Public Employee Press

Parks Foresters net $115,000 in out-of-title grievance case

Seventeen Foresters won raises of about $6,800 each, back pay and promotions from Level 1 to Level 2 in a grievance settlement between Local 375 and the Parks and Recreation Dept.

Under the July agreement, Parks recognized that the Foresters were underpaid for their work, which includes supervising contracts for plants and trees worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Foresters oversee tree and plant maintenance in Parks and public properties.

They survey and inspect trees damaged by storms, insects and disease, oversee contractors’ performance in tree removal, planting and pruning, and develop plans for planting appropriate trees in city parks and along sidewalks and street medians.

Scientific knowledge
“These specialized tasks call for scientific knowledge, professional skills and budgeting know-how,” said Local 375 1st Vice President Jon Forster, who handled the group and individual grievances with Landscape Architect Ricardo Hinkle, president of the local’s Parks chapter. The job requires a college degree in forestry or equivalent education and experience.

Many members grew resentful as their duties increased steadily over the years while managers failed to recognize their growing responsibilities and rebuffed requests for promotions.

“As our duties increased and people weren’t promoted, we saw clearly that we weren’t doing Level 1 work,” said John Mueller, the lead grievant, who estimates that he has handled $7 million in contracts over the years.

A fight for everyone
Mueller led a group out-of-title case in November 2005 and subsequently other Foresters filed individual grievances.

Fearing management retaliation, some co-workers held back. “They’re happy now,” Mueller quipped.
“The grievants won not only for themselves but also for their co-workers,” said Forster. “While some bitterness lingers, I have to credit Parks for finally recognizing the importance of our members’ work.”

Mueller used the money to pay off bills, and one co-worker took his wife on a trip to Tahiti.

“Confronted with the information and facts we presented, Parks did the right thing by providing for across-the-board promotions,” Local 375 President Claude Fort said.