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Binding Arbitration
The Santa Rosa Firefighters-Local 1401 have enjoyed the protection of Binding Arbitration, (B.A.). Since obtaining B.A., we have made substantial gains towards pay equity with other comparable Bay Area and California departments, without invoking B.A.. The reason for these gains are simple, under B.A., unlike our old system of Collective Bargaining, (which we referred to as "Collective Begging"), there really is an expectation that both sides will have a fair and impartial hearing of their differences, during contract negotiations. With that expectation, and armed with statistics and facts relative to other comparable sized departments, the city had no choice other than to make a good faith effort to correct the sizable gap in our total compensation package.
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- Prior to voter approved Measure A, which created a Charter amendment stipulating B.A. for all disputes of wages, hours and working conditions, the city had full control to unilaterally implement changes in these areas. There was a requirement that they make a "good faith" effort to meet and confer with us on the issues, but there was no requirement that they demonstrate need, back up their position with supporting data, or reach a mutual agreement with the Bargaining Unit. So long as they had met the weak criteria of meeting and conferring with us, they could then go to the City Council and have their position unilaterally imposed on the Bargaining Unit. Sadly, this was often the case.
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- Finally, out of frustration with a system that gave the city virtually complete control over wages, hours and working conditions, and resulted in Santa Rosa Firefighters being at the bottom of the compensation scale for cities of comparable size, Firefighters resolved to ask the citizens to put some fairness into the process. After asking the City Council to place the measure on the next ballot, a request that was flatly denied, the Firefighters and Police Officers went out and acquired the necessary signatures, of city voters, to put the measure on the next ballot.
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- A campaign was then mounted by both sides to argue the merits of Measure A, a campaign that saw Firefighters and Police Officers spending thousands of hours informing the citizens of our situation and the need for B.A.. At the same time, the Police Chief, Fire Chief and City Manager came out against the measure, and predicted "Doom and Gloom" should the measure pass. Most notably, they said that it would leave the city unable to pay for other city needs, and take away the city's ability to supervise and discipline effectively.
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- The measure was voted in by the citizens of Santa Rosa, and since then we have seen a much fairer approach to contract negotiations, while at the same time the city enjoys a budget surplus and continues to operate effectively. The citizens of Santa Rosa answered the call for help, from their Firefighters and Police Officers by passing Measure A, which is something that all of us remember and appreciate.
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Thank you Santa Rosa!
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