CSEA Local 856 and Ulster County, New York – 1998
Background
The parties established a county-wide labor-management committee in the collective bargaining agreement in the 1970s. Starting as a forum for a dialog between county employees and the county legislature, by the mid 1980s it had evolved to a problem-solving mechanism involving department heads and employee representatives. In the mid-1980s, a coordinator was hired and the committee received a grant from the FMCS to enhance its effectiveness through training, facilitation, and the adoption of consensus decision-making. The county-wide committee has continued its work to the present day, and sub-committees have been formed in some departments to address their specific issues.
Structure
The county-wide oversight committee has 20 members — 10 from management, and 10 from labor. Departmental committees have been formed in several departments, including Health, Social Services, Mental Health, and Highways and Bridges.
Accomplishments
A county-wide system of Safety and Security Committees was implemented in June, 1998. Each of the county’s 35 worksites now has its own labor-management committee to address specific safety and security issues.
During a 1993-94 budget crunch, the County was faced with the prospect of layoffs. In response to this problem, the Committee generated 50 cost containment proposals, almost all of which were adopted. As a result, an estimated $3 million in budget savings were realized over several years, averting the need for layoffs.
The Committee developed an alternative work schedule policy, which has not only provide flexible work hours for numerous employees, but has also had that added benefit of allowing some offices that were previously open only during weekday business hours to now have evening and weekend hours as well.
The Committee has had a long-standing interest in training and personal development. In the past, the Committee has played an active role in assessing the county’s training needs and providing for job-related training programs for county employees. Currently, it sponsors a series of brown-bag classes taught by county employees who share their expertise with others. Also, the Committee administers the tuition reimbursement program, which has provided funds for college degree and professional training programs for many county employees.
Recognition
In April 1995, representatives from Ulster County and CSEA Local 856 testified before the U.S. Secretary of Labor’s Task Force on Excellence in State and Local Government through Labor-Management Cooperation. Ulster County was one of 53 case studies that were included in the final report of the Task Force, entitled Working Together for Public Service (May 1996).
