Millbrae Fire Department Proposal

Our proposal will be to implement the 48-96 work schedule for a trial period.  At the end of this trial period we will again have the membership vote to see if you would like to implement it, or go back to the 24-48 schedule.  We would wait until January of 2005 to start so that everyone would have several months to adjust before we start.  We would also like to have the proposal in place so that this fall's vacation picks would be for the 48-96 schedule.  Other than the trial period, there would be no other risks.  Below is a sample proposal similar to what we would like to propose.

MILLBRAE FIRE DEPARTMENT

48-96 SHIFT SCHEDULE

BACKGROUND: Department employees currently working on a 56-hour workweek schedule (Kelly schedule) have proposed an alternative work schedule. This schedule is the 2 /4 or 48-96 schedule. Several neighboring agencies have adopted this schedule and there seems to be little impact operationally or economically. Discussions with all shift personnel were conducted and several issues were discussed. The result of those meetings and discussions has led to this proposed policy. Both parties are in agreement that this shift schedule policy will be conducted on a trial basis.

Section I: Policy

1. It shall be the policy of the Millbrae Fire Department to periodically review the fire department's work schedule to evaluate its effectiveness. The 48-96 shift schedule is such an endeavor and would include the following positions: Division Chief, Fire Captain, and Firefighter.

2. Proponents of the 48-96 schedule believe that fire department efficiency and communication would not be compromised and may be enhanced. The schedule also decreases the amount of commuting time to work by as much as 50%, thereby reducing pollutants released in the atmosphere and decreasing fuel consumption. This schedule also proposes to enhance our ability to retain valued employees and to aid in recruiting purposes.

Section II: Procedures

1. The 48-96 schedule will be implemented on a trial basis beginning January 1,

2002 and shall be periodically reviewed in accordance with Section III-Review Period.

2. The 48-96 shift schedule is a three-platoon system in which employees work two consecutive twenty-sour hour shifts for a total of forty-eight hours, and have ninety-six consecutive hours off.

A typical work period is as follows:

X= work day, and O=day off: XXOOOOXXOOOOXXOOO and so on.

3. A shift (24 hours) shall be defined in the current MOU between the IAFF local 2400 and the City of Millbrae.

4. Overtime will be in accordance with existing procedures. In instances of mandatory overtime, the maximum amount of consecutive hours an employee can be held over will be 84 hours.

5. During the change over to the new schedule or if the schedule reverts back, the department shall not incur any overtime expenditures.

6. In the event on shift is scheduled to work both December 24 and December 25 of the same year, the shift assigned to work on December 23 will be reassigned to work on December 24.  The shift originally scheduled to work December 24 will be reassigned to work on December

23.

7. Shift Bid: Each year after the shift and station bid takes effect, the first four days of the new shift and station bid assignments will be worked in accordance with the following schedule:

XOXO

Section III: Review Period

1. Prior to the schedules implementation date, a cross section of management and labor representatives shall be selected to meet and develop criteria that will provide measurable and quantifiable methods for evaluating sick leave usage, productivity, training hours per employee, project management, overtime, and shift trade use.

2. This committee will meet every month for the first three months of 2002 and thereafter on a quarterly basis for the remainder of the calendar year.

3. If during the trial period, the Fire Chief or Local 2400 perceive the schedule is creating any negative impact, the schedule shall automatically revert to the previous schedule, commonly referred to as the "Kelly" schedule. Ex. XOXOXOOOO

4. At some point in 2002, the Fire Chief and member of the designated committee will meet to review the data and information collected the previous months. This data shall be evaluated to determine the continuance of the schedule on a more permanent basis.

Section IV: Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA )

1. The FLSA cycle shall be changed from a twenty-seven to a twenty-four day cycle starting January 1, 2002 on a twelve-month trial period. Should the 48-96 schedule be discontinued, the 24-day cycle shall return to a 27-day cycle. The regular work schedule for all shift employees is a 56-hour workweek based upon a 6-day work cycle as illustrated below. This equates to a 2912 hour year; (56 hours X 52 weeks= 2912 hours)

2. The FLSA work schedule is 182 hours based on a 24-day cycle. Both parties accept the City's

April 15, 1985 declaration of a 7-k exemption and agree to incorporate FLSA mandated overtime compensation of 2.735% as part of "Exhibit A" base salaries for employees covered by the

M.O.U.

3. Employees assigned to a 40-hour work schedule will not be affected by this agreement.

City of Millbrae and Millbrae Firefighters Local 2400

Side Letter Agreement

Whereas, the City of Millbrae and the Millbrae Firefighters, Local 2400, hereby agree and commit to the following:

1. Effective January 1, 2002, the Fire Department will institute, on a trial basis, the 48-96 work schedule. Attached to this letter is the Millbrae Fire Department policy and procedures document.

2. This side letter takes precedent over Section III, B., 1. of the MOU titled "Workday" until such time an agreement is made regarding the shift schedule.

3. This side letter takes precedent over Section III., A., 3. of the MOU titled "Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Implementation" until such time an agreement is made regarding the shift schedule. If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate by providing your signature in the appropriate space below.

 


_____________________________

Asst. City Administrator, Jeff Killian

Local 2400, Jennifer Gingrass

_____________________________

Fire Chief, Dennis Haag

Local 2400, Joseph Arsenault

_____________________________


© Greg Briggs 2012