TO: Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Douglas E. Smith, City Manager
DATE: May 20, 2015
Title
APPROVING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERATION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 1, 2014 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
Body
BACKGROUND: The following is a summary of some of the changes under the proposed collective bargaining agreement with the Federation of Public Employees (FPE):
Wages:
-Cost of living (COLA) increase of 2.5% for FY 2015, 2.5% for FY 2016, and 3% for FY 2017.
-Revised pay ranges and titles for certain positions.
-Employees promoted during a fiscal year shall be eligible for the full amount of steps in any provided step increase.
-Skill based compensation and Added Responsibility Increments (ARI) terminated effective the first full pay period following the adoption date of this Agreement. Employees previously receiving skill-based compensation and or ARI retain ½ that amount added to their base pay, except for Service Worker II, where all with that title receive $1,000 added to their base pay.
Hours of Work and Overtime:
-Priority for overtime assignments shall first be provided to employees who have not taken or been scheduled for vacation leave during the applicable work period. Sick leave, compensatory leave, personal holiday leave, holiday bank leave, and bereavement leave shall not be counted as hours worked for the purposes of calculating overtime pay or compensatory time.
Leave time:
-Requirement for using at least 50% of annual leave hours earned in each contract year is removed; also, vacation leave use is to be included as hours worked.
-An employee who has been absent on sick leave for more than three (3) consecutive days will also be responsible for completing and returning Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork when requested to do so by the City, as well as a Fitness for Duty form, when applicable.
-Revised holiday leave article that includes tables based on work schedule. Holiday leave (with some exceptions) is included as hours worked.
- Sunset of personal leave article is removed and additional revisions are included.
Insurance:
-Agree to meet and bargain the future related allocation of expenditures for health insurance benefits during the term of the Agreement.
Additional terms:
-Reopeners available one-time during the term of the Agreement for Article 20-Health and Life Insurance, Article 4-Wages (if City reopens Article 20), Article 34-Higher Education Incentive, and one additional article if Article 4-Wages is reopened.
-Employee may be assigned to an equal, lower, or higher-graded position if current position is abolished.
-An employee promoted to a Federation covered position classification with a higher pay grade shall receive a 5% pay increase (rounded up to next highest step above 5%) or moved to the new position's pay grade minimum, whichever is greater.
-Clothing allowance for Code Compliance Officer, Community Service Aide, or Crime Scene Technician, increased from $300 to $450 per year.
-Personal vehicle use compensation for City business shall be in compliance with City's Travel Policy and all other Federal, State, or local regulations.
RECOMMENDATION: For approval.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for current fiscal year through FY 15-16 General Fund Budget.
CONTACT PERSON: Douglas E. Smith, City Manager