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~~Summary of the collective bargaining process as it stands today:
Articles 1 – 15; 19, 20, 23, 24, 28-32, 34, 37-40 were all tentatively agreed (T/A) by the union and city as having NO CHANGES;
Article 16 – Holidays;
Add / Change: Holiday pay will be paid at 12 additional straight time hours for working a 24 hour shift on a holiday designated in this article; Holiday pay will be paid at 8 additional straight time hours for working less than a full 24 hour shift, or for being off duty entirely. These Holiday hours will be banked and paid out in lump sum on the first payday in December of each year;
Loose / Change: Article 16.2 members who are scheduled to work a holiday will use personal leave time if granted leave time for the holiday; previously Article 16.2 allowed members to take the day off without loss of leave time with loss of holiday pay for that day.
Union/City expects to T/A this on July 9
Article 17 – Wages
City and Union proposals use the same dollar figure for a three year pay raise;
City Proposal: Eliminate the step plan; create a minimum / maximum pay range for all classifications; slot all current members into the min/max pay range based on current base pay plus a 1.5% pay increase for all on October 1, 2015; lower the current starting firefighter entry level rate by 3% for those hired on or after October 1, 2015; wage increase of a minimum 1% on October 1, 2016 with a wage reopener; wage increase of a minimum of 1% on October 1, 2017 with a wage reopener; anyone who reaches the maximum within a given pay range will receive bi-weekly or monthly installments in the amount of the pay raise but the max salary rate and hourly rate remain fixed at the max level; this bi-weekly installment is pensionable salary but does not count towards overtime calculation; no reduction to the entry level wage for positions above firefighter;
Union Proposal: Eliminate the step plan; create the minimum/maximum pay range for all classifications; lower the starting entry level for firefighter by 3% for those hired on or after October 1, 2015; Spread the total dollars out to the members based on years in service starting at the high point or most senior receiving a larger share of the total dollars and the lesser senior members receiving less; No pay raise in the first year for members hired between October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015 but this group would receive increases on October 1, 2016 and 2017 and this group would be slotted 3% higher in pay than those hired after them; wage reopeners in year two and three; anyone who reaches the maximum within a given pay range will receive bi-weekly or monthly installments in the amount of the pay raise but the max salary rate and hourly rate remain fixed at the max level; this bi-weekly installment is pensionable salary but does not count towards overtime calculation; no reduction to the entry level wage for positions above firefighter;
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO VOTE ON; YOUR VOTE WILL TELL THE E-BOARD WHICH PROPOSAL TO SIGN OFF ON; UNION AND CITY WILL GO EITHER WAY, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE BRINGING THIS ONE ITEM TO YOU NEXT WEEK FOR VOTE;
YOU ARE NOT VOTING THE APPROVAL OF AN ENTIRE CONTRACT YET; YOU ARE JUST GIVING US DIRECTION AT THIS TIME ON THE ONE ISSUE……WAGES
At the Special Meetings next week, we will show you where you will be slotted in each of the plans however that information is not ready to present right now;
Article 18 – Hiring, Promotion and Classification
Add / Change: adds language that was previously agreed to in a Memo of Understanding that states; all candidates must meet the requirements on the day before the promotional exam process begins;
Add / Change: Any Fire Inspector required to perform fire investigation shall have taken both a Fire Chemistry and a Fire Cause and Origin course of at least 40 hours each;
Article 21 – Occupational Safety and Health
Loose/Change: Removes references to the ARA Human Factors but not the agility portion of the physical; removes the physical fitness coordinators from the contract;
Article 25 – Health Insurance
No written proposals as of this time; city written proposal expected July 9;
City has spoken of offering optional plans such as the traditional plan we have currently, adding a high deductible option; adding an employee plus 1 option but no written proposals have been received for us to consider or counter;
Article 26 – Uniforms and Equipment
Loose /Add / Change: in 26.6 changes word “shall” to “may”; reduces Class B from three to two and increases the Class C from three to six;
Add / Change: at 26.9, increases the amount of maximum reimbursement for your personally owned utility, non-firefighting equipment damaged in the line of duty from current $100 to $200; and for corrective lenses from current $150.00 to $300.00;
Article 27 – Job Connected Injury Benefits
Union proposal being considered by the city: follow same benefits as the FOP; provides for member being paid in comp or flex time for off duty medical treatment, currently off duty visits are on your own time; extends the period of time that the city will cover you without the use of your leave time;
City response expected July 9
Article 33 – Scheduled Leave
Loose / Change: at 33.4.2 we keep the ability to have “short notice vacations” however that approval is at the sole discretion of the Fire Chief / designee and approval shall not be arbitrarily denied;
Article 35 – Annual Physicals
A mixture of city and union proposals to ensure that the physical remains a full body scan; eliminates certain tests; changes the annual date of the exam to sometime in the May/June/July time period starting with the 2016 physical;
Written proposal expected July 9
Article 36 – Duration
The contract will be effective October 1, 2015 and expire September 30, 2018 with the exception of Article 17 – Wages which shall have re-openers in years two and three;
Article 37 – Retirement
No Change: The article was one of the earlier T/A’s and remains in that status however on June 30 they proposed that the plan be closed to future members on September 30 and that those hired on or after October 1 would enter FRS. The union rejected that proposal.
There are some State Statues that went into effect July 1; union and city need to work out those statutes and have until October 1 to do so; union is meeting with FOP for strategies and with FPF for guidance; these changes affect the State money that flows into the plan, not the benefits you currently have. We are attempting to keep the Statute changes and Negotiations separate issues.
Article 41 – IAFF Nationwide Investment Plan
Add / Change: Now provides the option of the IAFF / Nationwide 457 Investment Plan as an option to the current ICMA 457 Investment Plan;
The meetings coming up next week are important ones; your voice will be heard and you will be able to cast your vote on which way we go on Wages; you will be able to ask your questions and they will be answered to the best of our abilities; While you can attend both meetings, you will only vote direction once.
Any member of the E-Board should be able to help you with your questions but please feel free to contact me if you desire; in closing given the political climate in and around city hall, what we are presenting to you is not bad at all, certainly not as bad as it surly could have been;
Thanks, and have a safe 4th of July holiday
Dave
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