This just came across our transom, and seems important as tonight’s Council meeting approaches, and as Council makes its final budget decisions…

“The Anaheim Way”

“The Anaheim Way” is the name for an organizational culture & strategic framework touching on employee development as well as Talent Retention and Training.

Most would agree that employee compensation should closely reflect one’s level of authority and the number of people whose actions are governed by that authority.

From the City of Anaheim’s “Personnel Rules & Policies Covering Non-Represented Full-time and Part-time Employees”

Section 1.3 (a)(c) MERIT SYSTEM:

“Positions having similar duties and responsibilities shall be classified and compensated on a UNIFORM basis.”

Introducing the Anaheim Convention Center’s

“DUTY MANAGERS.”

The Anaheim Convention Center has about ten Duty Managers. They are essentially the on-site back-up to the well-compensated Event Managers. They have daily oversight, meaning authority to direct others’ work activities, over hundreds of set-ups/breakdowns and many thousands of people (during events) including other Convention Center (ACC) employees, union/non-union on-site workers, and attendees including but not limited to:

• Security
• Sanitation
• Audio/Visual
• Vendors
• Installers
• Electricians
• Mechanics
• Deliveries
• Facilities Services (up 18% w/in 6 mos)
• Emergency Services
• Coordination of these various skilled individuals

A few examples of issues our Duty Managers have dealt with recently:

• A lost loaded handgun
• A severe injury fall from a scissor lift
• Guests blocking exits OR in closed areas
• Abusive kids & parents at competitive events
• Protecting ACC property
• Enforcing Safety Guidelines
• Removal of problem individuals

In extreme circumstances, Duty Managers even have the power to close the center.

In short, they have significant authority & broad oversight over pretty much EVERYONE at the Convention Center, walking a beat like a cop protecting Anaheim’s bottom line!

Duty Managers’ Classification & Compensation

vs. others at ACC

Lowest ACC pay – a flat $21.84 per hr.

Last pay increase was in 2016, 10 years ago!

Part-time without benefits.

2016 flat Minimum Wage was $10, currently $16.90 (up 69%) or $20.00 (up 100%) for fast food workers!

In 10 years, Orange County’s 34% Cost of Living increase makes today’s Duty Manager’s adjusted wage $14.41, about $2.50 below standard minimum wage of $16.90 AND it’s only $1.84 more than today’s $20.00 fast-food minimum wage.

Over this 10-year period, the overall compensation for Tom Morton, ACC’s Executive Director, has risen $153,000, up 34%, from $295,000 to $448,000! (per Transparent California)

Over the previous 6 years, the compensation for Mindy Abel, ACC’s Deputy Director, Mindy Abel’s overall compensation, has risen $231,000, up 65%, from $126,000 to $357,000! (per Transparent California) That’s $104,000 alone in 2021 and nearly 11% per year!

Over this 10-year period, the overall compensation for Michelle Henry, ACC’s Event Service Director, has risen $52,000, up 28%, from $137,000 to $189,000! (per Transparent California)

Just THREE Event Managers have worked at ACC the past 10 years whose overall compensation, (per Transparent California) have increased as follows:

• $222,000 to $321,000 up $99,000 or 31%
• $118,000 to $163,000 up $45,000 or 28%
• $105,000 to $161,000 up $46,000 or 29%

Mindy Abel’s whopping increase aside, everyone else’s rise in compensation is roughly in line with OC’s Cost of Living increase.

Recent Discriminatory Background

(violating Anaheim’s published Employee Merit System)

About 4 years ago every ACC employee became part of a union contract, EXCEPT for the Duty Managers, who were overlooked.

In March 2024, 2 years ago, the Duty Managerss unanimously agreed to join the union hoping to benefit from a scheduled increase, but Anaheim’s City Attorney denied their inclusion because it was ‘mid-contract’, when no alterations are allowed.

ADDITIONALLY, THEIR PAY INCREASE REQUEST WAS IGNORED, marking 8 years without a raise!

The Duty Managers were told Anaheim needed to ‘re-classify’ their duties to make any necessary pay adjustments. The city then initiated a ‘re-classification’ study which took so long, past 2025 budget season, resulting in the pay increase request getting passed over yet again marking 9 years without a raise!

It’s been 2 years since their most recent pay increase request & 10 years overall, so now they are wondering what is in store for Duty Managers this year?

CURRENT OUTLOOK: Mindy Abel, she of the 65% increase, recently told Duty Managers there will be NOTHING retroactive & not to expect much!

For Your Consideration

As you finalize the budgets, consider that The Anaheim Way and your own merit system guidelines make it clear: the ACC’s Duty Managers deserve a significant re-classification & pay increase which, in fairness, at a minimum be RETEOACTIVE to their 2024 inquiry which was put off despite their painfully obvious sub-par wage rate.

Nobody at the time disagreed that their pay was far too low, but your bureaucracy prevented any type of commons sense adjustment for two years! That’s’ a ‘YOU’ PROBLEM, which Duty Managers shouldn’t have financially suffered from. Little wonder that there’s a District Manager retention problem (training isn’t free either) given the weight of their responsibilities coupled with low pay/no benefits – and worse, no one truly having their back.

During budget discussions in June, Natalie Rubalcava engaged a housing panel member saying something to the effect, “Your department is SO TINY, maybe just 10 people.” That said, this long-time under compensation blunder effects such a TINY DEPARTMENT of only +/- 10 employees without benefits, so doing the right thing isn’t going to break the Anaheim bank.

We are asking you to honor the core tenets of THE ANAHEIM WAY by honoring the Duty Managers’ long overdue & deserved pay increase in accordance with compensation ‘on a UNIFORM Basis’ guidelines per YOUR Anaheim MERIT SYSTEM.

Other reasonable considerations:

• Time and a half for working holidays or overtime; AND
• ‘Shift Differential Pay’ for those working early mornings/overnight (i.e., any work from 10 PM to 6 AM).

Thank You for your consideration.