Res 82-74 RESOLUTION NO. 82-74.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN EMPLOYEE
RELATIONS POLICY FOR THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH.
WHEREAS, the Supreme Court in the Ryan case (254 So.2d 195) interpre-
ted Section 6 of the Florida Constitution as granting public employees the
right to bargain collectively; and,
WHEREAS, such right is also subject to certain limitation, by law,
such as, but not limited to, there being no right to strike on the part
of public employees and the prohibition of the "use of coercion or intimi-
dating tactics"; and,
WHEREAS, the City has the constitutional authority to determine the
distribution of the tax dollar, and such authority should not be delegated
to a third party; and,
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature enacted Chapter 74-100, which in
part provides for the establishment of a Public Employment Relations Act,
which will take effect no later than January 1, 1975; and,
WHEREAS, said Act provides in part, that it was not the intent of
the Legislature by enactment of such Act to encourage organization of public
employees, and by the provisions of such Act, public employees are given
~the right to refrain from forming, joining, or participating in employee
organizations, and to refrain from exercising the right to be represented,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City of Delray
Beach, that:
1. It is the position of the City of Delray Beach that the integrity
and dignity of the individual employee must be established and maintained,
and that this can best be accomplished by personnel policies which directly
recognize the needs and desires of individual employees. The City Manager
is therefore directed to endeavor, within the framework of a sound personnel
policy, to achieve and/or maintain the following goals:
A. Continue to improve communications between the City and all
of its employees with regard to the City's objectives, plans, policies,
problems, success and failures.
B. Continue emp!gyee participation in~ the establisD~ent and
maintenance of City policies relating to salaries and other conditions of
employment of City employees and matters affecting the quality of the pro-
grams of the City.
C. Selection of good managerial employees who are competent to
aid each individual employee to get the most out of his time and facilities
with reasonable effort, and who are competent as leaders to have the in-
dividual employee to understand promptly, clearly, and easily the reasons
behind decisions and advice.
D. Equitable pay standard -- pay that is right, all thfngs con-
sidered, including compensation for similar positions in other cities in
the area, ability, skill, care and effort, as measured by reasonable
standards.
E. Continue improvement in working conditions, which are as good
as they can currently be made, which are regularly improved, which are
constantly being studied for further improvement, and about which all
suggestions will always be welcome.
F. Respect the basic human dignity of each individual, particu-
larly with regard to decisions directly affecting him.
G. Promotion practices -- promotion as fast as opportunities
arise on a strictly equitable basis in view of ability, skill, care, and
effort of the individual.
To accomplish the goals set forth herein, the City Manager is
directed:
(1) To review and update as needed the personnel policies
for employees of the City to establish such additional
procedures in conformity with these guidelines as may be
necessary, and
(2) To explain to the employees of this City such practices,
and, further, that it is not necessary, and that it is not
ever going to be necessary, for this City's employees to
· belong to any union in order to get a job or work for this
City, not only because Florida's kight-to-Work Law guarantees
to them this right, but also because the City expects to
continue to conduct its affairs and relationships with its
employees so that they will never feel it necessary to belong
to a union.
(3) That the matter of union organization and representation
is one of serious concern to the City. That it is also a
matter of serious concern to the City's employees and our
sincere belief is that unionization of the City's employees
would not work to the benefit of the City employees, but in
the long run would do them serious harm.
(4) That it is the City's intention to oppose unionization
of its employees by every proper and legal means.
(5) That those employees who might join or belong to a
union are not going to get any advantageous or preferred
treatment of any sort over those who do not join or belong
to a union.
(6) That if anybody causes any employee trouble at his or
her work or puts the employee under any sort of pressure to
join a union, the employee should notify the City of same,
and the City will undertake to see that this activity is
stopped.
The City Manager is directed to explain and to direct explanation
of this policy to all employees of the City.
2. The City of Delray Beach believes that no union organization
should be recognized by the City based upon authorization cards or petitions
filed by employees because such procedure has been found in the private
sector to constitute an unreliable method for determining union representa-
tion and because an election allows the employees to express their free,
unrestrained and uncoerced choices. Therefore, it is further resolved
as follows:
A. That this City shall not grant recognition to any employee'
organization without providing for the safeguard of a secret ballot elec-
tion, and
B. That the City Manager shall explain or cause to be explained
to all employees involved in such election, the policy of the City in such
matters and why union organization will not be to the individual employees'
benefit, but to their detriment.
PASSED AND ADOPTED in regular sessio~ on this the 23rd day of
December, 1974.
ATTEST:
~] ' City-Clerk
-2- Res. No. ~2-74.