Check this page for the latest news, notices, and correspondences from the SCMA Board.
10/08/2020
At the October 7, 2020 SCMA Board Meeting, Laura Jacobson was appionted to Board as member at large to fill a vacancy.
5/14/19
SAVE THE DATE - Annual SCMA Membership Meeting October 24, 2019 Sacramento Hilton, 2200 Harvard Street
On December 11, 2018 the Board of Supervisors voted to approve the 032 and 033 contracts. Adjustments to your pay should be reflected on your January 11, 2019 paycheck.
11/27/2018
SCMA has reached a tentative agreement with the county. All dues paying members should monitor personal email for further communication and directions.
06/14/18
SAVE THE DATE!
Annual SCMA Business Luncheon October 25, 2018 at Sacramento Hilton (2200 Harvard). Registration and details to follow.
04/18/17
2017 Call for Nomonations is open. Click here to nominate someone.
12/07/16
Effective January 2017, regular Board meetings are moving to 1st Wednesday of the month from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.**
All regular Board meetings are normally held the first Thursday of the month at 9616 Micron Avenue, Suite 900, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm(subject to change). Please check the 2016 meeting schedule page (or event calendar on home page) for current information on meeting location, date and time.
Members are welcome to attend SCMA Board meetings.
09/16/14
Your SCMA Board has been working hard on your behalf, and I am pleased to share the following news with you today.
1. SCMA is now an Association Partner of the California State Employees Association (CSEA). As such, we have access to valuable benefits through CSEA including:
Discount tickets at theme parks, museums, and movie theaters Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Long Term Care Auto Insurance Cancer Care Insurance And more…
To take advantage of this new SCMA (dues-paying) Members-Only Benefit and to learn more about what CSEA has to offer, click on the SCMA logo from the link http://www.calcsea.org/MemberBenefits.aspx
2. We have posted the final, signed Agreements (Contracts) for Rep Units 032 (Management) and 033 (Attorney-Civil Unit). You can find the documents on the SCMA website at www.scmamgt.org by clicking on the “Useful Info” tab, then the “Contracts” tab.
3. We have also posted on the SCMA website a PowerPoint presentation regarding Group Medical Insurance created by the County and distributed at a recent Joint Labor Management meeting. This PowerPoint is posted on our website as a convenience to our members and should not be construed as SCMA’s endorsement of the contents.
As a reminder, there are committed, volunteer members of SCMA who make themselves available to provide services and support to all employees represented by SCMA. Please feel free to contact the following Committee Chairs as needed:
Discipline and Grievance Kathy Bryan Kathy@scmamgt.org Meet & Confer Diana Ruiz Diana@scmamgt.org Membership Tanya Brown Tanya@scmamgt.org
Last, but not least, REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING/LUNCHEON to be held Wednesday, November 12, 2014. Go to the SCMA website to register!
New Member Drive The SCMA Board is embarking on a new member drive. See attached flyer. The flyer (along with membership application and dues deduction authorization form) are being mailed to all non-members. If you know and/or work with a non-dues paying SCMA member, encourage them to sign up today.
09/11/13
SCMA recently received information from the County related to the 2014 Health Care Options. Attached is a comparison of plan costs between the current 2013 rates and the upcoming 2014 rates and other related documents. SCMA has been advised that the County will be sending out letters and additional information about the changes in plans and costs as part of its regular Open Enrollment communication efforts, and that members who currently have Health Net or Blue Cross will receive additional information.
As always, we will provide as much accurate and timely information about this and other issues that affect our members.
2012 SCMA Election process has started. Nomonations now being accepted. Click here for details!
10/14/2011
New Member Drive The SCMA Board is embarking on a new member drive. See attached flyer. The flyer (along with membership application and dues deduction authorization form) are being mailed to all non-members. If you know and/or work with a non-dues paying SCMA member, encourage them to sign up today.
09/09/2011
Fall Luncheon Reminder The next luncheon is scheduled for November 30, 2011 at the Sacramento Hilton. Sign up early at www.scmamgt.org (click on RSVP).
Communications SCMA continues to rely on email (and Twitter for all you Tweeples).Please make sure to update SCMA if you change your personal email address. You can do so by going to www.scmamgt.org and clicking on “Email Me!”. SCMA is not authorized to use the county email system for mass communication to our members, therefore we must use the personal contact information (email address) you provide. In addition, please check your SPAM and or JUNK email filters settings to ensure SCMA (@scmamgt.org) emails will be accepted to preferred personal email accounts.
Dues-Paying Membership – All for One and One for All! Every employee in Representation Units 032 and 033 benefits from SCMA’s efforts, yet many chose not to “pay to play.” We all have a right and responsibility to contribute our fair share to retain the representation SCMA provides through its volunteer-based Board members and handful of other dedicated staff members, as well as the law firm it has on retainer which represents SCMA in protecting the rights and interests of all Unit 032 and 033 staff. If you are currently not a dues-paying member, please seriously consider becoming one. If you are a dues-paying member, you can be proud, knowing that you are doing your part to ensure that our rights as County employees will continue to be recognized through the SCMA stewardship.
Current SCMA Board Members As you are aware, Kathy Bryan, Cathy Girton, Darcy Moehring, Will Roman, Diana Ruiz, and Forrest Williams were recently elected to the SCMA Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013.At the July 6, 2011 SCMA Board meeting the SCMA Board of Directors elected the 2011/12 SCMA Officers as follow: President: Kelsey Johnson Vice President: Forrest Williams Treasurer: Jan Holm Secretary: Nancy Gust Congratulations to everyone and thank you for offering to serve as Officers on the SCMA Board.
Monthly Board Meetings All SCMA members are welcome and encouraged to attend the monthly SCMA Board meetings.The meetings are typically held at 3:00pm the first Wednesday of each month at 3701 Branch Center Road - OB3 Large Conference Room.Please note:The time/location are subject to change, so make sure to check the SCMA website.You can view meetings schedule, minutes, and agendas at http://www.scmamgt.org/meetings/2011meetingschedule.html
6/16/2011
Dear SCMA member:
The Board continues to be very busy. Below is some of the latest information:
Board Elections Congratulations to Kathy Bryan, Cathy Girton, Darcy Moehring, Will Roman, Diana Ruiz, and Forrest Williams upon being elected to the SCMA Board of Directors! We will continue to have a great Board to represent the interests of SCMA members. A huge "Thank you" to our outgoing Board members Sarah Britton, Sue Elliott, John Hinkley, and Kurt Matthews who have all promised to continue to share their expertise and time when called upon. We cannot overstate how much time, energy, and wisdom they have shared.
Agreements (Contracts)
We have great news to report . . . the Board of Supervisors approved the agreements (contracts) for bargaining units 032 (Managers) and 033 (Civil Attorneys) on May 24, 2011. The agreements are posted on the County's website. You can also view and print the agreements from the SCMA website (Useful Information section).
Management Time Off
The Management Time Off (MTO) policy is specifically addressed in the newly approved agreements. Please refer to the SCMA website under the section Useful Information to view the policy. The policy is fairly detailed and should address any questions you may have. If you continue to have questions about the policy or its implementation after reviewing it, please contact a Board member for further clarification.
Negotiating Team
Thank you to all who took an interest regarding the first agreement. We are very happy with the overall product. The Negotiating Team is scheduling a wrap up meeting to review what was most and least effective about the negotiations as well as to identify potential issues for the next Negotiating Team to address in the next agreement. At the beginning of the process we requested your input about what was most important to our membership. We accomplished the top three goals stated by the members which were to maintain our benefits, maintain our salaries, and end furloughs. Now that you have all had an opportunity to review the finished product (and it is fresh in your minds) you may have identified some additional issues. We want to know what those are. The negotiating process is unique, and while there can never be a guarantee that all the goals can be met, the Negotiating Team is going to develop a "wish list" for the next Negotiating Team. In the near future, we will be sending an email to you with instructions on how you can share your suggestions with the next Negotiating Team.
Communication
Please remember to update SCMA if you change your personal email address. You can do so by going to www.scmamgt.org and clicking on “Email Me!”. SCMA is not authorized to use the county email system for mass communication to our members, therefore we must use the personal contact information (email address) you provide. In addition, please check your SPAM and or JUNK email filters settings to ensure SCMA (@scmamgt.org) emails will be accepted to preferred personal email accounts.
Discipline
Unfortunately, at times discipline of our members needs to be addressed. Please contact us as soon as possible if you become aware that you are the subject of a disciplinary matter. There is a formal process that governs disciplinary issues and we can provide information regarding that process.
SCMA Luncheon
The next luncheon has been scheduled for November 30, 2011. Sign up early at www.scmamgt.org (click on RSVP).
Board Meetings
Please remember that you are always welcome to attend any Board meetings. The date, time, and location of the meetings are posted on the SCMA website. At the July meeting (the first official meeting of the new Board) the Board will discuss the dates, times, and locations for future meetings. We will post the information to the website as soon as they are determined. Board meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the website.
Contact Us
Please contact any Board member if you have questions or have anything you want to share. Again, contact information for all Board members is posted on SCMA’s website.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Johnson
President, Sacramento County Management Association
2/22/2011
Dear SCMA members:
We have been off to a very exciting start for the new year and would like to thank all who attended the January Association meeting. The proposed bylaws passed with the following votes: 120 votes for yes; 4 votes for no; and 1 ballot was not marked.
NEW BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS Pursuant to the bylaw changes, we have been very busy. At the February 2, 2011 board of director meeting, three of your fellow voting members were appointed to the Board of Directors by vote of the directors. Please thank and congratulate Sarah Britton (Office of the CountyCounsel), John Hinkley (Sheriff’s Department), and Kurt Matthews (Sacramento County Airport Systems), to the Board of Directors. They have already been active with Board work and will be great resources to our Association Board. Due to the change in operation from calendar year to a fiscal year, SCMA will begin the election process in the next couple of months.
COMMITTEES & COMMITTEE CHAIRS Committee chairs were also announced at that meeting. Committee chairs are responsible for operation of their committees and report to the Board and President. The committees and chairs are as follows: 1) Association Meetings--Jan Holm 2) Membership--Nancy Gust 3) Website--Craig Rader 4) Elections--Brad Buyse 5) Bylaws--Sue Elliott
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Thank you again to Mike Guiver, Rosemary Vaske, and Craig Rader for all the years of service to SCMA, the tireless work, thoughtful insight, and dedication to our membership. They have all been amazing members and continue to work closely with SCMA. Mike continues to provide support wherever it is needed so we will continue utilizing his services as he graciously volunteers. Craig is chair of the website committee and continues to amaze me with his organization and initiative. SCMA is now on twitter--please sign up for the most up-to-date SCMA information. Rosemary has the distinction of being voted as SCMA's first "Honorary Member". As stated at the luncheon, she has graciously agreed to continue attending the negotiation team meetings, taking the critical notes, and advocating on behalf of the membership. She does not have an active vote as an honorary member, but her input is valued and given full consideration.
NEGOTIATIONS
The negotiating team continues to meet, both formally with the County, and in preparation of those meetings. We are unable to share the content of the negotiations and truly understand that can feel very frustrating. Please know we are working very diligently and continue to review information received and hear the concerns of the membership.
DISCIPLINE
An unfortunate reality is that at times there are discipline issues that are presented to SCMA. Lynn Wynn has agreed to chair a committee to work on the discipline committee. Elizabeth Foster-Ward and Cindy Sawhill will join her in that effort.
MEET & CONFER ISSUES
Elizabeth Foster-Ward has also agreed to be the main contact person for "meet and confer" issues with the county. One of the benefits of becoming an REO is that the County is to meet with us regarding certain proposed changes that affect our membership. Now we have a "seat at the table". As managers, we look forward to participating in those discussions, and think we have great perspective regarding real issues that face the county without wanting to impede positive changes.
PRESS With our newfound status, we were recently included in a Wall Street Journal article regarding management groups organizing. It was a very interesting article and it appears as though other management groups organized for many of the same reasons as SCMA. Al Mateer from our negotiating team had his photo included in the article. The article can be viewed at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704754304576095881338244802.html.
BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS
You are always invited and encouraged to attend SCMA Board of Director meetings. We are always looking for people with enthusiasm and a willingness to work hard and participate. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 10361 Rockingham Drive, Rancho Cordova, in the Public Meeting Room. We recommend that you verify the schedule on our website, http://www.scmamgt.org/, to ensure there have been no changes.I hope you find this update informative. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Johnson President Sacramento County Management Association
1/22/2010
Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal. SCMA President was interviewed and photo taken of SCMA negotiating team.
Al Mateer, center, participated in a negotiating-team meeting of the Sacramento County Management Association, a union that represents managers, at a county office in Sacramento, Calif., on Friday.
Even as organized labor's share of America's public and private work force continued to slide last year, unions appeared to be growing in one place, among government managers and high-paid workers.
In Seattle, prosecutors and supervisors at the city's electric utility both have formed collective bargaining units in the past year, while in central Minnesota, managers at a regional library system have created its first union of any kind. In Sacramento County, Calif., a group that includes management engineers and lawyers nine months ago voted to become a collective bargaining unit for the first time.
Washington state's Public Employment Relations Commission saw 43 petitions filed by unions seeking to represent supervisory workers between 2008 and 2010, as governments' fiscal positions weakened amid the nation's economic woes. That was up from 23 such petitions over the previous three years, when times were flusher.
John Brosnan, executive director of the Illinois Labor Relations Board, said his agency, which administers the state's law governing public-worker unions, has also seen a jump in petitions from workers with "higher-rated titles" seeking to organize. Those higher-paid workers appear to be seeking protection at a time of widespread belt-tightening, he said.
The moves come as union membership as a whole continues to slide in the U.S., both in the public and private sectors. Union members accounted for only 11.9% of the work force in 2010, the Labor Department reported Friday, down from 12.3% in 2009 and far below the peak of 28.3% hit in 1954.
The 7.6 million government workers in unions made up more than half of the 14.7 million workers in the U.S. who belonged to a union last year, with the state and local government sectors among the most heavily unionized in the economy. Friday's Labor Department report showed union membership in the public sector slipped to 36.2% in 2010, down from 37.4% the year before, in part reflecting government work-force layoffs.
Forming unions is no guarantee of better wages or benefits. But in practice, simply filing a petition to form a union can prevent pay cuts. That's because governments that allow their employees to unionize are typically barred from making such changes during union organizing, because it could be construed as an illegal attempt to keep the workers from joining.
"Filing a petition makes it a little bit more difficult for a public employer to make a unilateral change to a pension without getting hit with a possible unfair labor-practice charge," said Peter Kirsanow, a Cleveland attorney and former member of the National Labor Relations Board.
Efforts to unionize managers could make it harder for cities to trim their budgets, according to Michael Kolb, executive director of the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, a trade group for high-level government managers, who often negotiate with unions. "It's a roadblock to balance the budget, because it's another process you have to go through," he said.
While nonunion supervisory workers represent just a small slice of government employees, in many cases they are "on the chopping block first" because governments can reduce pay and benefits unilaterally, according to Mr. Kolb.
That's what happened in Emeryville, Calif., a small city just across the bay from San Francisco. Last summer, Emeryville managers lost the ability to get cash in lieu of certain days off.
Hoping to ward off more anticipated cuts, some two dozen managers formed the Confidential, Administrative, Managerial and Professional Employees union late last year. Margaret O'Brien, the new union's president, cited a July city council meeting, when a council member said the city was cutting managers' benefits because, unlike with unions, they could do so without negotiating. "The question becomes at what point do they stop imposing because they can?" Ms. O'Brien said.
Ms. O'Brien has never been in a union and said it felt "a little unusual" being a union president now. Her small group was decidedly against affiliating with a national group, such as the Service Employees International Union that represents many of the city's lower-level workers. "The overwhelming concern was when you associate with a national group, their politics can be your politics," she said.
Public-sector unions at the state and local levels have no federal protection and are governed by state law. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia give collective bargaining rights to most types of public workers, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Managers at the state and local level can typically join unions, in contrast to private-sector managers, who are generally barred from joining unions under federal labor law. Public-sector managers often form their own bargaining units, but in some cases they can join the same unions as their staff, creating potential bargaining conflicts over pensions and other issues.
State and local tax revenues, though once again growing, are still below peak levels in 2008, and money from the 2009 federal stimulus act, which helped prop up budgets, has been largely spent. Concerns about cities' ability to get their fiscal houses in order have roiled the municipal bond market, raising borrowing costs for many cities.
In general, unions have had more success organizing new members in the public sector, compared with the private sector, which is one reason a majority of union members now work for the government. Unions win more than 90% of organizing elections in the public sector, compared with roughly 65% in the private sector, according to Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research at Cornell University. She attributes the higher success rate partly to less opposition by government agencies to union organizing.
At the January 13, 2011 SCMA Luncheon, members voted on changes to the SCMA Bylaws. The SCMA Board of Directors would like to thank all of you who attended the luncheon to cast your vote. The changes passed with 120 “yes votes”, 4 “no votes” and 1 “under vote” (blank). A certified copy of the results will be posted on the SCMA website (www.scmamgt.org) once all signatures are obtained from the ballot committee members.
As mentioned at the luncheon and in earlier correspondences, SCMA will be dealing with many issues now that we are an REO and need help from you, our members. If you are interested in finding out how you can assist SCMA, please contact one of the Board members. We would like to thank you for your continued support and look forward to working closely with you in 2011.
12/10/10 (emailed to membership)
Important News Update from the Sacramento County Management Association
We are sending out this email to SCMA members to give you time to make your reservation for the January 13, 2011 General Membership Luncheon Meeting that will be held at the Hilton Hotel and to provide you with information on the proposed bylaws that you will be voting on at this General Membership Meeting.
The SCMA bylaws are an important governing document and changes are being proposed that reflect our Recognized Employee Organization (REO) status. We are asking that you take the time to review the three (3) attachments that include the current bylaws, the proposed draft bylaws, and a summary of the proposed changes. We were not able to use the right margin computer “tracking” process due to the substantial number of proposed changes. We felt that the best way to share the proposed changes with you was to include a separate summary document for your convenience. You are welcome to contact the SCMA Bylaws Committee members if you have specific questions prior to the general membership meeting on January 13, 2011.
We encourage you to make your reservation online now for the SCMA General Membership Luncheon Meeting by going to the RSVP page as space is limited.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your participation and support during the past year. Your participation is very important to the success of SCMA. Progress is being made on the development of our first REO contract and you will receive an update at the General Membership Luncheon Meeting.
We wish you and your family a Very Happy Holiday Season!
SCMA Board of Directors
Mike Guiver, President and member of the Bylaws Committee RoseMary Vaske, Vice President and member of the Bylaws Committee Nancy Gust, Secretary Forrest Williams, Treasurer Susan Elliott, Chairperson of the Bylaws Committee Kelsey Johnson, member of the Bylaws Committee Brad Buyse Robert Nelson Craig Rader
11/15/10
To all SCMA members,
There is some important news that we would like to share with you on in our effort to keep all of our members updated. The first item is to provide you with information on the election of SCMA Board members for 2011. The nomination period for the 2011 SCMA Board of Directors Election is now closed and the results are as follows:
Group A (Countywide Services Agency)
Brad Buyse, Voter Registration
Elizabeth Foster-Ward, DHHS
Group B (Internal Services Agency, Etc.)
Nancy Gust, Sheriff
Kelsey Johnson, Office of the County Counsel
Group C (Municipal Services Agency, Sanitation Districts Agency)
Jan Holm, Sanitation District/Water Quality
Piper Wilson, Parks and Recreation
There were two seats open in each group and since there were only two nominations for each group no election will be held. Pursuant to Bylaws Section VI, Subsection D....."If all nominees run unopposed there shall be no election held, and the nominees will be automatically appointed by the Board of Directors effective at the January board meeting".Congratulations to all the newly elected and returning board members!
Craig Rader and Mike Guiver decided not to run for a Board seat next year but they both plan on staying very involved and helping the association continue to grow and prosper. RoseMary Vaske will be retiring in January 2011.
The SCMA REO Bargaining Team continues to work on our first contract with Labor Relations. They have been averaging two to three joint bargaining team meetings per month with Labor Relations. Jason Jasmine, chief negotiator for SCMA, will be providing an update on progress at the SCMA Business Luncheon in January.
The next SCMA business luncheon will be on Thursday, January 13, 2011 at the Hilton Hotel. You can make your luncheon reservation and entrée selection online at www.scmamgt.org .
The SCMA Board made the decision to move forward with updating the bylaws. These important governing documents will be available for your review on the SCMA website prior to the January 13th Business Luncheon. A vote will need to be taken by the general membership present at the luncheon to approve the new document. You will be sent an email in December directing you to the online copy of the draft bylaws. This will allow you time to review the proposed draft bylaws prior to the vote.
It is important to remember that the only way to vote on thebylaws and the REO contract is to be a member of SCMA. The membership application and voluntary deduction form are available on the website www.scmamgt.org or you may contact any of the board members and we will help you with the membership application process.
We want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!
09/16/2010
Update to all SCMA members,We are sending this email to update you on several issues of importance to all members. This year we will not be having a fall general membership luncheon. We were planning a luncheon for mid-October but we have decided to wait until we have definite news to share on a proposed collective bargaining agreement and a revised set of bylaws.
The SCMA Bargaining Team continues to meet on a regular basis with the Sacramento County Labor Relations Bargaining Team. The SCMA Bargaining Team has had six joint meetings with Labor Relations to date and the work of drafting the first contract is moving forward. There is no completion date on the horizon yet but we will be sending out information and offering opportunities to meet to discuss the proposed collective bargaining agreement prior to a SCMA membership vote taking place. You have to be a dues paying member of SCMA in order to vote on the SCMA REO Collective Bargaining Agreement for 032 (management) and 033 (civil attorneys).
A special thank you to all of the SCMA members who took the time to respond to our email asking for input on priorities for the SCMA Bargaining Team. We received over sixty-five responses. The information received has been summarized and shared with our chief negotiator, Jason Jasmine.
Please share this email with other managers in 032 and 033. And, if the manager or civil attorney has not joined SCMA yet you can remind them that the membership information and the forms to complete can be found HERE.
06/28/10
Two important votes were taken at the Sacramento County Management Association Business Luncheon on June 24, 2010. The SCMA members voted overwhelming to increase the dues of SCMA members to $10.00 per pay period. The Department of Personnel Services has informed us that this increase is expected to show on your Pay Period #15 paystubs. We heard your request to keep the membership dues at a reasonable level and we have complied. The second vote taken was to approve the nominees to the historic first SCMA bargaining team. The membership voted and approved Sue Elliott, Craig Rader, Kelsey Johnson, Al Mateer and RoseMary Vaske. This process is tentatively scheduled to start in early July. SCMA is pleased to announce that Michelle Espy, a member of our civil attorney’s REO, is a new member of the SCMA Board of Directors. She will fill the position vacated by Bruce Coker. We want to thank Bruce for his participation on the Board and we wish him the very best in the future.
Remember that membership in SCMA is very important as that is the only way you will be able to vote on membership issues in the future. This includes the opportunity to vote on our first REO contract! Let other managers know that you are a SCMA member and the importance of joining so they too can take part in shaping the future!Membership forms can be obtained on the SCMA website or by contacting one of the Board Members directly.Help us in our effort to “Go Green” by checking the SCMA website for ongoing information at www.scmamgt.org.
6/25/10
Per request from SCMA members at the June 24th SCMA Luncheon, below is a copy of a correspondence from the SCMA Lawyer to the County Exeuctive (dated May 21, 2010) requesting clarification of a memo and follow-on conversation regarding COLA's and Equity Adjustments. Following receipt of this letter, the County Executive informed SCMA that the issue did not apply to SCMA members.
The Sacramento County Management Association would like to thank everyone who took part in the historic election on April 29, 2010. Attached are copies of the press releases regarding the managers and civil attorneys. We thank you for your continued support, and look forward to this new beginning. Click the following links for Press Releases:
We would like to take this opportunity to update you with a progress report on our efforts to become the recognized employee organization (REO) for the managers of SacramentoCounty. Please see attached document.
3/12/10
County managers are invited to join SCMA Board members for dessert at one of several scheduled information sharing sessions to learn more about the status of the on-going Recognized Employee Organization (REO) effort, the date for the REO election, and why it is in your best interest for SCMA to become a REO. See FLYER for dates/times/locations of the information sharing sessions.
2/22/2010
See FLYER for upcoming LTD Insurance open enrollment meeting dates/times/locations.
2/10/2010
The following message was sent to the BOS regarding the compaction issue on 02/08/10:
Dear Chairman Dickinson and Members of the Board,
The Sacramento County Management Association (SCMA) would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued interest and desire to resolve the ongoing management compaction issues that have been presented to your Board over the last several months. We would also like to recognize Mr. Devine, Mr. Norris, and Mr. Lopez for their continued efforts regarding this issue.
We are sorry that we were unable to attend the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on January 26, 2010 when the manager compaction issue was brought back to your Board.
On January 14th, SCMA met with Mark Norris, David Devine and Joe Lopez to discuss the issues presented on January 26th. Shortly after this meeting, David Devine shared the Board letter with us and we felt comfortable that we had reached an understanding. However, since viewing the Board item, we recognize that we have some issues that will require further discussion.
We would like to make it clear, that while we understand during these difficult financial times your Board is unable to maintain the 10% spread between management and subordinate classes, SCMA does not agree that the 7% compaction rate currently used should become the new policy in the Unrepresented Pay Plan. The 10% spread as identified in the Pay Plan should remain as the policy with the understanding that it is currently unachievable due to the county’s fiscal situation. To suggest anything less will impact the county’s ability to recruit and retain quality managers.
Additionally, SCMA looks forward to continuing the dialogue with the Department of Personnel Services and your Board regarding the following compaction issues:
·Natural versus un-natural relationships between management and subordinate classes ·Differentials used in determining compaction
As you are probably aware by now, there is a grass roots movement gaining momentum to determine whether there is enough interest via signature cards to organize the managers of Sacramento County into a Recognized Employee Organization (REO). The difficult financial situation the County has found itself in has resulted in unilateral reductions in management and unrepresented compensation and benefits. SCMA members believe that the best way to move forward and protect the benefits we have left is by becoming an REO. This would ensure that we “have a seat at the table” when it comes to working through the financial difficulties faced by the County.
Becoming an REO does not have to compromise our professionalism as managers. It does however, make the County Leadership sit down, recognize, and negotiate with us in the issue involving compensation and benefits. US Airways pilot Sully Sullenberger has said that one of the benefits of a union is that it levels the playing field and that it’s only through a union that collectively we have a voice.
Some REO’s have worked with the County and renegotiated contracts that included deferrals of some benefits, with timelines on when those deferrals would end. The offers made by these REO’s are all less severe than the reductions management was forced to accept. When the Sacramento County Managers Association (SCMA) asked if it was possible to defer, rather than eliminate, COLA’s, step increases, etc. we were told NO. To mitigate the loss of cash out for vacation over max we recommended an increase in the maximum vacation accrual, again the response was NO. The loss of cash out for vacation over max and the elimination of the 2009-10 COLA is a permanent reduction in your compensation. These reductions will affect you for the rest of your career and will also affect your retirement benefit.
Up to this point, the communication between the County leadership and SCMA has been one sided. They met with us and told us what they are going to recommend to the Board of Supervisors. The only tool SCMA has is to speak at the Board meetings just like any other constituent. Unfortunately, these efforts have been largely ignored.
It is crucial that we protect the benefits we currently have, as well as continue to rally for benefits that are comparable to surrounding governmental agencies. To this end, we are asking for your help in taking the first step in determining interest on whether to become an REO. Please complete the Employee Showing of Interest Card so that we can move toward the confidential ballot vote by all 050 managers. Remember, by signing the card you are not voting; only expressing interest in allowing the process to move forward. If SCMA obtains cards from 30 percent of 050 membership, a confidential ballot election will be held in Early 2010.
After many years of service to the managers of the Sacramento County Management Association (SCMA), Phil Fischbach resigned from his position as SCMA President and from the SCMA Board of Directors on September 10, 2009. The Board would like to thank Phil for his service and the effort he put forth into improving the communication and working relationships with the County leadershipand for addressing management issues before the Board of Supervisors.
At the SCMA Board meeting on September 15th, the Board unanimously approved Sue Elliott, previous Vice-President, as President and Michael Guiver as Vice-President, with terms ending December 31, 2009.
Nominations for new Board members will be sent out during the 4th week of October with elections taking place between November 30th and December 18th. We encourage all SCMA members interested in making a difference to get involved either by running for the Board, volunteering for a committee, or becoming involved in any way you believe your talents or voice could be utilized. These are exciting times and there is plenty of work to be done.
We look forward to seeing you on October 15th at our 2009 Fall Business Luncheon being held at the Arden West Hilton. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.scmamgt.org/.
Sincerely,
2009 SCMA Board of Directors
September 11, 2009 SCMA Presentation to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Click ICON on the right to view the video clip.
The 2009 Fall Luncheon will be on Thursday, October 15th at the Hilton (see "Events" page for more information and directions). To RSVP, please go to the RSVP Page.
County managers protest suggested budget cut
by Kathleen Haley, published on September 11, 2009 at 6:56PM
08/21/09 Message from SCMA President, Phil Fischbach
Dear SCMA Members,
First, I would like to thank all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to attend last week’s Board meeting and to support SCMA. Your presence was both visually and audibly impressive. Many have asked why we did not discuss the Management Sick Leave Pay-Out at Retirement issue, especially since that was originally the primary reason we attended the meeting. In case you were not aware, we were informed a few weeks ago this issue would be on the agenda with other Report Backs at the Board meeting. After we had sent out the post card notices to all 050 members, it was decided by the County Executive’s Office it would not be placed on the BOS agenda. Since we had already committed to address the Board at the meeting, we decided we would use the opportunity to address several issues of concern, including the Management Sick Leave Pay-Out issue. Members of the SCMA Board of Directors came to the meeting fully prepared to address the issue with a 2-pronged approach. I was to present a general concern about several management issues, including the Management Sick Leave Pay-Out, and Al Mateer (SCMA Past President) was going to present a detailed follow-up exclusively focused on the Management Sick Leave Pay-Out. During the course of the Report Back presentations, I was summoned to the lobby by Nav Gill, Chief Operations Officer for the County. During the discussion it became apparent it would be in SCMA’s best interest not to address the issue during our presentations that day. Hence, I deleted the issue from our presentations. We were informed this benefit would not be discussed in the final budget hearings and have been promised when, or if, this issue does arise again, we will be fully involved in all aspects of the policy decision, up to and including one-on-one discussions with individualBoard members, if required. Once again, thank you for your support of your SCMA Board’s efforts to advocate for the interests of all managers. We will get through these difficult budget times together. Feel free to contact me or any member of the SCMA Board by telephone or through our web site at any time. www.scmamgt.org. We look forward to you joining us for the Annual SCMA Business luncheon on Thursday, October 15th at the Hilton Hotel located at 2200 Harvard Street. Meeting announcements will be sent out in September. Phil Fischbach, President SCMA Board of Directors
876-6310
August 11, 2009 SCMA Presentation to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Click ICON on the right to view the video clip.
The SCMA Board of Directors has posted a video of the portion of the June 15, 2009 Board meeting where retirement sick leave payment was discussed.To view the video, go to: (http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5320953/14028316).Runtime is approximately 18 minutes.
Reminder:On Monday, June 22, 2009 from 11:00 to 12:00, the SCMA Board and Nav Gill, the County’s Chief Operations Officer, will be conducting the first (in a series) information sharing event at the Board of Supervisor’s Chambers (700 H Street).We encourage you to attend and support our concerns.
06/12/2009 Management Sick Leave
To 050 Management Employees:
As you are all aware, with the current budget issues, there is a lot of activity on several fronts in the County. The SCMA Board of Directors has been meeting frequently with the CountyExecutive’s team to discuss these issues. One of the points that has been made frequently is that we, management employees, need information. Acknowledging this issue, Nav Gill has agreed to meet with all County management employees for Information Sharing Sessions on a monthly basis. These meetings will be jointly hosted by the CountyExecutive’s Office and the SCMA Board of Directors. The meetings will be interactive. Nav Gill will provide updates and questions will be encouraged. This is our opportunity to provide valuable input that can help affect change. Your attendance at these meetings is appreciated. It is our hope that these meetings will be informative and productive. We hope to see you there.
****The first meeting is on Monday June 22nd at 11:00 – 12:00 in the Board of Supervisors Chambers 1st floor 700 H Street.
Phil Fischbach, President, SCMA Board of Directors
Nav Gill, Chief Operations Officer County Executive’s Office
In addition to the above notice from Phil and Nav, the attached Board letter regarding management sick leave is on Monday's Board of Supervisors' Agenda.The SCMA Board is attending the meeting to represent the interests of SCMA members.
![[BOSSES]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-BJ952_BOSSES_G_20110121175616.jpg)
Max Whittaker/Prime for The Wall Street Journal
