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North Texas Association of Public Employees

Steel Workers Local 9479

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Dallas Animal Services Meeting

January 30th, 2012

Questions Presented:

1. What is being done to provide Rabies/Tetanus shots for Field Service Officers, or other employees exposed to possibly infected animals and wildlife? When can we expect this to be implemented?

A. Shots were given up until 2007 and were then stopped. Date for new vaccinations program outline is March 1, 2012. Effort to verify previously vaccinated individuals may be helpful

2. What measures are being taken to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the Euthanasia Lab (E. Lab)?

A. All staff at DAS has access to the E. Lab. Only certified persons may perform E. 3. What measures are being taken to ensure that controlled substances are secured properly? Are employees trained properly on all chemicals, including cleaning agents?

A. Bleach and a general cleaning agent were mixed causing a vapor risk. Training was implemented to stem further incidents.

4. Are temporary employees euthanizing animals? If so, are they trained properly? What kind of training is provided?

A. No, temps are not E. animals. Temps are in the same room when the procedure is being done however. 5. Will Field Service Officers, female and male, dispatched at night, be sent out with a partner to minimize risk(s)? Will employees be guaranteed flashlights and other field service items as required?

A. Employees will be provided with proper equipment before being sent out into the field. Nothing will be done about officers going into the field by themselves. 6. Were RIF'd employees forced to train their temporary replacements? Do you think this has had an effect on morale and the level of service provided to pets, wildlife, and the public, respectively?

A. RIF’d employees did train temps, but were not "forced" too. There is a definite morale issue during the RIF process. Suggested that USW 9479 organize a "morale building" event for all Dallas civilian employees. 7. When will Dallas Animal Services ("the pound") be provided with security cameras inside and outside of the facility? What other measures will put in place to limit theft and abuse of pets and wildlife?

A. There was a pre-bid meeting in December. There is an active bid on the City’s bid website at https://bids.dallascityhall.com/webapp/VSSPROD/Advantage. Cameras and training will act as the main measures to secure pets and wildlife.

8. How long will the night security person be providing service for employees and customers?

A. " As long as needed up until cameras are installed…"

Stephen Benavides Public Employee Advisor North Texas Association of Public Employees (NTAPE) United Steelworkers Local 9479 Office: 214-760-7422 Fax: 214-760-7423

Attended by:

Lico Reyes (NTAPE)

Stephen Benavides (NTAPE); Meeting Facilitator

Jody Jones: Director of Animal Services

Molly McCall: Director of Human Resources

Jimmy Martin: Dallas Animal Services Manager

Michelle Nigh: Human Resources

Yasmin Tolliver: Human Resources

United Steelworkers Local 9479, North Texas Association of Public Employees
Oppose implementation of Flow Control Ordinance No. 28427

News Release - Submitted on 12-1-11

Freedom of Information Act Requests(FOIA) have been filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of Insurance-Compensation Division Worker Safety Program, Texas Association of Counties, Department of Labor-Occupational and Safety and Health Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency requesting information pertaining to preliminary safety and health evaluations or inspections conducted to ensure that City of Dallas Civilian Employees are not put at risk of serious bodily injury or death due to Dallas Flow Control Ordinance 28427 (Links to documents listed at bottom).

A memo from Ryan S. Evans, Assistant City Manager, to the Dallas City Council
regarding the September 7, “The Green Path for Dallas’ Trash” Briefing" outlined very specific steps to proceed with a Resource Recovery System for Dallas. From September 2011 through December 2011 the City of Dallas had two responsibilities. One was to notify the business community of the ordinance requirements, the second was to prepare the City's solid waste facilities for the acceptance of additional waste. The additional waste is expected to increase the daily number of trucks accessing the McCommas Bluff Landfill by 360, a 25% increase from current levels.

Implementation of Ordinance 28427 without first completing proper risk management evaluations, leaves City of Dallas Sanitation employees at a higher risk of workplace injury, or death (reference Roderick Terrell in 2010). The burden of imminent civil litigation because of irresponsibility on behalf of the Sanitation Department, specifically Director Mary Nix, should be enough of a motivating factor to postpone implementation of Ordinance 28427, until safety and health precautions are put in place.

We ask the Sanitation Department to publicly disclose any and all safety precautions being put in place by January 2, 2012, if any. Further investigation by the United Steelworkers Local 9479 into imminent safety and health violations resulting from implementation of Dallas Flow Control Ordinance 28427 may result in more formal action if necessary.

State of Civilian Employees Under Mary Suhm (FY 2011-12)

A. Civilian employees’ pay will still be between 1.91% to 4.91% less than in FY 2009-10

B. No performance pay increases

C. Employee Health premiums increasing

D. Reduction-in-force – approximately 100 civilian layoffs (418 positions eliminated)

E. 360 more trucks (25% Increase) at McCommas Bluff Landfill with no safety or health evaluations/reports generated before passage of Ordinance 28427 (Flow Control)

Links to Filed Documents:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407834/DOL-FOIA-Flow-Control-11-30-11
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407838/Epa-Foia-Usw-11-30-11
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407855/TDI-FOIA-Flow-Control-11-30-11
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407846/Tceq-Foia-Usw-11-30-11
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407843/Taoc-Foia-Flow-Control-11-30-11
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74407840/EPA-R6-Acknowledgement-06-FOI-00110-12

Newsletter/Web Site Help Needed!

The ladies that used to produce our newsletter and website content have all retired. We need department reps and general help for our newsletter. Face it, city management rarely wants you to know anything until it is a done deal or too late to change.

You can help by writing columns on subjects that interest you, perhaps you just want to send in news sniplets/tidbits from your department or perhaps you just want to help assemble the word file for publication. Whatever your interest, your help would be greatly appreciated by both your association and your fellow employees.

Please tell us your name, contact information, what department you work for and what you are interested in assisting with. Your participation can be kept on the down-low if you want it to be. :D

If you are interested in assisting please email us at frey@NOSPAMthefrey.com (take the nospam out of the address before emailing please) with the subject line 'I want to help'. Or fax your information to us at 214-760-7423.

Posted January 24th 2010

Meeting Dates
We meet on the 2nd Thursday each month at 6:00 p.m.

1408 N. Washington - Main Floor

Dallas, Texas 75204

We have lots of free parking, meet on the ground floor and generally serve snacks, so please plan to join us.
1408 N. Washington @ Bryan is just a few blocks north of Baylor University Medical Center which is also on Washington St

Location Map

http://www.cityofdallasemployees.com/codeMap.htm

Get the Fax!

If you have a fax you can be the first to know what is happening. Simply fax your name and fax number to 214-760-7423 to be put on the fax info list. Want to be notified at home when a new newsletter is published? Email your home email address to newsletter@cityofdallasemployees.com or fax it to 214-760-7423. Or you can always just check on our website.

The Time to Join is Now!

Don’t forget about the 30 day waiting period on certain services for new members. We don’t want anyone to miss out on assistance should they need it. The time to join is now, so you will already be a member before any problem that you need help with occurs.

Council Meeting Audio Available

Did you know that you can download city council meetings? Some interesting stuff in there. Take a listen. http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/cso/audio.shtm

Grievances - Do Them Correctly!

Scott and Dan would like to stress to all members the importance of contacting the Local Union immediately after any disciplinary action is taken against them or a situation has occurred that they need to grieve.

As your representatives they only have ten days from the date the incident happened to file a grievance. They are also experiencing a problem with members notifying them too late with appeal hearing dates. Receiving notice the day before the hearing is to be held is not acceptable; they need time to prepare, or reschedule as they may have another hearing scheduled for that day. So when you receive the notice in the mail, you need to contact them immediately with the hearing date and time. Voice 214-760-7422, Fax 214-760-7423, email steel.workers@ no spam sbcglobal.net (take out the 'no spam' and the extra spaces) If they are not out at a Greivance meeting, they are generally in the office Monday thru Thursday mornings.

If you don't hear from them by the next morning... Call Again!!

(Ed. Note: All grievances need to be reported immediately to the association office. The best case in the world, will be lost if it is filed late, or has incorrect paper work. Copies of ALL correspondence needs to be immediately forwarded to the Grievance Reps. This is particularly important when you have your final resolution. A copy of that needs to go in your file incase there are problems later, or someone else has a similar problem that this would have a bearing on. Grievance tracking, especially of the final resolutions are VERY important to improving our working conditions in the city.)

Help your Association by helping yourself.

You can help grow your union and get paid at the same time. You can earn $10.00 for each member you sign up!. And they get a hat and the knowledge that they taking a positive step towards creating a better workplace.

Best yet? You don’t even have to stop in the office to turn in the cards. All you have to do is put your name at the bottom of the new members card and then mail or fax it into the office. It is that simple.

As soon as that new member appears on our membership rolls, you can pick up your check at the next meeting.
What have Unions done for me?
Eight-Hour Day Five-Day Workweek Health Insurance Good Pensions Paid Sick Leave Higher Wages Overtime Pay Job Safety Paid Holidays Job Security Paid Vacations Family and Medical Leave Fair Treatment for Women, People of Color & Workers with Disabilities
The preceding benefits were brought to you by the working women and men of America's unions, who won them at the bargaining table and set the standard for all working families.