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Home My WebLink AboutTeamsters Union Vacation Policy MINNESOTA TEAMSTERS PUBLIC & LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES' UNION, Q O � %C s ttiw LOCAL NO. 320 r' TEA ..STE 5 AFFILIATED WITH � y International Brotherhood of Teamsters Susan E. Mauren Michael J. Golen Joanne Derby Brian Aldes Marty Lamb Richard Wheeler Alston Dutchin Secretary- Treasurer President Vice President Recording Secretary Trustee Trustee Trustee September 28, 2006 Lindy Swanson, Chief of Police City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. PO Box 2007 Oak Park Hts., MN 55082 -3007 RE: Vacation Policy Dear Lindy: I am just curious what is your vacation policy and why are some being denied and some being approved. Some Officers have been denied vacation when three (3) people were going to be off in one (1) day and others have been granted when three (3) Officers are off in one day. Thanking you in advance for your response to this request. Any questions, please call me at (612) 378 -8700. Sincerely TS LOCAL 320 GB:kz opeiu #12 oakpkhtsgencorLSwansonChief 3001 University Avenue S.E. United To Protect Phone (612) 378 -8700 Suite 500 www.teamsterslocal320.org Fax (612) 331 -8948 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414 s 75 Toll Free (800) 637 -5430 POLICE DEPARTMENT CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS . 14168 OAK PARK BLVD. NORTH • P.O. BOX 2007 LINDIE SWAN OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA 55082 CHIEF OF POLICE TELEPHONE: (651) 439 -4723 FAX: (651) 439 -3639 EMERGENCY: 911 'I September 29, . 2006 Greg Burnes, Business .Agrm- t Teamsters Local 320 . 3Q0-1 University Ave. S.B. Suite 500 Mpls., NN 55414 .RE: Vacation Policy Dear Greg_ feceived you letter ref the number of officers being off on vacation at the same time. I wasn't aware that there had been an issue or concern as I Have not had any expressed to me by any of the officers. Technically, a dept, the size of ours, nine officers including myself, I should not have any more than one off at the same time. In an attempt to work with the officers and allow them'to get their requested dates off I have on numerous occasions allowed two off on the same date and on a rare occasion, three. I realize when doing so I am taldng a great chance that we will not experience any emergencies when working that shorthanded and it probably is not wise on my part to allow that to happen. Approving vacations request for more than one officer to be off at the same time depends on the following: 1) are all persons assigned to the patrol division 2) time of year, is the school liaison officer available to fill patrol shift. 3) is there anything going on in our community, or a nearby community, that could cause a greater demand for service 4) day of the week 5) overtime expense if more that one is off . if there is a problem, we can reduce the amount of employees allowed to be off at the same time. As I stated above, I was not aware of any "issues" due to not hearing a word of concern from any of the officers or their representatives. It is an extremely rare occasion when three off cers can be off at the same. I did have an event this past summer where one of my Sgts. advised that his son would be graduating from the United States Air Force Basic Training in Texas. The Sgt, advised me that he and his family hoped to be able to attend the ceremony but he did not have specific dates as to.needed time off so he didn't want to put in for it I advised him that I would see that he got the time off one way or another when the time comes I have also had officers with Iesser amounts of seniority come to me at the beginning of a year and advise that they wanted to take an out of state family vacation. They had to mare reservations and prepay for their flight & hotel expenses and were afraid that officers with more seniority would one the same dates and as a result they would get b14mped and not be able to get the time off. Once again, I assured them to go ahead and make their plans and one way or another I would see to it that they could get the desired time off. .I have gone out of my way to attempt help officers with these types of situations and am really dumbfounded that I get blindsided that there is apparently an issue. If there is an officer involved, all he had to do was come and ask me and I would have given them .an explanation. If they are unhappy with my actions in the above situations, I can go by the book,, but, I honestly believe I have dome one heck of a lot more to work with them and Help there out than I have denied any requests. If this does not resolve your understanding please give me a call or stopover. I would-be more than happy to meet and discuss the situation. T ely, S Chief of Police Cc: Croft MINNESOTA TEAMSTERS PUBLIC & LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES' UNION, 6 tNw LOCAL NO. 320 r _ T neixy�` W TEA 5 AFFILIATED WITH International Brotherhood of Teamsters Susan E. Mauren Michael J. Golen Joanne Derby Brian Aldes Marty Lamb Richard Wheeler Alston Dutchin Secretary- Treasurer President Vice President Recording Secretary Trustee Trustee Trustee October 2, 2006 Lindy Swanson, Chief of Police City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. PO Box 2007 Oak Park Hts., MN 55082 -3007 RE: Vacation Policy Clarification Dear Lindy: I am just requesting clarification of what your vacation policy is in determining approval or denial of all vacation request. Thanking you in advance for your response to this request. Any questions, please call me at (612) 378 -8700. Sincerely, 4 TEAMST LOCAL 320 r urn B ness Agent GB:kz opeiu #12 oakpkhtsgencorLSwansonCh ief 3001 University Avenue S.E. United To Protect Phone (612) 378 -8700 Suite 500 www.teamsterslocal320.org Fax (612) 331 -8948 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414 S 75 Toll Free (800) 637 -5430 POLICE DEPARTMENT CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS 14168 OAK PARK BLVD. NORTH • P.O. BOX 2007 LINDYSWANSON OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA 55082 CHIEF OF POLICE I ® TELEPHONE: (651) 439 -4723 FAX: (651) 439 -3639 EMERGENCY: 911 October 3, 2006 Greg Burnes, Business Agent MN Teamsters Local 320 3001 University Ave. S.E. Mpls, MN 555414 Dear Greg: Per the Teamsters contract for the police officers, vacation requests are awarded per seniority until March 15' of each year. After that, it's, first come, first served. If one member of the patrol division puts in for vacation on a particular day that nobody else has put in for, it is granted. If there is already someone.else off, tevaluate the potential need for that particular date and allow the second employee off if prudent. I already sent you a letter explaining the guidelines considered. I believe the situation you are referring to is Officer Buckley putting in for vacation for Friday, Sept. 15 ' 2006. The request -was turned down due to the fact that there .was already another patrol officer off on that date and the only way I could have managed this. was, to have an officer working a 2000,Q400, hours shift the night before to double back and fill Buckley's shift at 1400 hours. I think we both know how late night work can play havoc with sleep habits and I declined to do this. I have done this previously, but only when the effected date happened to fall on the first day of the work week, thus, the officer working late shift was, off the two previous nights and I would then have him come in and fill a 1400 hours shift for his first work day of the week. I have only done that after .checking with the officer and . see if they were o.k. with it. After Officer Buckley had been denied the date off, Officer Anderson requested Sept. 15 h , 2006 off. I granted the request as I would only have to shift the effected fill in officer to come in at 2200 hours instead of his normal shift at 2000, which would actually he a gain of two Hours between the shifts. 1 do see the concern and probably should have refused Anderson's request as well. As I stated in the letter I sent to you previously explaining this, the first employee requesting a date is awarded the date if contract criteria is met (seniority, etc... ). Then, whenever I can allow another member of the patrol division off without causing a shortage.or too much.disruption juggling other officer's shifts, No. Mowing ttvo members of the patrol division off on the same day is 33% of that division off and usually another one off as a normal day off. If the officers feel that I am treating them unfairly and/or discriminating against some, I would suggest we simply go back to limiting one member of the patrol division;off at any one time, other than their normal days off. That way, everything is black & white and I believe much less opportumty for confusion and resultant problems, They put in for it by seniority up until March 15' each year, after that if someone else is calendered to be off on.a date, the ethers can check the calendar -and not bether puWag in for dates that others already have. .Due to the fact that some officers put in for their time off several months in advance, there is a twelve month calendar in the squad room. All :the officers have full view.of that calendar and can plainly see which days other officers have already put in for. Hope this helps. sincerely, Lindy Swanson Chief of Police