Petition For Worker Justice at Community Housing Partnership!

PETITION FOR FAIR TREATMENT AND JUSTICE AT COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

1. First, two Union members had their positions eliminated and their pay reduced by over $2.00/hour, which creates hardships for them, both financially and the area of professional development. Management claims that they had to reduce wages and eliminate these positions to save money at Civic Center Hotel; meanwhile, the Collective Bargaining Agreement makes it clear that Management cannot make these changes without working with the Union for a just and equitable solution. After repeated requests to meet and have this collaborative discussion in a fully informed manner, it has not yet happened. The Union and their allies DEMAND that this discussion begin NOW with all necessary information freely shared between Management and the Union. CHP staff and residents have successfully organized and mobilized to pressure the Mayor's office to pledge a 2.5% increase to their budget for homelessness service. The Union believes that these monies, and other financial options, can restore these two positions and adequately cover the wages that Management unilaterally reduced. This violates the Union contract's "Layoff, Recall, and Hiring Section 1: Layoff Procedures."

2. Second, a Human Resources Manager unlawfully physically touched and intimidated a Union member in a closed door disciplinary meeting in June 2017, as witnessed by a Shop Steward. The member affected demanded that this Manager not touch him. This is the most explicit example of a steady pattern of Management intimidating Union members and leaders. This violates the Union contract's "Dignity and Respect" clause.

3. Lastly, Management has engaged in unjustly writing up the Senior Shop Steward for "poor performance" during a period when their decisive performance criteria, as confirmed by his direct Manager and Director, improved from the previous year. Moreover, there is no proof for their claims of "poor performance." Management has refused to remiove this unjust performance notice from their file. This violates the Union contract's "Just Cause" clause.
Every Union member is affected by these changes because if Managers are able to do these unfair and unjust actions to a few members with impunity, there is nothing deterring them from targeting other members next. We're stronger together!

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
SOLIDARITY!
JUSTICE!
EQUITY!
FAIR TREATMENT!

SEE the Collective Bargaining Agreement here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/static/clients/content/FINAL%20CBA%20with%20TOC%20.pdf?1472772350951

FULL PETITION AND DEMANDS HERE:
WHEREAS Brothers Avery Hastings Richards and Josh Steinberger were hired as Program Coordinators at the Civic Center Hotel at a wage of $20.50, as agreed to in the Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified by the 130 member bargaining unit.

WHEREAS these Brothers’ positions were unilaterally phased out by Management.

WHEREAS these Brothers’ wages unilaterally reduced to $18.87.

WHEREAS Management made these decisions in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement* ratified by the 130 member bargaining unit. *ARTICLE 9: Layoff, Recall, and Hiring Section 1: Layoff Procedures

WHEREAS During a series of negotiations to avert the layoffs, Management repeatedly changed the rationale for the layoffs.

WHEREAS Despite citing both programmatic and budgetary needs in the letter, management initially informed the union that the layoffs were 100% budgetary, before subsequently claiming 70% budgetary, and finally 50% budgetary.

WHEREAS Management has not honored the Union’s request for financial information in order to verify Management’s claims of budgetary reasons for the layoff.

WHEREAS Chief Shop Steward, Mark Ostapiak was given “Notice of Written Warning” EPN.

WHEREAS said EPN stated that “as a direct result” of Mr. Ostapiak’s “poor performance” at the Training Center, former Trainees/current Solutions SF employees were not able to recall information that they learned in the training.

WHEREAS management provided no evidence to prove their claim of “poor performance.”

WHEREAS the EPN violates ARTICLE 11; JUST CAUSE & PERSONNEL FILES, Section 1: Just Cause (“The Employer shall not discipline or discharge a Bargaining Unit employee who has passed their introductory period without just cause.”)

WHEREAS Marcela Vargas was seen by a Shop Steward putting hands on Brother Jonathan Benevides during a disciplinary meeting in June.

WHEREAS Ms. Vargas’s actions violated ARTICLE 27; DIGNITY AND RESPECT, Section 1: Cooperative Workplace (“Intimidating behavior between supervisor and employee is not acceptable.”)

WHEREAS There has been a consistent practice by management to change the job duties and work schedules without meeting with the Union to discuss these changes.

WHEREAS It is the Union’s right to discuss these changes and work with Management to achieve a fair outcome.

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DEMAND THAT
1) Mr. Steinberger and Mr. Hastings Richards be returned to their previous positions of Program Coordinator at their previous rates of pay.
2) Provide any and all back wages, with interest, for time served at the lower pay classification.
3) Completely fulfill the Union’s financial information request.
4) Provide a signed document from Gail Gilman, Executive Director of CHP, clearly stating the rationale for the layoffs, and offering an explanation for the inconsistent message.
5) Meet and Confer with the Union to seriously consider alternatives to layoff after all information requests have been satisfied.
6) Drop Mark’s EPN for “poor performance” and completely remove it from his file.
7) Immediately stop intimidation by Human Resources and/or Management.
8) All parties affected by these unfair practices by Management be otherwise made whole.