GIS Reclassification on the Horizon

Sometime ago, at the request of the Chief Information Office, a Countywide study was conducted with the goal of appropriately classifying positions performing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) related functions as their primary responsibility. The reason for the study, according to Management, was that the lack of GIS specific classifications hindered efforts to recruit, develop and maintain GIS technical expertise on staff.

In May of 2012, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors agreed with the conclusions of the study and approved the creation of a new classification series with eight (8), which has subsequently been amended to nine (9), GIS specific classifications to address the occupational gap. Now the effort to reclassify existing County positions to the appropriate new GIS classifications appears to be underway.

140 Los Angeles County employees in at least eight County departments have been targeted by County officials for broad-based reclassification to the new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) job classifications. According to L.A. County officials responsible for the reclassification, county GIS workers, most of who are currently represented by CAPE, will be notified of an examination to start the process of reclassification soon.

CAPE representatives have been tracking this issue for several months to make sure that CAPE members’ pay and seniority are not harmed, and that union representation can be restored as soon as possible after the reclassification. County workers who fall into the new GIS classification series will initially be “unrepresented” by any union, exposing them to potentially negative treatment by management without the protection of the CAPE MOUs (union contracts), our grievance procedure, or collective bargaining rights. When the timeline for an examination is set by County officials, CAPE members will have an opportunity after the examination process is complete to sign a petition to make their new GIS job classification CAPE-represented and restore their rights and protections.

Ensuring the continuation of all CAPE-represented employees’ hard-earned rights and protections as members of CAPE is a top priority. CAPE representatives will be standing-by with the petition for the newly classified GIS workers to sign just as soon as the examination process is complete.