2022-03-10 Merit Appeals Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board March 10, 2022 So, we're tracking that very carefully because, just for your information, I'vewe do have classes of work in the Bargaining Unit 3, our clerical group they're getting paid SR-08—zero eight. We have 14 employees that minimum that pay is $15.92. Bargaining Unit 3, SR -10, which we have 77 employees—minimum—the hourly wage is 16.92; SR -11 in BU3, we have 89 employees—$17.58 an hour. We're okay with the other bargaining units, however, with the increase in the minimum wage, it will cause an inversion effect on all salaries. And so, we're very mindful of that. The employer group is watching it closely and we're going to be having more and more discussions on that. But I wanted to let you know those are the three main bills we are tracking because it will have an impact on us as an employer. CHR. CABANAS: I have a comment and a question. MR. LEOPOLDINO: Sure. CHR. CABANAS: Because—yes—increasing the minimum wage impacts the salary schedule, especially the starting step for all bargaining units and for the bulk of the bargaining units— bargaining—except for maybe BUl the minimum qualification requirements are such that they have to have graduated high school, have to have so many years of experience. And so, the salary schedules have historically been set up to reflect that. And the Bargaining Unit 1, I think is you can correct me if I'm wrong, if my memory is not serving me right—but I think Bargaining Unit 1 is the only bargaining unit with no salary steps? MR. LEOPOLDINO: Correct. CHR. CABANAS: Right. So, they only have one step and that's the step the person stays on. MR. LEOPOLDINO: Correct. CHR. CABANAS: So, if they increase the minimum wage, I would think that the employers would look at all salary schedules because it's not right to have minimum qualification requirements and these individuals are now reaching or encroaching is a better word encroaching the salary step the minimum salary step of a bargaining unit. That's not right. These individuals have worked for education and experience to get that salary. In the private sector they're getting minimum wage, but a lot of these are service occupations—kitchen, food service, housekeeping—maybe some custodial/maintenance type of work, fast-food type of work. And soI don't know, that just doesn't sit right. It's likeWaylen, in your previous comments to the Board you said "value the employees" yeah. How do you value the employees and the other employers—how do they value the employees if we allow this to occur? Because then, you are really going to have a retention problem. Page 15