Bellflower : 33 Public Works Employees Settle on 1-Year Contract

After more than three months of contract negotiations, an agreement has been reached between the city of Bellflower and 33 of its Public Works Department employees who recently became members of a union that represents state, county and municipal employees.

Linda Manning, Bellflower finance director and employee relations officer, said that after representatives of the city and the union met with a state mediator Monday, union members voted to approve a one-year contract.

John Wyrough, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, said that one of the big sticking points in negotiations was a clause that would allow the city to subcontract for services now performed by union members.

Manning said that the city agreed to not remove a union member from his job and replace him with a contractor through fiscal year 1990-91. But, she said, in July, 1991, that agreement expires and must be renegotiated.

Wyrough said he is pleased with the agreement. “The fact that we were able to mutually agree, rather than have a conflict or have a contract imposed upon us by the council, indicates that the bargaining process worked and is a good start toward a productive relationship with the city,” he said.

The agreement will be presented to the City Council for final approval Monday.