Staff Reports - East Bay Municipal Utility District

Job
Group
Pipeline
Maintenance
Efforts to Address Plumber Workforce Underutilization
Table E shows changes in Plumber workforce underutilization over the last six years.
Underutilization of Asians and Hispanics increased, while the underrepresentation of
females decreased due to one female Plumber hire.
Table E: Rate of Underutilization for Pipeline Maintenance Job Group AAY 08 – 13
(Increased underutilization or no decrease in underutilization in bold.)
Females African Americans Asians Hispanics
08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13
2% 2% 1% 2% 2% 1% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 5% 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 5% 6% 9% 8% 6% 7%
The trainee plumber classification is Water Distribution Plumber I (WDPI). Brief
recruitments for the 2010 and 2012 WDPI exams were conducted and over one thousand
applications were accepted for each exam. Female applicants were 5-6%, Asian
applicants were 6-7% and Hispanic applicants were 22% of total applicants. Although
female applicant representation exceeded availability (3%), only one female was certified
for employment for each exam. Asian applicant representation was less than availability
(9%). Asians were 10% of total hires for both exams but this hiring rate did not reduce
Asian underutilization in the Plumber workforce. Hispanic applicant representation
(22%) was less than availability (32%) and Hispanics were 20% of the hires from the
2010 exam and 15% of the hires from the 2012 exam. More efforts to reach qualified
female, Asian and Hispanic candidates will be undertaken in the future. Extensive
recruitment for the 2013 WDPI exam is planned, and outreach efforts are described in the
2013 Action Plan pages 8-9.
Efforts to Address Operator Workforce Underutilization
Table F shows changes in Operator workforce underutilization over the last six years.
Underutilization of females and African Americans in Plant Operator jobs has remained
the same for 3 years. Hispanic representation fell below parity for the first time in six
years. While most vacancies due to retirements have been filled, the hiring of females,
Hispanics and African Americans has been below availability rates for several years.
During 2012, only journey or senior level operator hires were made and none were goal
achieving. More information is provided on pages 40, 42-43.
Job
Group
Table F: Rate of Underutilization for Operator Job Group AAY 08 – 13
(Increased underutilization or no decrease in underutilization in bold.)
Females African Americans Asians Hispanics
08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13 08 09 10 11 12 13
Operators 2% 1% 4% 4% 4% 4% N/A 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1%
Several years ago the District joined other Bay area water and wastewater utilities in an
effort to increase the local candidate pool for operator trainee jobs. These utilities
contracted with Solano College to design a wastewater and water treatment training
program. Sponsoring utilities provide internships for students enrolled in this program
Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity
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