Government and Business Relations Committee Meeting
Minutes

Dec 1, 2009

Roll call – Present are Monte, Vic, Charlotte , Peer.

1. No motion on item #1.

2. Some members did not want to address the issue because the city lacks funds for dealing with illegal signage. Peer disagreed. Building and safety should enforce signage and Q conditions. If we have an effective field employee in the council office, it will get done. Vic suggested the city set up a website or forum so the public could input illegal signage locations. Carlos and Monte are conducting a survey in Valley Glen. Item postponed until after the survey is completed. Carlos is out of town. No motion. 

3.  Criminalizing the practice of wage theft & ordinance. Council file # 09-2642. City is already having a tough time getting businesses to stay in LA. There are laws currently on the books that deal with this problem. Motion made by Vic and seconded by Monte.

“The GVGC opposes creating a wage theft ordinance in the city of Los Angeles . There are currently state and federal laws on the books to protect employees from abuse.” Motion passes unanimously.

4. Saving taxpayer money by requiring higher co-pay by employees. It cannot be applied retroactively. 22,000 employees are in a coalition of unions. We could never get in the middle of union negotiations.

Following motion made by Vic, seconded by Peer.

“All contracts covering new city employee health and retirement benefits should be more realistic with regards to the financial obligation of the city. There should be no increase in existing benefits for current and retired employees.” Passes unanimously. Vic will present this issue at the general meeting.

5. Carlos is out of town so the committee decided to pass on the billboard issue to a later date. No motion. The issue will be placed on next month’s agenda.

6. Lactation rooms. Motion made by Charlotte and seconded by Vic. “The GVGC supports lactation rooms in city departments in which there are 250 employees or more as long as the city uses non-city funds to provide the service.” Passes unanimously. Council file # 09-1950.

7. DWP update. Valley Alliance update ( Holiday party). LANCC update.

8. Boardmember comments. Suggestion that we not have a committee meeting next month due to holidays if there is nothing significant to discuss.

Meeting Adjourned.