Monroe County Sheriff’s Police Benevolent Association
Membership Meeting Minutes: April 23rd, 2012
Time and location: 11:30 am and 2:30 pm at Glendoveers, 2328 Old Browncroft Rd, Penfield, NY
Present: President Greg Woodworth, 1st Vice President Pat Rojas, 2nd Vice President Jeff DelGudico, Secretary Joseph Bates, Treasurer David Prull
Proceedings:
Meeting Called to Order at 11:52 am and 2:40 pm respectively by President Woodworth.
1st Meeting Motion to Open: Wildman and Mezzoprete.
2nd Meeting Motion to Open: Wiest and Comfort.
Issues at hand:
1) Treasurer Prull presented the entire financial review and breakdown of the MCSPBA assets (bank accounts, expenses, salaries, attorney fees, rent, MCSPBA picnic and golf tournament). Prull explained that the attorney fees were down this past year. Motion to approve financial report 1st Meeting: Edwards and Coco, 2nd Meeting: Strong and Fay.
2) President Woodworth discussed the upcoming MCSPBA Golf Tournament (no date yet) and the MCSPBA Family Picnic (Sunday, June 3rd—flyers to be posted soon).
3) Past Grievances:
A.We lost the Deputy Campanella grievance in regard to seniority being a factor and the decision was made in an arbitrary matter, seniority is not weighed heavily as a deciding factor, when a member is considered for a posting, it only needs to be a factor.
B. We won Deputy Paoni’s grievance in regard to being denied outside employment while being on light duty. The County has been ordered to compensate him.
C. We expect a decision in the grievance of Deputy Prokop in regard to being ordered back to work after an OFF-DUTY injury.
D. In regard to the TEU grievance, night TEU members are no longer ordered to go to Albany with the radars in an agreement with the MCSPBA and the administration.
4) New Grievances:
A. Arbitration for TEU members in regard to being scheduled for In-Service Training on their work day is scheduled for May 1st.
B. Four members are still in the wrong retirement system. Arbitration hearing is scheduled for the end of May.
C. Full Arbitration is forthcoming in regard to the issue of members using Sick Time for the birth of a child. The Jail Union settled their grievance, but the administration will not agree to the same terms as of yet with our members.
5) We are continuing discussions with the administration in regard to the new Sick Leave General Order. Although several issues have been eliminated and/or resolved, the MCSPBA still has several unresolved issues: a) if you are out sick longer than 3 days, you must see Dr. Schmigel before returning to work—we feel our members are entitled to overtime pay if they cannot see the Dr. during the course of their regular work shift. b) we do not agree to share family medical information with Dr. Schmigel. The MCSPBA will be filing an Improper Practice as a result if this is enforced.
6) Contract: President Woodworth and Vice President Pat Rojas sat down with Monroe County HR Representative Brayton Connard as part of an informal meeting on April 19th. Briefly discussed were the options of settling a 2year or a 4year contract, the potential of a 4 day/10hr work day, and the value of maintaining health care coverage for our members and retirees. Connard was not opposed to any of these ideas, and did express that Monroe County would prefer to settle a contract before the current contract expires. The next meeting is scheduled for June 1st. MCSO administration will also be present at this meeting, and has indicated that they, too, wish to avoid arbitration. We are currently shopping around for health care providers in an effort to assure that our members will continue our current or lower rate for comparable health coverage.
7) New Business:
a) If you are requested or ordered to appear in Internal Affairs, please advise President Woodworth or Vice President Rojas, not just your Union Reps.
b) President Woodworth will be initiating the donation account mailings in the Towns of Penfield, Pittsford, and Henrietta to help boost our Donation Account which currently stands at about $14,000. Past mailings were very successful in building this account.
c) We are monitoring the situation with the 7 members of SOAR who recently turned 65 and were forced into the Medicare system by law. We will take steps to protect our members and past members from losing any health care benefits by being forced into this system by filing a lawsuit if this issue is not settled.
d) We have a forensic accountant (ECONOMIST) on standby for the upcoming contract negotiations, as well as the most experienced negotiating attorneys of police contracts in Monroe County.
e) carefully monitor all of your payroll, as several members have had negative issues with SAP.
f) Take a job card for EVERY job that you perform to ensure that we are receiving credit for our work, as well as to maintain safe numbers of members on patrol.
g) Elections for President, 1st Vice President, and Treasurer will take place at the end of May. If you wish to run for one of these positions, contact President Woodworth with your intentions by May 10th.
h) Our next meeting with other local unions is on May 11th in regard to the health care issue.
8) Attorney Larry Andolina: The membership was addressed and issues such as contract negotiation for police contracts and binding arbitration was discussed. Andolina articulated why we need to be compared to local police agencies (Irondequoit, Greece, Brighton) as opposed to other surrounding Sheriff’s agencies. Andolina also discussed how our Economist will assist in finding funds that the County may be trying to disguise as a “deficit.” They can also testify to this effect.
Future Business:
Contract negotiations.
Union Officer Elections.
Continue to monitor current grievances.
Motions to Close 1st Meeting: Re and Stauber, 2nd Meeting: Carroll and Feehan. Meeting adjourned at 1:10 pm and 3:45 pm respectively.
Minutes submitted by Secretary Joseph Bates