ANAHEIM : City Draws Fire Over Job Reclassifications

The city’s largest employee union this week hinted that a battle could be brewing with Anaheim after city officials adjusted the salaries and job classifications of some secretaries and clerks without consulting union leadership.

The city’s action, which took effect Wednesday, changed the duties of 145 city government clerical workers. Some were given more responsibilities and small raises, while others had their jobs reclassified as management positions. The raises will cost the city $46,512 in the next 10 months.

Sharon Ericson, president of the Anaheim Municipal Employees Assn., protested the move to the City Council this week and, in reminding the council of a suit the union filed in 1986 after a similar action, implied it may do so again. The 1986 suit was settled out of court.

Ericson said Wednesday that the city is bound by state law and its contract with the union to negotiate any job changes. She said that while some of those with increased responsibilities received raises, the raises may not have been large enough to compensate for the new workload.

“In the past, the city always negotiated job (reclassifications), and now it is just going to implement one,” Ericson said. “The city is telling some of the employees that it is going to give them more work. Maybe we’ll give you a raise. But what if the raise is not enough?”

Garry McRae, the city’s labor relations director, said the city’s position is that it does not have to negotiate job reclassifications with the union in advance. He said if union does not like the city’s action, it can file an appeal and its complaint will be heard.

“It is my opinion that the union’s role began today,” he said.