CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: February 5, 2024
Agenda Date: February 13, 2024
Prepared By: Tammy B. Gemmati, Administrative Services Director
Through: Stockton Whitten, City Manager
Requested Action:
title
Approve the three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Lieutenants for the contract term of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026.
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BACKGROUND:
The Police Lieutenants are under their own supervisory bargaining unit and the current agreement has three active members. The prior three-year collective bargaining agreement expired on September 30, 2023. Initial meetings were held June - August to bargain contract changes for a new agreement. The negotiation team for the City included: City Manager Stockton Whitten, Administrative Services Director/Chief Negotiator Tammy Gemmati, Police Chief Evander Collier, Police Commander Patrick Dovale, Police Commander Anthony Marchica, and Finance Director Rebecca Bowman.
A tentative agreement was reached on August 16, 2023. The initial ratification vote held by the members did not pass, so the parties returned to continue negotiating a final agreement. An additional ratification vote was scheduled and that also did not pass. Therefore, PBA declared impasse. Prior to holding a Special Magistrate Hearing, management and the union parties were able to resolve the impasse and reach a new tentative agreement on February 7, 2024. The members held a ratification vote and it was successful with a 4-0 passing vote.
The final contract covers periods of October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026. A summary of the contract changes includes:
Article 11 - Employee Leave and Benefits:
• Changed vacation accrual benefits to match the rank and file agreement.
• Added tuition assistance benefits for Master’s Degree.
Article 17 - Wages
• Police Lieutenant pay grade was increased from $76,606.40-$112,964.80 to $84,011.20-$129,916.80.
• Effective first pay period of Fiscal Year 2024, members employed prior to that time, will receive a 5% wage increase, with the exception of the current lowest paid Lieutenant receiving a 10.22% wage increase. For Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026, wage increases, if any, will be established through the negotiations process.
Article 22 - Pension
• No changes to this article and the previous contract reopener still exists where the City and Union would reopen this article for negotiation if certain conditions exist with the Police Pension Plan.
Article 23 - On-the-Job-Injury (New Article)
• This article was added with the intent of matching the benefit in the rank and file agreement.
• It allows for either up to two or three months of wage benefits by the City, depending on the type of Workers’ Compensation claim.
• This would only apply for new Workers’ Compensation injuries on or after October 1, 2023.
Article 24 - Duration
• This contract is a three-year term with wage reopeners for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026. Plus, Article 22 Pension has a potential for reopening as outlined in the article.
Upon City Council ratification, the contract will be implemented which will include back-pay of wages to the beginning of the Fiscal Year and the increase of vacation accruals.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
Organizational Effectiveness - Having a three-year contract in place enables stability in the workplace. The contract provides for a competitive benefits package with competing area agencies and assist in retaining experienced employees.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Budgeted Yes
The budgetary impact for Wages has been included in the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Final Budget. Budgetary impact for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026 will be in the proposed budgets for the respective years.
PREVIOUS ACTION:
At a Regular City Council Meeting on September 23, 2020, Council approved a three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Lieutenants for the contract term of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2023.
Council approved the contract amendments for the reopening of wages for Fiscal Year 2022 on September 28, 2021 and Fiscal Year 2023 on September 27, 2022.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
Approve the three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Lieutenants for the contract term of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026.