The applause that rang out at the Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting Jan. 5 was for the unanimous vote in favor of rejecting proposed changes to overtime pay calculations.  But it might just as well have been for the effective use of Meet & Confer.

  "County employees are already being asked to do more work with fewer resources and overtime, in many cases, has already been eliminated or reduced," said Jess Gauntt, a mechanic at the Ina Road treatment plant.  He added that those employees who are still receiving overtime are usually providing services in emergency situations that have a direct impact in public safety.

SEIU Pima Chapter members had spoken out against the proposed overtime pay changes at the December Board of Supervisors meeting.  Had they been adopted, those changes would have eliminated annual leave, compensatory time and paid holidays from being included in OT pay calculations.  SEIU members at yesterday's meeting successfully encouraged the Board to do the right thing and reject the changes.

"As this issue demonstrates, open dialogue between management and employees works," said Library Associate Maya Castillo in her remarks to the Board.  "This new year is a time when we know Pima County will face a lot of tough questions.  We are more ready than ever to help find answers."

Supervisor Richard Elias agreed.  He praised the work of SEIU members in challenging proposed changes to the personnel rules and said other issues that may arise should also be referred to the Meet & Confer system.

With the recent election of our new Bargaining Team, Pima Chapter members are indeed ready to sit down with management to find solutions that will maintain jobs and services through another tough budget year.  As this victory demonstrates, we not only have a voice, we have a voice that's listened to.

Photo: Pima Chapter member Jess Gauntt