City Hall’s largest labor union, the Culver City Employees Assn., yesterday endorsed both incumbents in the City Council race and two outsiders in a strategic move with an additional eye cast on next year.
President Desmond Burns announced that his union will be supporting Mayor Mehaul O’Leary, Councilman Andy Weissman, and challengers Meghan Sahli-Wells and Jim Clarke in the April 10 election, bypassing recent incumbent Scott Malsin.
To the question of whether voting was close or “reasonably clear,” Mr. Burns chose the latter.
The CCEA picked the four candidates they believe will fight most effectively when the next round of contract negotiations commences next year.
“Our issue coming into the bargaining is medical coverage,” the President told the newspaper.
“We at the CCEA want the discussion to medical being fair and equal for all city employees, whether you are custodial or the Chief of Police.
“All employees should have equal;, the same, medical. That is the trend the city should be going toward.
“Since we have moved to the Cafeteria Plan, they have moved it into an unequal area.
“Medical insurance is important for all employees,” Mr. Burns said. “All employees should have equal access to medical. The medical offered should be equal to all employees, no matter what classification they are in. It is not equal now, and it is not even close.”
Differences in benefits coverage, as reported by Mr. Burns:
Cafeteria Plan: CCEA, $536. For police/fire, $642.
For employee-plus-one: CCEA, $1,007. For police/fire, $1,103.
For Family Plan: CCEA, $1,290. For police/fire, $1,370.
“Our point,” said Mr. Burns, “is why should a truck driver get less for family than safety does just because they are safety.
“Medical is medical. It should be equal to all city employees.
“In the ‘60s we learned that separate but equal didn’t work. Why are we operating on that premise?”
