Rancho Palos Verdes union seeks raises
The Rancho Palos Verdes Employees Association is waiting patiently for a draft Memo of Understanding from city officials that could set the ground rules for contract negotiations.
The association formed last year ending RPV’s 38-year distinction as one of the only area cities without an employee’s union.
Eduardo Schonborn, association president, said the 41 non-management employees represented by the association would like to continue receiving cost-of-living adjustments each year. Last July was the first year in recent history that COLA increases were not granted city employees, Schonborn said.
“We acknowledge we are in a great situation budget-wise,” Schonborn said. “We consistently have surpluses. We have no debt. There are no bonds. We have a reserve fund both in our general fund and for capital improvements. And we have not been given a COLA as of now.”
City Manager Carolyn Lehr said the city has long had a merit pay system where employees could receive pay raises based on performance.
“COLA increases were typically dealt with separately or in some years as a combination of merit increases that would be available,” said Lehr, who views this first year dealing with the association as critically important to establish good relations going forward.
But Schonborn and others are getting impatient.
“We are financially stable and the key here is that we wish to remain so,” Lehr said.