Some L.A. metropolis workers are “double dipping” by retiring after which beginning a brand new job on the Division of Water and Energy whereas accumulating a pension for the primary job, in response to a union chief.
Gus Corona, head of Worldwide Brotherhood of Electrical Staff Native 18, which represents practically all DWP employees, stated the double dipping harms town’s funds and the DWP’s retirement plan, and that it happened in violation of the union bargaining course of.
In a cease-and-desist letter to Metropolis Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto on March 11, Corona referred to as the state of affairs “DROP on steroids” — a reference to a police and firefighter program that permits individuals to gather their salaries and pensions concurrently for the final 5 years of their careers.
Corona wrote that his union “won’t settle for this or any risk to town’s monetary well being, the monetary well being of DWP workers’ retirement plans or to the Metropolis’s obligation to discount in good religion.”
The town lawyer’s workplace has “unilaterally modified its interpretation” of town constitution, Corona wrote, permitting employees to double dip regardless of a ban towards workers within the Los Angeles Metropolis Workers’ Retirement System taking one other paid job with town.
Up to now, Corona stated in an interview, 4 to 6 metropolis workers have retired from a LACERS place, then taken a brand new salaried place with DWP, which has its personal pension system.
However in his cease-and-desist letter, he predicted “cascading results,” with workers dashing to take benefit and metropolis taxpayers footing the invoice.
“It might spark a flood of retirements from LACERS-covered positions, exacerbating the already excessive exodus of professional and skilled workers from key positions,” Corona wrote.
Metropolis workers who switch from a LACERS place to DWP would additionally be capable of gather a DWP pension after they retire, Corona stated.
A consultant for Service Workers Worldwide Union 721, a union that represents civilian metropolis workers who’re coated by LACERS, declined to touch upon the cease-and-desist letter.
The town lawyer’s workplace stated it’s not illegal to retire from a LACERS place and start a DWP place, noting that the reverse has lengthy been permitted.
“Beneath the Constitution, the hard-working workers of the Division of Water and Energy have, for greater than 80 years, been in a position to retire, gather a pension, after which search additional employment with the Metropolis in LACERS-covered positions. This decades-old follow will not be illegal,” town lawyer’s workplace stated in a press release.
“Simply as DWP retirees have achieved for many years in different Metropolis positions, LACERS retirees can play a key position by bringing their experience to positions with DWP,” the assertion stated.
Among the dispute between the IBEW Native 18 and town lawyer’s workplace boils down as to whether the DWP is included within the metropolis constitution’s prohibition towards taking one other metropolis job after retirement.
In his cease-and-desist letter, Corona argued {that a} “metropolis” job consists of positions with the DWP.
IBEW Native 18 can also be submitting an unfair practices cost with the Los Angeles Worker Relations Board for town’s alleged failure to inform and “meet and confer” with the union about its revised interpretation of the constitution.
The town lawyer’s workplace stated it plans to answer Corona’s letter in writing.
