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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 12/17/2024 - Memorandum from Teresa Roche re Response to Council regarding Connexion Coalition WorkersHuman Resources 215 North Mason Ave PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522 TR KD Date: December 12, 2024 To: Mayor and City Councilmembers Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager From: Teresa Roche, Human Resources Executive Subject: Response to Council regarding Connexion Coalition Workers Bottom Line This memo addresses Councilmembers' requests for information regarding the experiences of peer communities since the Protections for Public Workers Act (PROPWA) was passed in 2024, the December 5 email sent to City Leaders regarding the petition, and the list of wants outlined in the Connexion Coalition Workers handout. It is important to note: • The City has not taken an “Anti-Union” position. • The City recognized the Fraternal Order of Police as a union after a public vote in 2004. • The City has been a member of the Employers Council since 1978. It was not until PROPWA was passed, representing a significant change for the City, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment published proposed initial rules, that the City engaged with the Employers Council to provide legal guidance on interacting with employees engaging in protected activity under PROPWA. Similarly, we trained managers when harassment laws, equal pay for equal work laws, and other critical employment laws changed. Insights from Peer Communities & Counties Cities and towns in the Front Range that have responded to our request for information have reported no efforts to unionize. An email was sent to the Colorado Municipal League human resources listserv without any responses. Senate Bill 22-230, enacted in July 2023, allowed collective bargaining for county employees. Library workers in Jefferson County were the first to take advantage of their new rights and unionize. Boulder County workers were sent ballots for a vote to unionize, and the final date for submission is January 10, 2025. Denver voters showed solid support for Referred Question 2U in 2024, which would permit city of Denver employees to organize and bargain collectively, with 64.1% of votes in favor of it. Context on Connexion Workers Coalition Petition Requests 1) Immediate Recognition of the Connexion Workers Coalition (CWC) union and bargain in good faith. The City of Fort Collins is dedicated to fostering a positive and supportive work environment that prioritizes its employees' health, safety, and well-being. We strive to be efficient and responsible stewards of taxpayer and ratepayer funds, ensuring that employee compensation and benefits are competitive, meaningful, equitable, and reflective of market standards. We believe that exceptional service to our community starts with our talented workforce. We are committed to providing consistent and sustainable opportunities for growth and development, recognizing the strong connection between employee experience and customer experience. While we value open communication and direct dialogue with our employees, we have chosen not to recognize unions outside of the voter-approval process. Our decision is based on our belief that we can effectively address employee needs and concerns through ongoing collaboration and proactive measures. 2) Recission of the Return to Office (RTO) mandate. The City offers employees flexibility regarding work schedule and/or location. As our Flexible Work Practices Manager Guide states, FWP arrangements will be supported if departmental efficiency and service are not adversely affected, policy and legal compliance are maintained, regular hours to meet departmental needs are not curtailed, and undue burdens are not placed on other employees or managers. Additionally, there may be other pertinent factors that must be considered in certain situations. Initially, Connexion leadership requested that NOC staff return to the office up to four days a week to improve training and cross-team coordination. Based on staff feedback, leadership established an expectation that NOC employees would be in the office two days a week. One or more members of the organizing NOC group submitted an alternate schedule; however, after review, management did not believe that the schedule proposed by the organizing group would meet the needs of our customers. 3) Demand we cease all partnerships with union-busting or “union avoidance” firms. We have no current or planned partnerships with union-busting or “union avoidance” firms. 4) Demand that you formalize a framework whereby future unions may seek recognition. The City will continue to abide by an existing framework of recognizing unions that receive voter approval. It is also important to note that most of our full-time City positions are Classified, meaning they have a property right in their positions and cannot be deprived of employment or pay without demonstrated cause and many due process options. This process mirrors or exceeds what is created in many collective bargaining agreements, and we are committed to a full and fair process for all employees. Other Requests in the CWC Handout 5) No outsourcing of tech support or other Connexion jobs. There are no current plans or intentions to outsource Connexion positions. In the City, when positions are impacted due to changing economic conditions or other factors, we have worked to keep our talent employed. 6) A commitment to the principles of Net Neutrality. The City of Fort Collins is committed to net neutrality. Information is available in the Broadband Business Plan, accessed at https://fcconnexion.com/net-neutrality/. One can also download a document about this decision made years ago. 7) Salary analyses and bargaining. From July through September 2024, Compensation staff worked on a market analysis of all the positions in Connexion as part of our annual market analysis work. The market analysis included public and private broadband organizations, among others, and, when possible, was keyed to Colorado and the Front Range specifically. Work is scheduled to continue in 2025 Q1 to do a comprehensive job evaluation on the following positions: Lead Technician, Technician II, and Senior Technician. These evaluations will validate market alignment and ensure job descriptions accurately reflect current responsibilities. In early January 2025, pay adjustments for all City employees will be communicated. In addition to our ongoing review of the competitive markets for our talent, we also monitor turnover. As of November 2024, Connexion's unplanned attrition was 6%, and the City’s was 7%. We continually monitor trends and patterns to understand why people leave and work to address any concerns with specific leaders. Closing Comments City leaders place significant effort and resources into a culture that supports leading employee benefits, market-competitive compensation, development and engagement opportunities, and a sense of belonging and purpose in our work. Our decision to not recognize unions outside of a voter-approval process is based on our belief that we can most effectively address employee needs and concerns through ongoing collaboration, flexibility, and proactive measures. The City is imperfect; however, our leaders have repeatedly demonstrated interest in employee ideas and will constantly adjust and improve, as evidenced by adjusting the Return to Office requirement for Connexion Network Operations Center employees from four to two days a week. We value open communication and direct dialogue with our employees as we strive to meet the needs of our community with many unique teams and services.