A. This meet and confer process will not include any direct negotiations on benefits, or upon wages or other forms of direct monetary compensation. Meet and confer, however, may include the process by which benefits, or by which salary, wages or other forms of direct monetary compensation are recommended, allocated, or determined. Meet and confer may also include leaves of absence; total hours of work required of an employee on each workday or workweek; rest and meal periods and call-in/call-back; health and safety; training; personnel records review; discussions with personnel by group representatives; distribution of information; meet and confer procedures; city-wide uniform procedure for employee grievances; uniform process for employee discipline; rights of the employee organizations and the city; and items mutually agreed upon by an employee organization and the City Manager, including departmental or divisional policies that apply only to employees of that work group. In addition to items specified above, the following items shall not be included in the meet and confer process: any facet of the hiring, promotion or transfer of employees, the types of discipline or the grounds for demotion, discharge, suspension or discipline.
B. It is the right of the city to determine the purpose of each of its departments, agencies, boards and commissions, and to set standards of service to be offered to the public and exercise control and discretion over its organization and operations. It is also the right of the city to direct its employees, take disciplinary action, relieve its employees from duty because of lack of work or for other legitimate reasons, determine whether goods or services shall be made, purchased or contracted for, and determine the methods, means, and personnel by which the employer’s operations are to be conducted. The city has the right to take all necessary actions to maintain uninterrupted service to the community. The Mayor and City Council may, at their option and sole discretion, direct the City Manager to consult with the city’s employees, or their authorized representatives, about the direct consequences that decisions on these matters may have on wages, hours, and working conditions. The enumeration of the above rights is illustrative only and is not to be construed as being all inclusive.
