HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1979/03/20 Item 14.. CITY OF CHULA VISTA
COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
'Item IVo. 14
For meeting of 3/20/79
ITEM TItLE Resolutio,l 9737 At:c~ptin< ,=sport on U.
Labor's 13 {c) Regulations Impact on t}ice.
ICarains and authorizing payment o $2500
SUBMITT D BY Director of Public 4works
ITEM EXPLANATION
S. De~~t. of:
City by Tyro &
(4/5TH'S VOTE REQUIRED YES NO x )
y Roso3.ution No. 929°, the Couincil ~-uthorized ~.nd approvECl
n ay resment on September 2!=~ r 197 ~ , wi ttl th.~ 1a4i f i r.n o_
yr` fie T.~linlnS t0 prOVl:e tFCf1r11Cc'.l ianC{ iJrOft?SSl.Orlcdl 5:;'rv1CE.:c3
n =~n~]lyzinU alb. possibly: lE:~~al ~=;nc~ economic irnpa;,ts that ti~~u
S. Dc>purtrn~~-nt of L~~}JO.r l3 (c) Ragula.tiorls soul: .~r=ve on t.'r1F.
ity. Th=~ City ,aoai~a il.:~ve to a-~:~oa=~ ~~ sign~:eory to this
(c) ~.~jreelnenl; before it can r;ccept any F,~cier~l transit
apical or operating <.ssista.nce :~rGnt furies.
e consultant a~Idressr_>s t"lo follo:aing issuesjconcerns:
,. Irlpact of ~_. 1? (c) a~,ree,n~~nt_ on th~~ curreizt <;nc~ fur.ure
sal~:ries ~znu frirl3.4 b n~::fits of AztE~c. Du,~ Links ~~.nployees.
i'l'lO COnSUItc.'.r1tS S'tc;t%'.t~l file".it ~1ZtEC; 1S ~UUnC' tU 1tS :.'l.].St].T1~~
CUll~'C't1VE' burgalning c'~?rC~/i?lent ~^Tlt}i ti:? pr:1c~lC~cil:ic"'tc(+
Transit Uniorl (A7'U) tr,rotlgr .7urly, 19:s~). f~ ?..3 (c} l~:bor
protection ac~ri~elaent ~TOUld protect curren'~
Aztec ~nlploy2~~s Ero~ll r-, ~aorsLrling of their erlploym~nt
conditions, inciu~ling, but not limited to, wvges
~;nd pc=.r~sions.
Any successor ~sn~~loy~r to the current Azt~::c-:'1TU ~grecment
Uroulc'. be obliga:tec~ to recognize the union ~~nd barg~1in in
good f?itil for ~~ ne.w agre~~sm~ent; and if tilu parties were
FINANC
STAFF RI
BOARD/Cl
COUNCIL
JA~:nr/ DPOll
ement Resolution x
(continued on supplemental page)
EXHIBITS
Ordinance Plat Notification List
r Report ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: Attached Submitted on
IMPACT
ILTF will finance the $2500.00 cost of this report.
',The contract with Tyre & Kamins authorized by Resolution #9298
on September 26, 1978, for a maximum fee of $2500 is budgeted
in the Transit Services Fund.
ENDATION
Accept report and award $2.500.00 payment to TYRE AND KAMINS.
ISSION RECOMMENDATION
ION
R/111I r:7i~,~11 15 i,5 :.~~ v`...~i e I ~.J i~f~;:
® 3 " ~-° -?
3/20/79
PAGE ? Item 14
unable to re~~ch agre~-aent, under 13 (c) both parties would
probably be obligated to submit the issuoJ in dispute
concerning the: new contract to arbitration.
CVT would be financially responsible for any worsening of
employment conditions for every Aztec employee.
Effect that 13 (c) would have on t}ie current and future
salary and benefit package of city employees should the
the City decide to take over operation of its municipal
transit system either prior to or after the signing of
13 (c) .
Tyre & Kamins found t}~i,,t City employees would be bound
to their respective collective bargainin~~ agreements and
would not be covered by 13 (c) protection provisions.
i't-e City of Chula Vista would continua to be obligated
to bargain in good faith with unions representing current
City employees. If the City of Chula Vista signed a 13 (c)
agreement and was still under the current Aztec contract
when it took over operation of its r,-unicipal transit
system, CVT would also probably be required to bargain
in good faith with the Aztec/ATU bargaining unit.
If CVT took over its own transit operations, it would
probably be a successor to Aztec under the current ATU
contract.
Impact on C}-ula Vista if the City signs a 13 (c) ~;greement,
and a re~~ional or subregional transit district is formed
in the near future to operate the City's transit system.
Tha law firm stated that a. regional or subregional transit
district could not worsen Aztec ernployoes' working
conditions without CV'P incurrir-g 13 (c) labor protection payments.
payments.
~1'IDB will by statute be required to maintain present
employment benefits whenever it acquires transit facilities.
Accordingly, if M19`T'DB took over SDTC's or CVT's operations,
it presumably could not lower the employment benefits under
the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
4. Responsibility for Aztec operators if Chula Vista Zither
(1) terminated the Aztec contract and assumed full operating
responsibility on its own, or (2) f~ngag~d a contractor
other than Aztec, if the City did become a signatory to a
13 (c) agreement.
Tyre & Kar~iins said that th.~ answer to both subparts (1) and
(2) was y~~~s under current U. S. Dept. of Labor r~:gulations.
It would not matter whether the operator is Gaither ar-
independent operator or one that is operated by CVT.
_~7 _~
PAGE 3 Item 14
3/20/79
~s c'iscussed at the larch Council Conference, staff
ecomiaends that the City dogs not become a signatory to the
opt, of Labor l; (c) rgrr'ement for the following reasons:
Only about 1C)-15~ of tho City's annual transit r_apital
and operating needs will be met with FY79 and FY30
allocated FederGl Section 3 and 5 grant funds.
If the employer and employees could not rEach a collective
bargaining agreement, then tyre matter must be submitted
to interest arbitration.
a. AlthougYr the City would not be directly involved in
arbitration proceedings ~~ precedont could wall be set
in regard to its negotiations with the otYior City
bargaining units.
b. There is a good possibility that based on pest
arbitration experiences, the grieved transit employees'
wares would be increased gat a drastic rate.
9S3
TYKE S~ KAMINS L A W Y E R S
7800 CENTURY PARK EAST LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA 90067 273/879.2177. 553.6822
MILTON S. TYRE
RICHARD J. K MINS December 12 , 1978
DONALD S. SI ONS
ROBERT M.SHA TON
PETER M. APP ETON
BARYON W. ROBE SON
CAMERON WIL IA MS
JOHN F. SO KUP
RAN DALL H. KE NON
VIDA M.HO GUIN Jack A. Bloom,
PETER M. LOAN Transit Coordinator
City of Chula Vista
Public Works Department
276 Fourth Avenue
Chula Vista, California 92010
Re: Chula Vista Transit
Dear Mr. Bloom:
This letter is in reply to the questions posed by you and
the City of Chula Vista on the. legal and economic impacts of
a proposed Urban Mass Transportation Act (UMTA) Section
13(c) labor protection agreement on the City of Chula Vista.
FACTS
The City of Chula Vista is eligible as a certified transit
operator to obtain capital improvements and .operating funds
under UMTA.
Chula Vista Transit (CVT), a City agency, contracts out
transit operations to Aztec Buslines (Aztec). CVT's contract
with Aztec expires December, 1980. Neither Aztec nor CVT
has signed a 13(c) agreement.
CVT coordinates its transit system with the San Diego Transit
Corporation (SDTC). SDTC provides bus service to the general
San Diego are a, and is a signatory to a 13(c) labor protective
agreement. SDTC has 3 routes through Chula Vista. CVT and
SDTC have a joint transfer policy, and CVT coordinates its
schedules with SDTC. SDTC services cost CVT $192,000 for
the fiscal year 1978-79, one-quarter of CVT's transit expenses.
CVT's transit costs are $1.35 per mile. SDTC's costs are
$2.35. CVT does not compete for passengers with SDTC.
There is an existing collective bargaining agreement between
Aztec and Amalgamated Transit Union Local (ATU), which
expires June, 1980. The top hourly rate therein for bus
drivers is presently $5 and $6.50 for mechanics. Chula
37
TYRE
K A M I N S
Jack A. Bloom
December 12, 1978
Page 2
Vista would pay a bus driver approximately $5.25 per hour
under its current wage classification structure. The top
hourly rate for a Chula Vista City mechanic under the City's
wage schedule is approximately $7.18 per hour.
CVT has its own facility for vehicle maintenance. With UMTA
grants, CVT plans to expand its existing maintenance facility
by adding 2 maintenance bays.
CVT also plans to construct a small transit terminal near
the Chula Vista Shopping Center with UMTA funds. The transit
terminal would serve as a major transfer site to CVT and
SDTC routes.
Under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA), California Government
Code Section 6200 et seq., the City of Chula Vista has
negotiated labor contracts with Chula Vista Police Officers
Association, Chula Vista Employees Association, Interna-
tional Association of Firefighters and Western Council of
Engineers. Wage increases have recently been 5% per year.
QUESTION NO. 1
What would be the impact of a 13(c) agreement on the current
and future salaries and fringe benefits of Aztec employees?
ANSWER
Present
Aztec is bound to its existing collective bargaining with
ATU through June, 1980. A 13(c) labor protection agreement
would protect current Aztec employees from a worsening of
their employment conditions, including, but not limited to,
wages and pensions.
Future
t
Any successor employer to the current Aztec-ATU agreement
would be obligated to recognize the union and bargain in
good faith for a new agreement; and if the parties were
unable to reach agreement, under 13(c) both parties would
probably be obligated to submit the issues in dispute con-
cerning the new contract to arbitration.
~,
TYRE & ~KAMINS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 3
DISCUSSION
Present Impact
A 13(c) agreement would obligate CVT to extensive labor
protection arrangements.
13 (c ) of U1vITA provides
"It shall be a condition of any assistance under
Section 3 of this Act that fair and equitable
arrangements are made, as determined by the Secretary
of Labor, to protect the interests of employees affected
by such assistance. Such protective arrangements shall
include, without being limited to, such provisions as
may be necessary for (1) the preservation of rights,
privileges, and benefits (including continuation of
pension rights and benefits) under existing collective
bargaining agreements or otherwise; (2) the continuation
of collective bargaining rights; (3) the protection of
individual employees against a worsening of their
positions with respect to their employment; (4) assurances
of employment to employees of acquired mass transporation
systems and priority or reemployment of employees
terminated or laid off; and (5) paid training or retrain-
ing programs. Such arrangements shall include provisions
protecting individual employees against a worsening of
their positions with respect to their employment which
shall in no event provide benefits less than those
established pursuant to Section 5(2)(f) of the Act of
February 4, 1887 (24 Stat. 379), as amended. .
The contract for the granting of any such assistance
shall specify the terms and conditions of the protective
arrangements."
No Worsening Of Employment Conditions.
13(c) labor protection agreements cover employees that
are employed by the facility, service, or operation assisted
by federal funds, and provides coverage for the worsening of
an employee's position based on organizational, operational,
technological or other changes which are a result of the
assistance provided.
CVT would be financially responsible for any worsening of
employment conditions for every Aztec employee. This would
mean making up for any losses to employees in wages and
~~
TYRE & K.~M1~lS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 4
other conditions, including pensions, and including making
whole for layoffs and terminations and other situations for
a period equal to either 6 years or the length of continual
service of that employee on the date of said layoff or
termination, whichever is less.
As a practical matter, since Aztec's labor costs are lower
than other major transit authorities in the Southern San
Diego area, the maintenance of Aztec's current employment
conditions would not appear to be unacceptable. If maintenance
of Aztec employment costs become unacceptable, current
routes might be eliminated without 13(c) protective payments
under Section 24 of the National ATU 13(c) labor protection
agreement. (See discussion below under "13(c) Broad Coverage"
at p.7.)
However, if CVT, to avoid the unacceptable employment costs,
or for any other reason, were to subcontract to a transit
operator other than Aztec at lower costs, that is, at wages
or conditions for employees worse than those under Aztec, it
is not improbable that if the matter were brought to arbitration
under 13(c), an arbitrator would find that CVT was a party
to subcontracting for a worsening of employment conditions
for Aztec employees and would be liable for 13(c) labor
protective payments. There are obvious logical and factual
arguments that may be made against this contention; but to
proceed on the basis that this is not a likely result would
not be advisable. The cost ~f error is too great.
Future
Interest Arbitration.
Under 13(c) labor protection agreements, in the event
of any labor dispute where collective bargaining does not
result in an agreement, the labor dispute can probably be
arbitrated. (See further discussion below.)
Interest arbitration arises when the parties, after bargaining
in good faith, reach an impasse on a new or renewed collective
bargaining agreement, at which time they submit to arbitration,
upon the request of either party, those issues on which the
parties have reached an impasse.
Normally, when an employer and a union reach an impasse in
negotiations for an agreement or a renewal agreement, either
party is free, subject to restrictions, if any, by law, to
engage in such economic action as that party may see fit.
_~~ /
TYRE 8~ ~CAMINS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 5
This could include a strike or a lockout. Neither party can
compel the other to arbitrate for an agreement or a renewal
agreement. With interest arbitration, the parties would
arbitrate the dispute.
While it is more likely than not that interest arbitration
is available, there is little decided case law on it. In
Division 580, Amalgamated Transit Union v. Central New York
Regional Transportation Authority, 556 F.2d 659 (2d Cir.
1977), the Federal 2d Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a
denial by the lower court of a preliminary injunction against
the employer to restrain it from pursuing fact-finding
procedures under the New York State Taylor law. When the
parties had reached an impasse, they then proceeded to con-
ciliation and fact-finding under the New York State Taylor
law. Thereafter, the union sought to abandon that procedure
and instead to proceed under interest arbitration pursuant
to its 13(c) agreement.
The court, in denying the injunction, said that the union
had not shown a substantial likelihood that it would prevail
in its argument that the 13(c) agreement committed the
employer to proceed to interest arbitration.
The court stated:
"The statute's legislative history makes it reason-
ably clear that section 13(c) was intended to preserve
the rights of employees under existing collective
bargaining agreements and to maintain the status quo
with respect to the employer's obligation to bargain
collectively, not to create new rights for the employees
or enhance existing ones." (p. 662) (Emphasis added.)
The court cites no cases but only the Congressional Record
for legislative history.
On the other hand, the 8th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
on August 21, 1978 decided Division 1287, Amalgamated Transit
Union, AFL-CIO v. Kansas City Area Transportation Authority,
582 F.2d 444 (8th Cir. 1978) in which the court appears to
have reached a conclusion opposite to the 2d Circuit.
The 13(c) agreement in the Kansas City Area Transportation
case seems to have been a little different from the language
in the Central New York Regional Transt~ortation case. In
r,~~
TYRE & KAMiiVS
Juck A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 6
the former, a labor dispute which prevented a new agreement
from being executed appears to have been subject to arbitra-
tion. However, the contract also expressly provided that
"all contract conditions shall remain undisturbed and there
shall be no lockouts, strikes, walkouts, or interference
with or interruption of service during the arbitration
proceedings."
If there were such language in the Central New York case, it
was not quoted by the court.
But in the Kansas City case, the court cited the labor
protection agreement that nothing "shall be construed to
enlarge or limit the right of either party to utilize, upon
the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement, any
economic measures that are not inconsistent or in conflict
with applicable law."
This last paragraph would appear to cancel out the prohibition
against strikes because the paragraph says that nothing in
that paragraph (such as the prohibition against strike)
shall limit the right of the union, upon the contract's
expiration, from striking.
Nevertheless, the 8th Circuit ordered the employer to interest
arbitration.
The 8th Circuit refers to the Central New York case only in
a footnote, and then only in connection with a jurisdiction
question and not for support of the proposition that interest
arbitration is provided ur_der the 13(c) agreement.
The crucial difference between the cases might be the absence
of any no-strike language in the Kansas City case in connection
with the so-called interest arbitration provisions. Generally,
a no-strike provision is concomitant with binding arbitration.
Teamsters Local 174 v. Lucas Flour, 379 U.S. 95, (1962}.
Although the right to
case, the court there
concludes simply that
to arbitration, which
includes interest arb
to say:
strike existed in the Kansas City
does not discuss its significance. It
the agreement to submit labor disputes
includes a failure to make an agreement,
itration. However, the court goes on
9_s3
TYRE & ~CA~IAt~IS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 7
"Our conclusion is bolstered by the history of
negotiations between the parties that are revealed by
the record and by the fact that on two occasions prior
to 1977 contract differences between the Authority and
the Union were in fact resolved by interest arbitration
rather than by strikes or either economic measures."
Interest arbitration is not allowed under MMBA because it
requires an unlawful delegation of power from a local govern-
mental agency. City of Manhattan Beach v. Bagley, 18 Cal.
3d 72 (1976); San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 v. City
and County of San Francisco, 68 Cal. App. 3d 896 (1977).
However, the Kansas City court rejected the argument of
"interest" arbitration as an unlawful delegation of power:
"We think, ., that when a state. forms a
public transit agency for the express purpose of obtaining
federal money to enable it to take over the business of
a private transit company, and where the agency in
order to obtain the money enters into a 13(c) agreement
that calls for interest arbitration, the obligation to
arbitrate is binding on the agency, regardless of
general state law or policy."
While we can labor to distinguish the Kansas City case from
our own case and to urge acceptance of the Central New York
case, the safer approach is to assume that a dispute over
the making of a new agreement would be subject to interest
arbitration.
13(c) Broad Coverage.
13(c) agreements require that the employer notify the
union 60 days in advance of any changes which may result in
the dismissal,~displacement, or rearrangement of the working
forces as a result of the project. 13(c) agreements cover
events occurring in anticipation of, during, and subsequent
to the project. In cases of contested claims, the burden
would be on CVT to prove that factors other t~lan the project
caused the adverse effect on the employee.
13(c) arbitration could thus arguably apply virtually to
every condition of employment.
For example, if SDTC were to reduce its routes through Chula
Vista and CVT accordingly reduced its connecting routes,
this might be a "worsening" of employment conditions under
13(c) if Aztec employees lost their jobs.
TYRE & 1~A1`+71NS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 8
If employees are not replaced as certain routes are eliminated,
those employees remaining could argue that they have less
choice for change in routes and possibly for promotion to
supervisory positions as the number of positions is decreased.
It might also weaken the union's collective bargaining
posture.
If a busdriver loses the opportunity to work overtime, the
busdriver might claim entitlement to 13(c) protection payments
for a worsening of employment conditions. The New York .
Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Los Angeles-Southern
California Rapid Transit District have suggested this possi-
bility.
These arguments could probably be met successfully because
there are limitations that can be made in 13(c) labor protec-
tive arrangements. Article 24 of the National ATU agreement
states:
"An employee covered by this agreement, who is not
dismissed, displaced, or otherwise worsened in his
position with regard to his employment as a result of
this Project, but who is dismissed, displaced, or
otherwise worsened solely because of the total or
partial termination of the Project, discontinuance of
Project services, or exhaustion of Project funding,
shall not be deemed eligible for dismissal or displace-
ment allowance. ."
In addition, the Department of Labor, which supervises 13(c)
matters, recognizes that specific labor arrangements may
limit 13(c) liability for experimental projects.
"[San Antonio] management acknowledged an experi-
mental line extension in which an agreement was reached
with the union that there would be no 13(c) claims if
the experiment failed. While there may be some addi-
tional time and effort involved in reaching such an
agreement, we see no reason why similar agreements
can't be reached in similar situations and no reason
why the ~ arties should not attempt to reach them in
good faith." The Economic Cost Impact of the Labor
Protection Provisions of Section 13(c) of the Urban
Mass Transit Act of 1964, p.363. (Department of Labor,
1978.)
TYRE &' KAMINS
pack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 9
CVT can also lawfully refuse UMTA grants. There is nothing
unlawful in a public agency that supplies funds or purchases
services insisting that it cannot afford to pay the high
price that it had previously been paying for services.
Amalgamated Transit Union, Division 819 v. Byrne, 568 F.2d
1025, 1029 (3d Clr. 1977).
QUESTION NO. 2
What is the effect that 13(c) would have on the current and
future salary and benefit package of city employees should
the city decide to take over operation of its municipal
transit system either prior to or after the signing of
13(c)?
ANSWER
Present
City employees would be bound to their respective collective
bargaining agreements and would not be covered by 13(c)
protection provisions.
Future
The City of Chula Vista would continue to be obligated to
bargain in good faith with unions
employees under 1~'IBA. If the City
operation of its municipal transit
probably be required to bargain in
DISCUSSION
Present
representing current city
of Chula Vista took over
system, CVT would also
good faith with ATU.
City employees are covered by MMBA and are bound to their
respective collective bargaining agreements. Glendale
Citv_ Employees Association v. City of Glendale, 15 Cal. 3d
328 (1975):
"In applying the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, 'the
courts have uniformly held that a memorandum of under-
standing, once adopted by the governing body of a
public agency, becomes a binding agreement. "'
Glendale City Em loyees Association v. City of Glendale,
supra, at 337.
TY R E ~ K A M I N S
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 10
Future
If CVT took over its own transit operations, it would probably
be a successor to Aztec under the current ATU contract.
N.L.R.B. v. Burns International Security Services, Inc., 406
U.S. 272 (1972).
"A successor employer is ordinarily free to set
initial terms on which it will hire the employees of a
predecessor. ." N.L.R.B. v. Burns International
Security Services, Inc., su ra, at 294.
However, the employer is required to recognize the union and
bargain with it when the union's majority status is evident.
Spitzer Akron, Inc. v. N.L.R.B., 504 F.2d 841 (6th Cir.
1970). Thus, even if CVT were not a technical successor, it
could, nevertheless, be bound to recognize ATU as the collec-
tive bargaining representative.
Whether CVT is a successor or only bound to bargain with ATU
is presumably academic. Once CVT becomes a signatory to a
13(c) agreement, it would be bound to the provisions of that
agreement and could not "worsen" employment conditions. If
the parties could not agree on whether there was a worsening
of employment conditions this, probably, could be arbitrated.
QUESTION NO. 3
If the City signs a 13(c} agreement, and a regional or
subregional transit district is formed in the near future to
operate the City's transit system, what would be the impact
on the City?
ANSWER
A regional or subregional transit district could not worsen
Aztec employees' working conditions without CVT incurring
13(c) labor protection payments.
DISCUSSION
The 13(c) impact of a regional or subregional transit district
would depend upon the specifics of the particular arrangement,
including whether or not the regional or subregional transit
district has a 13(c) agreement and whether or not CVT has a
13(c) agreement. However, there are 13(c) problems inherent
in any regional or subregional takeover of CVT's transit
TYRE 5~ KAM I NS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 11
system. A takeover by a regional or subregional transit
district that has a 13(c) agreement and combines other
transit systems with CVT could result in a worsening of
employment conditions for other transit employees who have
greater benefits than Aztec employees.
Article 5(v) of the National ATU agreement states:
". .[N]egotiations shall include determining the
selection of forces from among the employees of other
urban mass transportation employers who may be affected
as a result of the Project Any party to the
dispute may submit it to arbitration. ."
If, for example, SDTC employees covered by a 13{c) agreement
were required to work on present CVT routes as part of a
regional or subregional district which has a 13(c) agreement,
SDTC employees could argue that their employment conditions
were worsened if they received the lower benefits under the
Aztec-ATU agreement.
Also, if Aztec employees covered by a 13(c) agreement worked
on SDTC routes, Aztec employees could claim that they were
entitled to the higher SDTC pay.
The most r:otable example of "whipsawing" employment benefits
and wages occurred in the Bay Area Rap~_d Transit (BART).
Attempts t.o negotiate terms and conditions for employment
with the 24 signatory unions under 13(c) were unsuccessful.
The issue of selection of work forces from employees among
the 24 signatory unions for all BART positions except guards,
supervisors, managerial, confidential, and professional
employees thus was submitted to an arbitrator. The arbitrator
determined, for the parties, the method for selecting new
employees from the unions. The arbitrator required that
BART offer employment positions to employees of 5 transit
companies in the Bay Area. If the employee had higher
benefits than existed at BART, the arbitrator ruled, the
employee was to be "red-circled" and was to continue to
receive higher benefits than originally provided by BART.
The employee remained "red-circled" until benefits for BART
employees were equal.
The method of hiring employees for a new regional or subre-
gional mass transit system, therefore, can apparently be
arbitrated, and it is thus possible for employment benefits
to be equalized, as occurred to BART. Accordingly, it would
be highly desirable for CVT to negotiate specific arrangements
with ATU long prior to joining a regional or subregional
transit district.
L
TYRE S~ KAMINS
Jack A. Bloom
December 4, 1978
Page 12
In addition, if the Metropolitan Transit District Board
(MTDB) acquires a regional or subregional transit district,
it is precluded from lowering employment benefits. Public
Utilities Code Section 120520, which becomes effective
January 1, 1979, states:
"Whenever [MTDB] acquires the San Diego Transit
Corporation, or other existing facilities, from a
privately or publicly owned ulitity, either in pro-
ceedings by eminent domain or otherwise, to the extent
necessary for operation of facilities, any of the
employees whose duties pertain to the facilities acquired
who have been employed by the corporation or utility,
as the case may be,, for at least 75 days shall be
appointed to comparable positions by the board without
examination. These employees shall be given sick
leave, seniority, and vacation credits in accordance
with the records of the corporation or other acquired
utility, as the case may be. No employee of the corpora-
tion of any acquired utility shall suffer any worsening
of wages, seniority, pension, vacation, or other benefits
as they exist at the time of and be reason of the
acquisition.
"The board shall assume and observe all existing
labor contracts of the corporation or of the acquired
utility, as the case may be, insofar as they relate to
the acquired facilities.
"The provisions of this section shall apply only
to those officers or supervisory employees of the
corporation or of the acquired utility, as the case may
be, as shall be designated by the board."
Thus, MTDB will be statutorily required to maintain present
employment benefits whenever it acquires transit facilities.
Accordingly, if MTDB took over 5DTC's or CVT's operations,
it presumably could not lower the employment benefits under
the applicable collective bargaining agreement. As a practical
matter it might end up paying the higher SDTC wages and
benefits.
QUESTION NO. 4
If CVT became a signatory to a 13(c) agreement for operating
or capital assistance, would it have any responsibility for
Aztec operators if the City either (1) terminated the Aztec
contract and assumed full operating responsibility on its
own, or (2) engaged a contractor other than Aztec?
TYRE 5. KAMINS
' 'Jack A . B1 oom
December 4, 1978
Page 13
ANSWER
The answer to both subparts (1) and (2) is yes, and it would
not matter whether the operator is either an independent
operator or one that is controlled by CVT.
DISCUSSION
If it became a signatory to a 13(c) agreement, CVT would be
committed to the labor protective provisions under the 13(c)
agreement for a maximum of 6 years for every employee at the
time employment became affected. Thus, if any employee is
terminated or laid off by reason of moving the routes to
another operator, then such laid off or terminated employees
must be protected to the extent in effect of being made
whole for any loss of pay or other benefits, including
pension, for a future period starting with the date of
layoff or termination and equal to the period commencing
with that employee's continuous employment with SDTC to the
date of such layoff or termination, but not to exceed 6
years.
CONCLUSION
It is obvious that the potential for 13(c) protective payments
is substantial. BART expects to be liable for $1-1/2 million
in 13(c) payments. Yet the Department of Labor reports only
$6,893 in actual 13(c) labor protection payments for 1964-1974
during which period UMTA grants were in excess of $4-1/2
billion. Thus, the practical experience thus far with 13(c)
labor protection payments is that they occur infrequently.
I enclose five additional copies of this letter.
Sincerely,
Peter M. Sloan
for
TYRE & KAMINS
PMS/rk
Enc.
Form No. CA 102 ~` 93 3~l
7-6'S
CERTIFICATE OF CITY FINANCE OFFICER
Certification of Unappropriated Balance
I HEREI3Y CERTIFY that the money required for the
appropriation of funds for the purpose set forth fortis
attached resolution is available in theandeaouotherwise
anticipated to come into the Treasury,
unappropriated.
Fund
Amount $
Purpose
Bidder
Finance Officer
The City of Chula Vista
235 2:
By
Date
Certification of Unencumbered Balance
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the indebtedn~eemena abthdr-
ation to be incurred. by the contract or ag
ized by the attached resohotlrovisions fctheeCharte~uof
the violation of any of p
the City of CY1ula Vista, or the Constitution or the laws
of_ the State of California, that sufficient monies hthat
been appropriated for the purpose of said contract,
sufficient monies to meesurhe oblagetaotic~pated toncomet
are actually in the Trea Y~ ro riation from
into the Treasury to the credit ondtthatpPaid monies now
which the same are to be drawn,
actually in the Treasury, together with the monies antic-
ipated to come into the Treasury, to the credit of said
appropriation are otherwise unencumbered.
Amount Not to Exceed $ 2,500
52oi
Finance Officer
The City of Chula Vista
Date 3/20 7~ By
Dept./Activity Transit Services
Fund Transit Services
Purpose A reement with Tyre & Kamins
Bidder
69
Certificate N o . _________
-. ~
~' ~--.- .
.r`/ ~ ~N
•'
., _ ~:
JENNIE ~y_ Office of
ULASZ~ CITY CLERK
f
City o~ C~u.Qa
~Ucsta
CALIFORNIA
~ bject;
~ ) Resolution No.
nance
Yo will find enclosed a ~ ) Ordi No.
do ument a certified copy of the
PProved at the meet'
City Council
ing of
~~ z~/ 1
JENNIE /
City C1erkFULASZ, CAgC
Enclosures
~ ~ S R NEWS:
and~endu ah ~h~ docurnevr~ on
copy Son ocut ~'~~-Hance oo
~ 1 RE ORDFR:
e~~~eco~c e~scLC:d
conv vu.ence Uc~e~ and ~~WCn ~ ~o ~ a,~
yon
276 Flourth Avenue, Chula
Vista, CA 92010 (714)575-5041
CC-685 (Rev