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:
title
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 Procedures: Clean-up language
• Article 8 - Dues Deduction: Clean-up language
• Article 15 - Wages: There was an increase to the minimum and maximums pay grade for District Chief based on internal compression between the IAFF rank and file contract. For FY2024, wage increases will be effective as follows:
|
Employee |
10/2/2023 |
4/1/2024 |
Total |
|
Bragg |
9% |
2.5% |
11.5% |
|
Redmond |
5% |
0% |
5% |
|
Seeber |
9% |
3% |
12% |
o FY2025, 3% across the board wage increase or the same across the board wage increase provided to IAFF if greater than 3%, based on budgetary appropriations and Council budget adoption.
o FY2026, wage increases will be established through the negotiations process.
• Article 16 - Hours of Work: Section 6 - There is an increase from $40 to $45 hourly rate of pay for any District Chief that fills a shift for another District Chief.
• Article 29 - Working out of Classification: In the event a District Chief is assigned signing authority or serving as acting Fire Chief they will receive 7.5% additional pay.
• Article 35 - Duration: This is a three-year contract through September 30, 2026 with wage reopeners for the 3rd year of agreement.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
Organizational Effectiveness
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Budgeted Yes
The budget impact for the current FY2024 may need to be reevaluated after implementation due to the process of retroactive pay on payroll. That will take time to complete and total.
The budgetary impact for FY2025 and FY2026 will need to be evaluated through the budget process.
PREVIOUS ACTION:
At a regular City Council Meeting on September 13, 2022, Council approved a three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Teamsters Local Union 769 Cocoa Fire District Chiefs for the contract term of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2023.
The Fiscal Year 2022 Wages were approved on September 28, 2021 and Fiscal Year 2023 Wages on September 13, 2022.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
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.