click here .
