BACKGROUND
As you know, our MOU with the County was scheduled to expire on September 30th of this year. The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that after several months of informal discussions and formal negotiations, the Association of Deputy District Attorneys has executed a Tentative Agreement (TA) for a successor MOU with the County of Los Angeles. The TA was executed by ADDA’s Contract Negotiation Team (CNT) on July 23, 2015 at 11:45 a.m.
The Board of Directors and the CNT believes that this successor MOU is fair and equitable and recommends that the ADDA Membership vote in favor of ratification.
TERMS OF THE PROPOSED SUCCESSOR MOU
3 years (10/1/15 – 9/30/18)
-
Negotiated Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLA)
10% over 3 years:
3% 10/01/15
3% 10/01/16
2% 10/01/17
2% 04/01/18
In an extensive parallel dialog with DA management,
including District Attorney Jackie Lacey herself, the parties have agreed to review the existing practice and investigate alternatives to the much-despised written knowledge test component of the promotional exam process. This portends a historic modification to what has become an onerous and disruptive ordeal. One sign of this you may have already noticed: The promotional lists were extended for a year, until June and August of 2016, while DA Management and the ADDA work out the details of the new promotional process.
Further, in a virtually unprecedented demonstration of management’s good faith interest in improving this process, rather than merely asking us to trust her, District Attorney Lacey has provided a written statement of her interest in ameliorating the process with ADDA working alongside her management team. We are sharing that letter as an attachment
here.
-
New Article 33 — MCLE Professional Development & Training
The ADDA agreed to a new contract provision that states in pertinent part:
“
… [M]anagement will grant as equitably as possible to all members of the bargaining unit paid County time to attend work-related educational programs such as conferences, workshops, seminars, or symposiums that offer approved MCLEs …. Such approval shall not be unreasonably denied.”
The long and the short of it is should any ADDA Member have concerns over the administration of what has been an exclusive management right, the matter will become subject to appeal through the previously negotiated Grievance Procedure.
1. COLA Protection
In addition the ADDA negotiated protection for ADDA Members with a Most Favored Nations (sometimes referred to as a “Me Too”) Clause. In short, should any other LA County bargaining unit secure a more favorable general COLA, then ADDA Members shall receive the same benefit.
2. Longevity Pay Protection
While the County rejected our proposals for
Longevity Pay, we were able to negotiate protection for ADDA Members. Should any other LA County bargaining unit that does not currently have this benefit secure
Longevity Pay during this cycle of bargaining, ADDA Members shall receive the same benefit.
3. Other Represented County Attorney Unit Protection
Additionally, recognizing that ADDA is not the only represented LA County attorney group, we negotiated protection for ADDA Members. Specifically, any and all compensation increase(s) that the County agrees to grant to any other represented County attorneys will be extended to ADDA Members.
Will be addressed in a separate explanatory message that accompanies the ratification ballot that will be mailed to your home address on record on August 10, 2015. Perhaps the most important thing for you to know is that the
CNT avoided any concessions or “give-backs” to the County or the DA’s Office by ADDA Members.
RATIFICATION PROCESS
To ensure Membership confidence, Haynie & Company—a highly regarded independent CPA firm with considerable experience in conducting such elections for unions—is conducting the entire ratification process. They have agreed to make certain changes to the balloting process to eliminate any controversy as to the confidentiality of the vote.
This has been a long time coming, and we appreciate your patience while we have rebuilt ADDA and simultaneously negotiated on your behalf. We know that our work is far from finished, but this marks a great step forward for the world’s finest District Attorney’s Office. We hope you will see that this contract confirms that your dedication and sacrifice as public servants has not gone unnoticed, and we are very proud to represent you.
If you have any questions or comments, as well as to avoid circulating unsubstantiated rumors and conjecture about the details of the proposed MOU, please contact President Marc Debbaudt at (818) 489-9603 or
mdebbaudt@laadda.com.
I want to personally thank the Contract Negotiating Team: Vice President Michele Hanisee and our Treasurer James Evans, and the other Board Members who strongly support ratification of this agreement—Bobby Grace, Craig Gold, and Eric Siddall. I also extend our thanks to the County’s Chief Negotiator, Maurice Cooper, and Assistant District Attorney Pam Booth with whom we worked closely. After you read the letter about the promotional testing signed by District Attorney Jackie Lacey, please consider thanking her when you see her in the hallway.
Finally, none of this would have happened if we hadn’t hired our highly experienced Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, John Rees, our subject-matter expert, Cathy O’Brien, and our Executive Assistant, Juliana Konze. The retention of these invaluable staff members was made possible by the ADDA Members who voted to stop giving our dues money to the financial vampire known as AFSCME.
Finally, I sincerely believe this agreement is proof that we were absolutely right to disaffiliate from AFSCME. We have demonstrated that an independent ADDA could both save significant amounts of money and do as well, if not better, than anything AFSCME could have achieved. I believe the prestige and clout of your ADDA is growing and the future is promising, and the ADDA looks forward to continue to advance your interests.
Thank you for your support and confidence.
Sincerely,
Marc
