MILTON — At the April 19 committee of the whole meeting, Rhonda Chavers, president of the Santa Rosa Central Labor Council, addressed the city council with a prepared statement.
“We are an employee organization as defined by Florida Statutes Section 447.203, as we are currently seeking to represent various public employees concerning any matters relating to their employment relationship with their public employers,” she said.
Chavers came to the council, she said, after individuals approached her expressing concerns of the council seeking to change the charter to gain the ability to hire and terminate contracted city employees. Councilman Jeff Snow and Councilwoman Heather Hathaway since last year each attempted to introduce an ordinance giving council the power to terminate contract employees such as the police chief, fire chief and public information officer. The efforts failed and so this power remaines with the city manager alone.
In a later interview, Chavers spoke of the council recognizing the union.
“I think that they’d have to take note," she said. "It was done in a public forum and publicly addressed. I think that they would consider the reflection it would have on the general public.”
Matthew Hargraves, former special magistrate for the city of Milton supports the labor council.
“I would add the comment that at the conclusion of Ms. Chavers statement at the meeting," Hargraves said, "Mr. Jorgenson, the planning director, and the city attorney, Heather Lindsay both acknowledge her statement, acknowledged the fact that it would require them to research and brief council on specific points of law which were raised in Mrs. Chavers' statement.”
He said that he believes that when Jorgenson and Lindsay do the research they will find that what that what Chavers stated in her address to council is correct.
Hargraves also resigned from his position as special magistrate at the same meeting. He said the decision was not connected with the labor council.
“I resigned as a personal decision," he said, "not connected with anybody’s particular input.”
It has not yet been determined if Hargraves will actively work with the labor council.
Chavers said the next step in the process is to organize the union. This will include having regular meetings with the current officers and putting procedures in place to have an election to become the certified bargaining agent. The CLC will actively be collecting member interest cards.
“The names on those interest cards are completely confidential," she said. Chavers' overall goal is to become the bargaining agent for the CLC.
When asked if she had any advice to give to the city council, Chavers said “to be open-minded and communicate effectively.”
For more information on this organization contact santarosaclc@gmail.com.
Visit srpressgazette.com to read Chavers' entire statement to the council.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Labor council forms in Milton