The City shall set up the following procedural policy for the handling and/or settling of grievances of its employees:
Grievance Procedure
The purpose of the grievance procedure shall be to settle all grievances between the City and its employees or their grievance committee representatives as quickly as possible, so as to insure efficiency and promote employee morale.
Should any employee or group of employees feel aggrieved as a result of any condition arising out of the employee-employer relationship, including the claim of unjust discrimination on any matter or condition affecting health and safety beyond those normally encountered in all phases of their employment, adjustment shall be sought as follows by the employee or group of employees, in writing, through a representative of their grievance committee who is employed by the City, within two days from the infraction.
(a) The matter shall first be presented in writing and then discussed with the employee's grievance representative. Such written grievance shall then be discussed with the chief or head of the department. If such discussion does not resolve the grievance within five days, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays, it may be processed to the next step.
(b) Within five days, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays, from receiving an answer from the chief in writing, the grievance shall be presented in writing to the City Manager. The City Manager shall give his answer in writing within ten days, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays, of the receipt of the grievance. If this answer does not resolve the grievance, it may be processed to the next step.
(c) The grievance shall be presented to Council in writing within ten days before its next regular meeting. Council shall then hold a closed hearing on the grievance by or on the date of its next regular meeting and give its answer in writing at the following regular meeting. At this hearing the employees shall be represented by not more than three representatives who shall also be employees of the City.
In steps (a) and (b) the employees shall be represented by one grievance representative, who is also employed by the City. If the grievance is not processed within the time limits established in this section, it shall be presumed that the grievance has been satisfactorily resolved at the first step to which it has been properly processed. If the various department heads fail to answer the grievance within the time limits established in this section, it shall be presumed that the claim made in the grievance is sustained and that the satisfaction requested will be provided.
The time limits specified in this section may be extended by agreement of both parties.
(Ord. 1-70. Passed 2-4-70.)