LTC 198-2003 CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. !
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez
City Manager
CWA meeting regarding Lifeguard positions
Date: August 28, 2003
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you of a meeting regarding Beach Patrol
hours that took place on 8/20/03 with the Administration and the CWA President,
Richard McKinnon, and two other CWA representatives.
The purpose of the 8/20/03 meeting was to inform the Union of beach operation service
level changes that have been proposed in the 2004 Budget and the possible impact on
Beach Patrol work hours. As the Commission will recall, the change in service for
beach operations resulted in a budgetary savings of approximately $374,000. The
Union was informed of this change and advised that the service level change could be
effectuated with no impact on the employment of the full time Beach Patrol Guards
other than to change their work day from a ten (10) hour day, nine (9) months a year, to
an eight (8) hour day all year. The Union was informed that the work shift change
would enable all of the current guards to retain their employment and full salary and full
benefits. It was discussed with the Union that unless contract language was altered to
recognize the work hour change the only alternative available to the City to create the
same budget savings was to layoff approximately eleven (11) permanent Beach
personnel. The Union was presented with the alternative of the simple work hour shift
change or the necessity of personnel layoffs.
CWA's response was that they "knew the City had the money" and that their economist,
would be making a presentation at the next Commission meeting to "straighten this
out." The Union stated that it was their opinion that the Commission would never allow
the layoff of their members. CWA would not respond to or comment on the City's
proposal to convert the schedule in order to maintain the necessary beach coverage,
while eliminating the need for employee layoffs.
The Administration feels that the proposal for a schedule adjustment is a win-win
solution, that will be beneficial not only for our citizens' beach lifeguard coverage, but
will provide a means for all employees in the Beach Patrol Division to maintain
employment with the City.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
cc: Robert Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Mayra Diaz Buttacavoli, Assistant City Manager
Linda Gonzalez, Labor Relations Division Director
JMG\MDB\LG\mr
F:\HUMA\LABORREL\Labor Relations\Letters\City Manager Letters\LTC - Lifeguard layoffs.doc