REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 10, 2020
FROM
GARY McBRIDE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Side Letter Agreements with the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
Approve the proposed Side Letter Agreements between the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 and San Bernardino County Fire Protection District.
(Presenter: Bob Windle, County Labor Relations Officer, 387-3101)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total ongoing costs of the recommended Side Letter for the costs of a Telestaff Differential to be paid to Firefighters who are assigned to perform Telestaff duties are estimated to be as follows:
• $5,800 in 2019-20 (partial year)
• $26,800 in 2020-21
• $27,600 in 2021-22
• $29,100 in 2022-23
• $29,900 in 2023-24
The total estimated cost of the Telestaff Differential effective March 14, 2020, and continuing through the end of fiscal year 2023-24 is approximately $119,200.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On December 10, 2019 (Item No. 42), the Board of Directors (Board) approved the severance of the Board Governed EMS Flight Nurse and the Board Governed EMS Flight Paramedic classifications from the Specialized Fire Services Unit, and placement of those classifications into the Ambulance Operator Unit represented by the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 (Local 935).
The terms of the Ambulance Operator Unit Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is set to expire on July 20, 2020, were developed specific to the working conditions (e.g., schedules and leaves) of the Ambulance Operators in the unit. The working conditions of the EMS Flight Nurse and the EMS Flight Paramedic classifications as set forth in the Specialized Fire Services Unit MOU vary from those of the Ambulance Operators, and as such, representatives of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (County Fire) met and conferred with Local 935 to discuss the application of the Ambulance Operator Unit MOU to those classifications. The meet and confer resulted in the parties agreeing to the proposed side letter agreement which maintains the terms and conditions of employment for the EMS Flight Nurse and the EMS Flight Paramedic classifications as set forth in the 2016 - 2019 Specialized Fire Services MOU, and to discuss any modifications to those terms and conditions as part of the upcoming MOU negotiations for the entire Ambulance Operators Unit.
Further, the parties also discussed the ongoing demands required of firefighters who are required to perform Telestaff duties on behalf of County Fire. Firefighters who are assigned to perform Telestaff duties are required to verify daily staffing for over 225 positions, identify and resolve vacancies, and identify proper staffing levels for specialized operations and major emergency incidents (e.g., hazardous materials operations and flight rescue). These duties are in addition to their existing duties as a firefighter, and often require significant additional work. As such, the parties agreed to the proposed side letter agreement which would establish a 2.5% differential for employees assigned to perform Telestaff duties in recognition of their performance of additional duties beyond those expected of the classification.
PROCUREMENT
N/A.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Richard Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387- 5455) on February 25, 2020; Labor Relations (Bob Windle, County Labor Relations Chief, 387-3101) on February 24, 2020; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on February 26, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 3, 2020.