CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: March 19, 2024
Agenda Date: March 26, 2024
Prepared By: Tammy Gemmati, Administrative Services Director
Through: Stockton Whitten, City Manager
Requested Action:
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Approve the three-year collective bargaining agreement between the City of Cocoa and the Teamsters Local Union 769 Cocoa Fire District Chiefs for the contract term of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026.
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BACKGROUND:
The Fire District Chiefs are under their own supervisory collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the Fire Department represented by Teamsters Local Union 769 (Teamsters). The prior three-year collective bargaining agreement term expired on September 30, 2023. Since June 2023, Cocoa City Staff began working with the Teamsters to renegotiate a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. The negotiation team for the City included: City Manager Stockton Whitten, Administrative Services Director Tammy Gemmati (served as Chief Negotiator), Fire Chief Jonathan Lamm, Assistant Fire Chief Dara Hennessy, and Finance Director Rebecca Bowman.
The Teamsters declared impasse in September 2023 after five negotiation sessions. At that time, the Florida Statute 447 Impasse Procedures were followed with a Special Magistrate Hearing held on January 10, 2024. The articles at impasse included Article 6 and 20 - whether to include discipline in the agreement, and Article 15 - Wages. The Special Magistrate provided his recommendation to both parties on March 5, 2024. Both parties accepted all recommendations of the Special Magistrate. Therefore, it was not necessary to hold an impasse hearing with City Council.
The City and Union tentatively approved the contract proposal for a three-year term of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026. The union held a ratification vote on March 19, 2024 with a 3-0 final vote to ratify the CBA. Highlights of the contract modifications include:
* Article 6 - Grievance and Arbitration P...
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