>> we had a large examination that included reporters. while we have been writing, we have the questions read the them. by director of recruitment told me that the proctors for the exam noted that there are many people that were not able to follow the verbal directions like "don't turn over your booklet yet." it is possible that for the short term they can be successful, but it would not be responsible for us to ensure that they have the ability to do the full scope of the job in a way that is safe. that is the balance. it is our obligation to not create unnecessary barriers, and

we are involved in doing that. we're only testing for what is required to be successful of the java upon entry. supervisor avalos: i agree that this is an area that might be worth looking at. you say that we have to have a level playing field for that process, and perhaps there are ways that there can be added support for some of the employees. perhaps there can be a partnership in making that come about the type of training or support. supervisor chu: thank you, supervisor avalos. why don't we open of the items for public comment.

i already -- will read a number of cards. [reading names] >> i just wanted to thank you for holding this hearing today, but i like to -- would like to yield my time . >> i know this is a hearing on overtime, this story does relate to. i am an as-needed worker for the city and county of san francisco. i have worked for 10 departments

over the past 21 years doing the same job testing technician. along with my permanent supervisors, we administer the exams that are the bedrock of civil service employment in the city. a large number of people did not get employment because of this merit system. there are 2600 of us that a temporary exemption as-needed workers. we heard about this position from a friend, colleague, or relative. you will find a number of relatives in the higher ups among us. my job details very sensitive work. he we adhered to high standards of confidentiality, we protect materials, and sometimes even score exams. if anything goes wrong, and exam might have to be thrown out with a cost to the city of up to $100,000. sometimes the exam days are long

and we get over time sometimes. the current system has built than a literal that -- dead- end. with no kaiser-type health care and a limit on the hours we can work. in my classification, no path to be equal or permanent in the city. his head is not an employer- employee relationship. [chime] >> good morning, commissioners and the board of supervisors. i work in san francisco. i have been working as a health worker since 2004 and i have some proof here.

every year, i have been hired as needed. i have been there the years. and every year, we will get the position. i was blessed last year that there was an opening. we have to take a civil service examination, and i was blessed and was able to pass the civil service examination, but my point here is that i have been working there eight years, and

that passed the examination. one question is not pertaining regarding our job. we don't have security or health benefits. we don't have a schedule. they give us -- in sonority, we have the -- [chime] we have a lot of additional work. supervisor chu: thank you. >> i'm an imaging technologist

at san francisco general hospital. i am in a group of eight individuals that work full-time, because we are limited to the 1040 hours. there is a new group of individuals i come to this position. they replaced the individuals, right now there are eight individuals coming in to replace us. as of june of this year, i no longer have a job. we are all highly trained people. we were in a specialized field. heavy equipment is unique to each of medical center and it is lumber to build relationships with colleagues. i think it is an injustice to

the citizens of san francisco. supervisor chu: if i can ask folks to hold their applause. >> i am an artist that lives in san francisco and i am working for the san francisco arts commission. so that they can submit to grant proposals for how cultural projects. they continue to keep the city vibrant. you may have seemed the trend in oakland. as other opportunities have been made available, i have chosen to remain loyal to my job with the city because i believe i have

been frustrated with the lack of loyalty and appreciation for my work. the trend in a dramatic increase in workers' is problematic. there are three of us in my program including myself that will be laid off. i'll be leaving at the end of june. i think that this is bad for the workplace and it is bad for city services and how we interact with our constituents. i think it is bad for the arts community as a whole. how want to thank you for hearing us. i am not sure if you are aware of the actual extent of this problem, and i appreciate any efforts you might have to make a permanent track available. supervisor chu: i will call a few more names. [reading names] >> 5 -- term permanent civil

service employee that has worked for the department of public health for 30 years. i currently work incentives as the general and i want to say that the growing use of as- needed employees makes it increasingly difficult to provide quality services to the people of san francisco. i want to submit a letter that was written by another long- term employees. somebody who has worked 25 years in the department of public health. to each of the supervisors on the committee, which talks about a particular situation in the tenderloin, housing and urban health provides a good program and they have rotated the same way every six months.

there is a case manager working with people that were formerly homeless. you need to establish a relationship with somebody. they are hired as needed. from being on the labor- management committee to study this, one of the things that seems apparent to me is that the city has a very clear policy to block permanent acquisitions and as a result, her department are hiring people as-needed. there won't improve our rec positions. and continue to risk having a

lower quality of service. >> good morning, i have been working as a custodian and in the city and county of san francisco since 1999. i have been working for many years. our department has been working for 7-12 years. some of us passed the test but are not on a less. they cannot get a position. english is a little bit not

passed the test, but they still prepare for taken the test. i would like to say that to a co-worker whose english is not that good, they have a good work experience. they have a good ceo -- skill for [unintelligible] it is difficult for them because they are illegal in this country. i wish that next time, who have an opening for that kind of position, can you say that they

really spend a lot of the time and your, that they have a chance for permanence. we only are working for 1000 for the hour. >> i am speaking as a retired member home. i am honored and privileged to be with the great members of my union. you are correct, supervisors, and making a correlation between the problem of overtime and the as-needed problem you have heard us testify to. i don't want to use my timme in

between and over use of overtime and an under-use of individuals. it is so unfair that these workers be stuck at step one, permanently. that they be eligible for health insurance with few exceptions, with no prospect of advancements despite years and years of hard work delivered to our service, were we work three or four jobs because we don't know when they will be called back. some of them are leaving in june and they don't know if they'll be called back in six months, it is really an outrageous situation. i had breakfast with an as- needed employee last week and i will tell you that by the end of my breakfast, she and i were both in tears as i listened to her story.

and that is why this is the priority at the bargaining table. this is not on either party, we have not yet discussed this issue. i hope you'll give directions to your principles of the table and to the mayor's office and entry that we resolve this problem this year, now, because it is so unfair for all of the workers in this condition. i will tell you have been represented these workers for 25 years, this is the very worst i have ever seen. supervisor chu: i will call a few names. [reading names] >> i am a registered nurse at san francisco general hospital. staffing for nursing is a little bit different, advocated by title 22, and dictated by the

operation of a patient classification system and a simultaneous buy hppd's. nurses were staffed by hot- permanente nurses. we had complaints coming forward for making all this money. the bottom line here is that as some of the departments have said, we need this half-hour units to get the job done. we are a 24-7 operation. if we were to open permanent positions as opposed to per diem positions, we can eliminate the overtime problem. >> good morning, supervisors.

i'm an as-needed employee for the fine arts museum of san francisco. we need to hire more permanent workers. currently in our department there are 60 permanent employees and about 170 as-rated employees from a range of one year to 22 years. the last time there was a permanent hire was back in 2007. then there was an opening in 2010, several of us interviewed for that position. what they did was canceled that position and hired a bunch more per diems. for our department, that's not going to work. if they are out on permanent positions, there are not enough permanent workers.

they are working five or six days a week sometimes, and we are not getting the benefits of permanent workers. some of us travel all the way for antioch to san francisco in the hope of becoming permanent and it has never happened. sometimes there is a little bit of favoritism where certain people are hand-picked. we get overlooked for these jobs. i encourage you all to give the as-needed employees better benefits and hire more permanent workers. [applause] >> supervisors, as you've heard from union workers, neo opportunities are being given by

our city to encourage middle- class workers. i remember when mayor willie brown was the mayor. over 1000 and a strip of assistance were hired, and i want to know how the director accommodative this blatant corruption. the unions, you can come every year in advance, shout, scream, what ever. the time has come for a ballot measure and to hold our representatives to the fire. this city has always been known, i am talking 40 or 60 years ago to give opportunities to people so that they can

contribute and be better citizens. it is a shame, people say that they are going to represent when they do nothing whatsoever to help poor people. you want to go to some of the demonstrations, but in reality, over 30,000 families have left san francisco, something is wrong with our city. the time has come to walk the walk. there are too many people in management making over $200,000 in this city a year. the think about that. supervisor chu: next speaker, please. >> sent francisco has a long and

nefarious history with casual labour. the maritime employees used in the curious shape up where workers would show up, the foreman would come out and pick out the workers that would work that day and the rest would go home hungry. there was no job security, it was right with favoritism and nepotism. if ensured a hostile work force -- it ensured a docile work force. the center strong message to the rest of the workers and to all the workers, keep in line and keep your mouth shut. fast-forward to 2012, the city government as one of the biggest employers in this city and county and operates a similar labor scheme called of the temporary as-needed. they are hired at the whim of a supervisor and are consistent

for favoritism and cronyism and nepotism. you will hear testimony today about the abuse of the system. does that speak out against the system are often retaliated against, and valerie retaliation is often swift and brutal. they will be reacting -- retaliated against. what they will be told is that they are no longer needed. the first speaker you heard today worked for the city for 21 years. the day his picture showed up a lot of fire about the as-needed problem, he stopped getting phone calls that come to work. he was told that for the time ahead, we're probably not going to call you as much. in fact, we are probably not

going to call you at all anymore. after that hearing today, there are no longer called, we will ask you to intervene with the department of human resources to undo that retaliation. you called a name earlier from local 21, they have a similar problem and the local 21 that has to do with category 16, 17, and 18 workers. supervisor chu: next speaker. next speaker. >> i work at san francisco general hospital radiology departments.

we have as dedicated employees -- as-needed employees that are supposed to replace people on vacation. every three months, you have to go through new applicants and replacement of previous applicants. when they come, you have to be trained. and this is a big problem because along with the employees [unintelligible]

patients are waiting hours because we don't have a good staff. this is a trauma center. it is a bad situation and the new hospital is not really ready to have the staffing that can't do the work in san francisco general hospital. supervisor chu: thank you. a few more names. >> i work at san francisco general, i'm also a shop steward. i will talk about the problem that i see as a shop steward. many get retaliated on if they

raise any kinds of issues related to work. any type of issue, they stop getting called. it has nothing to do with their work level. the managers use terms like they are not a good fit. that is the excuse that they give. not that they don't have the skills they need, but they are not a good fifth. i hear that excuse over and over again, why as-needed people are let go and probationary people are let go. it doesn't matter why we let these people go, if i am a civil service employee, apparently i have more value.

the reason they are not permanent is because they have to keep them in the status for years and years. that needs to be resolved. i have gone to talk about this with civil service because it is not fair. we are treated like second-class citizens in the workplace. that should not be tolerated. that is why it is a big issue. i also want to say that the city should not expect us to pay for this is a city problem and the city needs to fix it. supervisor chu: next speaker. the other microphone. >> i'm susan word, a masters- prepared a registered nurse at

san francisco general. i have been paying taxes and since the mid 70's, and i have never come to a meeting like this. i am very impressed with the level of democracy we have here. we have the psychiatric unit of san francisco general since the mid '80s. i have had my hair pulled, i am at risk every time i draw blood from an agitated or aggravated patient. if a friend of yours has a psychiatric emergency, i am the nurse that you wanted take care of.