THOUSAND OAKS : City, Employees Postpone Talks
Uncertain about how the state budget will affect the city’s finances, the Thousand Oaks City Council has voted to postpone contract negotiations with about 240 employees until early August.
By extending a two-year contract due to expire this week, the City Council and the Thousand Oaks City Employees Assn., known as TOCEA, gave themselves time to evaluate the state budget before launching contract negotiations.
“While not necessarily the preferred approach, this is about the only practical way to go this year,” Greg Eckman, the city’s human resources manager, told the council Tuesday night.
The extended contract will now expire Sept. 15, and negotiations will begin Aug. 2.
TOCEA spokesman Barry Hammitt said extending the labor agreement was the “lesser of two evils”--not ideal, but better than beginning negotiations before “the dust settles in Sacramento.”
Among the main issues in this year’s negotiations will be layoff rules and resolution of grievances relating to discipline issues, Hammitt said.
TOCEA represents about half of the city’s employees. The Thousand Oaks Management Assn. represents the rest, mostly supervisors and administrators.
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