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LABOR/MANAGEMENT TEAM PROCEDURE
(Local #493 and department administration)

M.P. 105.16 03/03-R

• PREAMBLE
• PURPOSE
• DISCUSSION
• PROCEDURE
• RESPONSIBILITES

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PREAMBLE

• The purpose of the labor/management process is to make the Phoenix Fire Department more effective as an organization. The focus of our efforts is the total commitment to the quality of our services - internally and externally. The labor/management process assists in planning policy and procedures as well as resolving a variety of challenges/issues that arise.

• The Fire Chief and the Local 493 Union President chair the Correlating Team and are committed to requiring compliance with agreements made through "the process" and participation in "the process".

• Management and labor leadership commit to participate in planning and development (not co-manage). In doing so, management shares authority and Labor shares responsibility or the process will not work.

• There is equal representation in the labor/management process, but outside of that process we carry out our own roles within the structure of our Department. We are Firefighters, Engineers, Captains, ALS, BLS, Chiefs, Specialists and other roles in specific positions.

• Labor and Management must continually work on the issue of trust, respect and credibility in the "process." In turn, these values foster trust, respect and credibility among the "participants" individually.

• It is okay to agree to disagree on certain issues, when this occurs go ahead and process areas of agreement. If we disagree, yet management proceeds with their plan, it shouldn't be represented as a labor/management agreement. When we make a "deal," follow through. If we can't, then get back together and change the deal.

• Meet and communicate regularly, deal with each other directly, and take care of problems when they are small. Call first and talk to each other before you make a big deal out of a conflict.

• Always work on the relationship as well as the issues. Don't sacrifice a relationship for an outcome. The most important strength we have for the future is the relationship that we have with each other. It's really not a secret how the individual participants really feel about the labor/management process.

• It should not be a secret how the individual participants really feel about the labor/management process.

• Represent the labor/management process for what it really is - it is not in place to take advantage of either group or to abuse the process. Understand that conflict will occur and use the process to change the process.

• The Fire Chief has the final decision-making capability for management decisions.

• The Union President has the final decision-making capability for labor decisions.

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to help Phoenix Fire Department members understand the labor/ management team process so that they can become involved and to establish guidelines for Teams and subcommittees to conduct meetings and process issues. This procedure will:

1. Assure that all Fire Department members are kept informed of upcoming meetings through the use of Labor/Management Support Team.
2. Assure that issues discussed in the meetings are brought to the attention of all Department members.
3. Insure that all team and subcommittee meetings, pre-meeting work, and post-meeting work is conducted in a standard manner.
4. The use and coordination of the Labor/Management Support Team “in the process” is an effective tool.

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DISCUSSION

Teams and subcommittees are important parts of the operation of the Phoenix Fire Department. Within this framework, any member of the Department may have an impact on everything from deployment of our resources, to the design of our equipment, or the Department's Customer Service Program and the like.

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PROCEDURE

The following guidelines are intended to provide a basis for the process and to assure uniformity:

1. All Fire Department labor/management teams will operate within the guidelines set by this procedure. The only exceptions to this policy are Committees that deal with sensitive personnel issues, such as the Critical Incident Debriefing Team.
2. Meetings are open to all Department members and the public, except as indicated by the Correlating Team.
3. Every team and subcommittee shall have a management and a labor co-chair. The management co-chair shall be appointed by the Fire Chief or designee and the labor co-chair shall be appointed by the Union President or designee.
4. If a team or a subcommittee needs to meet on an emergency basis, reasonable effort shall be made to contact every member by telephone to notify them of the meeting. Actions taken at a meeting called on an emergency basis shall be reported at their next regularly noticed and scheduled meeting. Again, use of the Labor/Management Support Team would be of benefit.
5. Teams shall attempt to meet quarterly but shall meet not less than two times a year. The co-chairs shall consult with each other to see if a meeting is needed or shall pre-schedule meetings quarterly. Subcommittees will meet as needed. Notification of such meetings shall be coordinated by the co-chairs through Labor/Management Support Team.
6. Actions recommended or taken by subcommittees shall be reported to and validated by the respective labor/management team.
7. The date, time, location, and a summary agenda for each team and certain subcommittee meetings shall be posted in the Buckslip a minimum of two weeks prior to the meeting. Co-chairs shall provide the Labor/Management Support Team with this information for inclusion in the weekly notices.
8. In order to make sure that all points of view are heard, team and subcommittee members shall attend and participate in meetings and make every effort to represent their respective Constituencies. This effort shall include discussion of issues with the people that they represent. For example, a member of the Apparatus and Equipment Committee who is an Engineer should talk to other Engineers about team or subcommittee issues and represent those opinions at the Committee meeting.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

LABOR/MANAGEMENT TEAM CO-CHAIRS

The Committee Co-chairs shall:

1. Develop agendas for team or subcommittee meetings.
2. Assure that all points of view are heard at all meetings; the co-chairs have the right to limit the amount of time devoted to any one subject or speaker.
3. Assure that there is a balanced membership of labor and management and assure that teams and subcommittees have representatives from all areas of the Department affected by the work of the group. Sunset subcommittees when their work is completed unless they are identified as a "standing subcommittee."
4. Assure that regular meetings of the team are held as needed, but not less than twice a year.
5. Provide the Research and Planning section with the following information for inclusion in the Team Directory:

   a. Name of the Team	b. Purpose of the Team
   c. Names of the co-chairs	d. Frequency of meetings
   e. Name and phone number of the Team liaison (secretary), if any.	f. Updated list of the team's membership

6. Co-chairs make every effort to contact all team and/or subcommittee members by telephone in the event of an emergency meeting.
7. Provide the Labor/Management Support Team with the following information by 1600hrs Monday, at minimum two weeks prior to the team meeting for inclusion in the weekly meeting notice:
        a. Name of the Team
        b. Date, time, and location of the meeting
        c. List of key items to be discussed
8. Upon receipt of upcoming meeting information from co-chairs, the Labor/Management Support Team will notify all team members by utilizing Buckslip, e-mail, or PFN.
9. Co-chairs to assure that within two weeks after a team meeting, summary minutes of the meeting shall be published in the Buckslip and/or e-mail.
10. In the vast majority of issues, the labor/management teams and subcommittees will be able to reach consensus. However, from time to time there will be issues on which they simply cannot reach agreement. When this occurs, as co-chairs of the Correlating Team, the Fire Chief and Union President may be of assistance in reaching consensus. If this is not successful, the labor/management preamble should guide the actions that the Department takes.

All Fire Department members shall review the meeting notice in the Buckslip, e-mail, or PFN. Members should always attend meetings as desired and express their viewpoint or contact a team or sub-committee member prior to the meeting to express their views.