In the days and months leading up to the closure of the Grand Marais Municipal Pool, Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen thought that although he would be losing his job overseeing the swimming pool, he would be able to continue employment with the city of Grand Marais in another position. When the pool closed and he received his layoff notice on January 31, 2014, he learned that might not be the case. Christiansen—and the city’s union, AFSCME Council 5—are in continued negotiations over a month later.
Reached by phone this week, Christiansen said he knew he would be losing his job at the swimming pool. However, he said it was his understanding that as a 20-year employee with the city of Grand Marais, he would be allowed to “bump” an employee with less time with the Grand Marais Park Department.
After receiving his layoff notice on Friday, January 31 he went to city hall the next working day, Monday, February 3. “I went in to invoke my union rights to bump to another position. The city administrator said ‘no.’ Basically right now I’m not working and I haven’t been told if and when I will be working,” said Christiansen.
Christiansen filed a grievance and is being assisted by local union representatives Cheryl Rodewald and Neil Hansen and AFSCME Council 5. “The union is questioning why procedure has not been followed,” said Christiansen.
The Cook County News-Herald contacted City Administrator Mike Roth, who confirmed that Christiansen has been laid off since January 31. Roth also confirmed that negotiations with the union are ongoing. “Right now there is some disagreement of what needs to be done. We’re seeking some common agreement,” said Roth.
According to the union contract, layoffs occur in the same job class in inverse order of seniority. In the Grand Marais Park Department, the employees who could be “bumped” would be Samantha Wallner, park office manager and Travis Wickwire, parks facilities manager.
Christiansen said he knows whatever job he could take will be vastly different from his job at the swimming pool, but he said, “I’ve worked for three park managers and five or six assistant park managers— none of them knew everything when they started. There is a learning curve wherever you go. If I get a different job and six months from now, I’m not doing that job, then the city needs to do what it needs to do.”
Christiansen acknowledged that it is difficult to see either Wallner or Wickwire lose their positions, but he said that comes with the territory in a government job. “When you work for a government agency, you know this is a possibility,” he said.
“It’s been a stressful situation,” said Christiansen, who said he knew this was coming and had put some savings away to try to get by, but added, “The biggest thing is not having medical benefits for my kids.”
Some community members assumed that Christiansen’s job would be transferred to the Cook County Community YMCA, but Christiansen said that is not the case. To get a job at the YMCA, he would have had to apply for the manager position, and he said he didn’t because he didn’t have the qualifications they were asking for. “I managed the Grand Marais pool for 20 years, but I don’t have a bachelor’s degree in management,” he said.
Asked why he didn’t seek a job as a lifeguard at the YMCA, Christiansen said he would love to once again work with community youths, but said to take such a job would mean a $7 or $8 pay cut, as well as the loss of a retirement plan. “The pay and benefits are nowhere near what I have at the city after 20 years.”
Asked what is next, Christiansen said he wasn’t sure. He said the union was waiting for a final decision from City Administrator Roth. Roth said he was not able to comment on negotiations but said, “There is some disagreement on how this would be implemented. There are a lot of options.”
Christiansen said the next step—if the union does not accept the city administrator’s proposal—is a meeting of the personnel committee. Members of the personnel committee are City Administrator Roth, Mayor Larry Carlson, City Councilor Bill Lenz and Finance Director Kim Dunsmoor.
After that meeting, the city has 10 days to respond. If there is no response, or if the response is a proposal not acceptable to the union, the matter goes to mediation or arbitration.
The city is also in the midst of its biannual negotiations with city employees. On January 29, 2014, city employees submitted a list of union members’ signatures on a petition, saying those on the list would not cross a picket line in the event of a strike. Roth said, “We’re currently working on the general contract renewal.”
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