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Manteca council approves new job classifications; union raises concerns about confidential designation
Summary
Council approved a resolution adding several new job classifications and placing multiple finance positions in the city's confidential/unrepresented unit. A city employee union representative argued the confidential label is legally overbroad; HR and legal said finance staff often provide numbers used in labor negotiations.
MANTECA — The City of Manteca on June 17 adopted a resolution that creates new job classifications and updates the city's unrepresented management (confidential) compensation plan.
The changes approved by the council include new classifications for Deputy Fire Chief, Financial Analyst and Senior Financial Analyst, a new Lehi wastewater plant operator, a new lead water distribution operator and a part-time Reserve Police Officer Level 1. The resolution passed by roll call (4–0).
Why it matters: The resolution alters classification and compensation for a set of positions and moves several finance roles into the city's confidential/unrepresented unit. That designation affects whether employees are eligible for union representation and collective-bargaining protections.
What employees said: Jocelyn, who identified herself as a city employee and president of the Manteca Mid Managers Union, addressed council during public comment and urged a narrower use of the confidential classification. She said the legal standard under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act limits confidentiality to employees who assist in labor relations and bargaining strategies, and argued that routine access to budget data does not automatically justify exclusion from representation. "Transparency is a cornerstone of public finance," she told the council, saying excluding finance staff from union protections "undermines workplace fairness and morale." (Speaker identified in the transcript as Jocelyn; no surname provided.)
Staff response: Director of Human Resources Stephanie Danstein explained the recommended designations reflect internal benchmarking and job duties. Danstein told the council the city's budget analyst and senior budget analyst are currently in the confidential unit and comparisons showed the financial analyst positions align with those classifications. "In the finance department, they are privy to costing models, things that aren't in the budget yet," Danstein said, explaining part of the rationale for placing the roles in the confidential unit.
City legal staff also addressed the council, saying finance staff are routinely used to cost and provide numbers to the negotiating team and that it is beneficial to have unrepresented members of the finance department available during confidential settlement and personnel processes.
Council action: With the HR and legal explanations on the record, the council voted to adopt the resolution updating job classifications and the compensation schedule. Council members recorded yes votes during the roll call (Council Member Breitenbucher; Council Member Moriwitt; Vice Mayor Halford; Mayor Gary Singh).
Next steps: Human Resources will update job descriptions and salary schedules, notify affected employees and make payroll system changes as required by the resolution.
Ending: The action resolves the immediate staffing and classification requests included in this budget cycle, but the union representative said she may press further if the city's confidential designation is applied more broadly in the future.
