Negotiating Team Composition:
The HOPE Negotiating Team will be made up of twenty-five (25) Members in Good Standing along with the Union President per the Constitution and Bylaws and an experienced Chief Negotiator.
As the Constitution and Bylaws call for an elected Negotiating Team, every HOPE Member will have twenty-five (25) votes to use as they see fit. Every Department will be guaranteed at least one (1) seat for every 100 Members in their Group. No single Department Group may have more than five (5) seats on the Bargaining Team to ensure a diverse team.
HOPE Constitution and Bylaws; Article XV - Meet and Confer: "The size and method of selecting a negotiating committee will vary based on factors such as the number of facilities, number of shifts, variety of classifications, the demographics of the members, and other factors that should be considered in assembling a committee that reflects the needs and diversity of the members."
Here are the 16 Department Groups with the 25 Applicable Seats:
- Houston Public Works (HPW): 5 Seats
- Houston Health Dept (HHD): 3 Seats
- Houston Airport System (HAS): 2 Seats
- Solid Waste Management (SWM): 2 Seats
- Houston Police Dept (HPD), Houston Fire Dept (HFD): 2 Seats
- Administration and Regulatory Affairs (ARA): 1 Seat
- Department of Neighborhoods: 1 Seat
- Fleet Management: 1 Seat
- General Services: 1 Seat
- Housing and Community Development (HCDD): 1 Seat
- Houston Emergency Center (HEC): 1 Seat
- Houston Public Library (HPL): 1 Seat
- Municipal Courts: 1 Seat
- Parks and Recreation Department (PRD): 1 Seat
- Houston Information Technology Services (HITS), Human Resources (HR), Planning and Development: 1 Seat
- Controller’s Office, Council's Office, Legal Department, Finance Department, Mayor’s Office, Secretary’s Office; 1 Seat
These Department Groups have been selected in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws. The principle here is simple: we want a Negotiating Team that looks like HOPE.
Having a set number of seats based on Department numbers will make sure every Department has a fair chance to be a part of the Negotiating Team.
NOTE: Members that are not elected to the Negotiating Team will be provided a seat on the Bargaining Council so that they may continue to use their efforts to win a 2021 Meet and Confer Agreement we can be proud of.