Seattle Police Manual

3.340 – Employee Involvement Committees & JLMC

Effective Date:8/12/2004

PURPOSE

The City and the Guild have jointly created the Joint Labor Management Committee (JLMC). The JLMC is comprised of representatives from the Seattle Police Department, a representative from the City Labor Relations and a representative from the Guild. The main purpose behind the JLMC is to address workplace issues in a mutually agreeable fashion before they rise to the level of a grievance. The JLMC also is the committee responsible for approving and overseeing Employee Involvement Committees.

I. Employee Involvement Committees

A. These committees are formed with the joint agreement of labor and management to address specific workplace issues. Employees participate in creative problem solving groups to address agency concerns with an emphasis on productivity, efficiency, and customer service.

B. Employee Involvement Committees:

1. EIC are preapproved by the JLMC.

2. When deciding if an EIC should be formed it is important to focus on the desired result. The result should be something that is advantageous to both employees and the Department. The goals would be increased customer satisfaction, improved turnaround or response times, better quality of service or efficiency. Results should be cost neutral.

3. An EIC is made up of employees, supervisors and if appropriate, a manager.

4. EICs include people closest to the problem, who work together cooperatively to reach creative solutions.

5. The EIC may discuss working hours and working conditions.

6. Members of the EIC may receive training in problem solving and group dynamics.

C. If an employee has a proposal for an EIC, certain steps should be followed:

1. The employee can ask other coworkers if they have similar concerns.

2. Submit a proposal, in memo form, to either the Guild or the Deputy Chief of Administration. Include a copy of the EIC Charter that has been filled out.

3. The JMLC will then determine if the charter is approved.

4. If it is approved it will be sent to a citywide EIC Coordinator. A facilitator will be assigned and training schedule will be established.

5. After training, the EIC participants will start working on resolving the workplace issues that are addressed in the charter.

D. All proposals for alternative shifts must be handled through the EIC process.

II. Employee Involvement Committee Charter

A. EIC Name

B. Department(s)

C. Expected results (“charge”)

D. EIC members and their union affiliations (if any)

E. EIC facilitator (assigned once EIC approved)

F. Executive sponsor(s)

G. Resource/support staff

H. Expected date of intermediate report to Labor- Management Committee *

I. Expected date of final report *

J. Labor-Management Committee(s) approving charter

K. Date(s) of charter approval

* May change during the course of the EIC’s work; changes must be approved by both the EIC and Labor Management Committee(s).