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REPORT <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br /> <br />February 12, 2018 <br /> <br />SUBJECT <br />Professional Services Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />By motion, approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services <br />agreement between the City of Redwood City and Liebert Cassidy Whitmore in an <br />amount not to exceed $120,000 for labor relations services <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Under California law, the City is obligated to negotiate in good faith with organizations <br />representing City employees over wages, hours, and terms and conditions of <br />employment. In doing so, the City strives to maintain cooperative working relationships <br />with labor groups in order reach agreement on compensation packages that are fiscally <br />sustainable, and that maintain competitive market position to attract and retain <br />employees. In the past, the City has utilized internal Human Resources (HR) division <br />staff, or contracted with labor relations professionals, or a combination thereof to serve <br />as lead negotiators for bargaining. <br /> <br />Most of the City’s workforce is represented by one of six recognized employee <br />organizations, including: Chief Officers Association (COA); Police Officers Association <br />(POA); Police Supervisors Association (PSA); Redwood City Management Employees <br />Association (RCMEA); San Mateo County Firefighters IAFF Local 2400 (IAFF); and <br />Service Employees International Union Local 521(SEIU). Together, these groups <br />represent over five-hundred full-time and part-time staff. The remaining staff are at will. <br /> <br />Over the course of FY 2018-2019, the current Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) <br />for all six groups will expire. Therefore, staff developed a plan to negotiate a successor <br />MOU for each group. Given the close proximity in timing for the MOUs expiring, and <br />considering the current HR workloads, staffing resources, and priorities, staff sought the <br />assistance of a labor relations consultant in order to ensure timely completion of <br />negotiations for all six groups. Along with staff, the consultant would serve as a <br />resource for strategy development, research and analysis, and would serve as the lead <br />negotiator during meetings with employee groups. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />6.1.A. - Page 1