Who We Are

CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATES

(562) 433-6983

Who We Are

Principal Robin Nahin holds two Masters Degrees, one from UCLA, with an emphasis on labor relations. Her tweny-nine years experience includes grievance representation, arbitration, and contract negotiations for more than fifty employees associations. Robin is also an expert at salary, classification, and medical benefit matters, as well as workers compensation and the Public Employees Retirement System. She has negotiated more than 150 sector MOUs.

Associate Brian Niehaus specializes in representing members in disciplinary hearing, internal investigations, and grievances, as well as Civil Service hearings and arbitrations. Brian received his B.A in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati, and his law degree, with a concentration in labor and employment, from California Western School of Law in San Diego. During law school, he worked for an Employee Rights Center where he fought for employee's wages, overtime pay and unemployment insurance. He also served as a legal intern for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and as attorney for the California Correctional Peace Officers Association and the Riverside Sheriffs' Association.

Attorney Michael Koskie has twenty-six years experience in public sector labor relations. He has a law degree from Western State University and did graduate work at USC where he has also received his undergraduate degree. Licensed to practice law in two states, Michael has spent several years representing police unions in civil litigation and administrative matters. Prior to that, his career was devoted to representing City of Los Angeles employees, and later, to serving as chief negotiator for a number of employee groups in cities and in Orange County. Michael has conducted hundreds of grievances, disciplinary hearings, arbitrations and civil service procedures.

Associate Mike Gaskins has nearly thirty years' experience as a teacher and activist in public employee unions. He is a Vietnam veteran with a degree in Marine Biology from California State University at Long Beach. Mike worked six years as a Chemist/Microbiologist with Santa Margarita Water District where he served as Vice-President and Political Action Chair of his Employees Association. Mike has served as Chief Negotiator in more than thirty jurisdictions. His areas of expertise include interest based ("win-win") bargaining strategies, salary surveys, and grievance and discipline representation.

Attorney Jeffrey Natke received his B.A. in History from Alma College and his law degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Michigan State University. In law school, Jeff earned Achievement Awards for both Labor Arbitration and Sports Law, and served as Editor on the Michigan State Law Review. He was an intern with the U.S. Army JAG Corps, and an extern for a Michigan Supreme Court Justice. Jeff later practiced labor and employment law in Las Vegas, where he gained experience handling grievances and contract negotiations on the "management side of the table." This enabled him to make the decision that he ONLY wants to work on the "union side" in the future.

Associate Jennifer Ortiz holds a Master's degree from Mills College in Post-Colonial Studies and has spent many years as a union representative. She has expertise as a lobbyist, a coordinator of political action committees, and a member organizer. In her previous position at the Service Employees Union, Jennifer conducted hundreds of disciplinary hearings, grievances and ADA interactive meetings. She also staffed Labor-Management Committees, and conducted both contract negotiations over work condition problems and the enforcement of the government code. Ms. Ortiz is also fully fluent in Spanish.

Associate Mary L. Neeper worked for 16 years in public agencies in California, including several years as a Manager in the County of San Bernadino. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of LaVerne with a B.S. degree in Public Administration and has 15 years’ experience as a Labor Relations Representative on the "union side." Mary’s special area of expertise is contract negotiations. She has served as chief negotiator in dozens of cities and special districts and has proven experience in representing members in grievances, PERB hearings, and disciplinary appeals.

Associate Henry Soria has five years’ experience as a staffer for public employee unions. He also worked for more than ten years as a school district employee, serving first as a Job Steward, and later as President and Chief Negotiator for his local union. In his previous positions with the San Bernardino Public Employees Association and the California School Employees Association, Henry represented members in grievance and disciplinary proceedings, collective bargaining, classification studies, and performance reviews. He has successfully settled hundreds of grievances and has become specialized in the area of "layoff negotiations."