Madison, WI Header
File #: 36082    Version: Name: Committee on Employee Relations
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 11/6/2014 In control: BOARD OF ESTIMATES (ended 4/2017)
On agenda: 12/2/2014 Final action: 12/2/2014
Enactment date: 12/11/2014 Enactment #: ORD-14-00172
Title: SUBSTITUTE Amending Section 33.10 of the Madison General Ordinances to clarify the Committee’s duties and allow the Committee on Employee Relations to make a recommendation on salary increases.
Sponsors: Paul R. Soglin
Attachments: 1. Version 1
Fiscal Note
The ordinance is not expected to have a fiscal effect.
Title
SUBSTITUTE  Amending Section 33.10 of the Madison General Ordinances to clarify the Committee's duties and allow the Committee on Employee Relations to make a recommendation on salary increases.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS:  This ordinance amends the duties of the Committee on Employee Relations to clarify base wages, the grievance procedure and include making recommendations on proposed general salary increases for non-represented general municipal employees.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
      Section 33.10 entitled "Committee on Employee Relations" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"33.10      COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS.
(1)      The Committee on Employee Relations shall act in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and the Common Council in making studies and recommendations relative to rates of pay, hours of work and conditions of employment for employees employed by the City of Madison who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement in a compensation group containing general municipal employees where a certified labor organization has been elected to collectively bargain. The Committee is advisory only and is not created to, nor shall it engage, at any time, in collective bargaining.  
(2)      Membership.
(a)      The Committee shall be composed of nine (9) members. Three (3) members shall be members holding management positions with the City of Madison. Three (3) members shall be citizen members nominated by the employees. Two members (2) shall be alderpersons currently serving on the Board of Estimates.  One member (1) shall be the Human Resources Director who will only vote to break a tie vote among the other members.  All members, with the exception of the Human Resources Director, shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to the approval of the Common Council on the third Tuesday of April for a term commencing on that date. The terms of the alderpersons expire with the expiration of their term as an alderperson. The remaining six (6) members shall serve staggered terms of three (3) years, with the terms of two (2) members expiring annually.
(b)      The Human Resources Director shall act as executive secretary to the Committee and shall prepare the agenda and minutes of the meetings and perform such other duties as the Committee shall direct.
(c)      Appointments to the Committee shall be made with consideration given to the expertise or interest necessary for proper performance of the duties assigned to the Committee members with strong consideration given to experience relating to recognized labor and employment related groups and agencies. All vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Mayor subject to approval of the Common Council for a term filling out the remainder of the vacated member's term.
(3)      The offices of Chair and Vice-Chair shall be filled by majority vote at the first meeting in May annually. Consistent with Sec. 33.01(7)(b), MGO, alders are not eligible to serve as Chair or Vice-Chair.  In the event the citizen chair and vice-chair are absent from a meeting, an alder, upon consensus of the members present, may assume the chair.  However, in no event shall an alder serve as chair of the Committee for more than two (2) consecutive meetings. The Committee shall adopt rules for the governance of its proceedings not inconsistent with Federal, State or local law. Such rules may include a provision for delegation of the powers and responsibilities of the Committee to subcommittees composed exclusively of Committee members.
(4)      Duties.  It shall be the function of the Committee to make recommendations on ordinances, or resolutions, the Employee Benefits Handbook for General Municipal Employees and portions of the Professional and Supervisory Handbook that apply to Compensation Group 23 (collectively "Handbooks") pertaining to rates of pay (excluding base wages as that term is defined in Wis. Stat. § 111.70(4)(mb) as may be amended from time to time and the initial placement of the employee in the salary range), hours of work and conditions of employment affecting the City and its employees, including matters pertaining to:
(a)      Improving the delivery of City services;
(b)      Problems that arise in the workplace which are not covered by the general municipal employee grievance and arbitration procedure (Sec. 3.53(9), MGO); or City of Madison Personnel Rules;
(c)      Rates of pay other than base wages or the initial salary placement;
(d)      The effect of any changes to work hours ;
(ed)      The effect of any Proposed changes to employee benefits;
(fe)      Proposed changes, to City ordinances whether by ordinance or resolution, Handbooks or any other means, related to wages pay (other than base wages or the initial salary placement), rates of pay hours of work and conditions of employment, including the amount of any general salary increase;
(f)      Changes to the Handbooks.  Any changes to the Handbooks shall be made only after approval by this Committee and the Common Council.
(g)      Matters referred to it by the Common Council.
(5)      Mission.  The mission of the Committee is to reach an amicable understanding by developing, implementing and fostering interest based problem solving methods and techniques with respect to the Employer-Employee relationship.  To that end, the Committee shall, in conjunction with the Mayor and all City departments create, promote and agree to work together in joint employee-management teams to foster open and regular communication between employees, management, City officials, and citizens recognizing that open communication is an essential element in maintaining an atmosphere of trust in the City and continuing to provide the high quality service for which the City is known.  
(6)      The Committee shall take up no matter, nor propose any ordinance, personnel rule or work rule that interferes, in any way, with the rights of represented general municipal employees to bargain over base wages nor shall the Committee take up any matter, nor propose any ordinance, personnel rule or work rule that interferes with the management rights of the City to operate and manage its affairs in keeping with its responsibility and the powers or authority which the City retains by law or custom unless specifically designated as a duty of the Committee in sub. (4) above.
      (7)      The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.
      (8)      The Committee is a standing sub-unit of the City of Madison and may only be dissolved by ordinance."