Teamsters resist plan to open NLV offices on Fridays

Monday, Jan. 30, 2006 | 8:02 a.m.

They are, by definition, public servants.

They're just not sure they want to serve the public on Fridays.

Having grown accustomed to their four-day work weeks, North Las Vegas workers are expected to strongly resist the city's efforts to open City Hall on Fridays and extend their weekly schedules from 36 to 40 hours.

Business leaders and the development community have long pushed for Friday services for acquiring building permits, plan checks and business licenses.

Union representatives, though, are expected to push just as hard to keep North Las Vegas City Hall a four-day-a-week operation.

"We are not going to agree to it," said Teamsters Local 14's Chief Executive Gary Mauger, accusing the city of catering to developers.

The Teamsters cover a variety of jobs, including civilians in the police department and detention center, building inspectors, street and park maintenance workers, personnel staff, recreation staff, management analysts, planners and some managers.

The contentious talks are expected to begin this spring after a federal arbitrator hands down a ruling ending a monthslong contract dispute.

The city's nearly 500 Teamsters have been working without a contract since July 1, and the group overwhelmingly rejected the city's latest three-year contract offer in November.

The arbitrator will hold hearings in April before issuing a ruling binding the two parties to a contract. Any pay raises approved by the arbitrator will be retroactive.

Union officials predict that the Friday work issue also is likely to be decided by an arbitrator.

The city's case for opening City Hall on Fridays was bolstered by a city-commissioned management audit that said North Las Vegas needs to stop acting like a small town and more like a big city. The report called for employees going from a 36-hour work week to a 40-hour work week like most Las Vegas-area governments.

Las Vegas and Clark County offices are open on Fridays. In Henderson, employees work a 38-hour, four-day shift, but the city provides most services on a Monday-through-Friday schedule.

North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose said a five-day, 40-hour work week is necessary to provide a higher level of service in the fast-growing community.

He said he is willing to work out a schedule under which workers would maintain their four-day work weeks, with employees working either Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday. The costs to the city have not been determined, but Rose said every department would need Friday employees.

"We are going to have to wait to have those discussions with the union, but we will look at compensation that is fair," Rose said.

Mauger, though, said he is concerned that the city would not adequately compensate employees for having to work an extra four hours per week.

The 36-hour schedule started in 1977 when the city could not afford pay raises and offered a curtailed schedule instead.

"We have an obligation to sit down and discuss it, but they need to compensate us," Mauger said. "We don't want a token payment for four extra hours."

The city audit, however, said North Las Vegas' employees are well compensated for working only 36 hours.

In the contract talks, the city and union disagree over pay raises and insurance expenses.

The city wants to tie pay raises to the inflation rate, with increases being no more than 4 percent and no less than 3 percent. The city also favors ending the practice of employees receiving their maximum salary after two years, preferring to see raises doled out in nine steps with department heads deciding who warrants an increase, Rose said.

In addition, the city wants to keep insurance costs for Teamsters the same as for other employees. The Teamsters, who have insurance through their union, have requested a greater contribution from the city, Rose said.

"I think what we have offered to the Teamsters is extremely reasonable," Rose said. "We are trying to give them good benefits while being fiscally responsible."

Brian Wargo can be reached at 259-4011 or at wargo@lasvegassun.com.