CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: September 13, 2021
Agenda Date: September 28, 2021
Prepared By: Tammy B. Gemmati, Administrative Services Director
Through: Stockton Whitten, City Manager
Requested Action:
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Approve the contract revisions effective Fiscal Year 2022 for the 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.
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BACKGROUND:
On August 26, 2020, City Council approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) effective October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2023 for the Teamsters Local Union 769, which represents the three Fire District Chiefs, a supervisory group in the Fire Department. As part of the CBA, for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, wage increases are established through the negotiations process. Also, for Fiscal Year 2022, each party had the ability to open up one additional article.
Bargaining began in June 2021 and a tentative agreement was reached on September 9, 2021. The negotiation team for the City included: City Manager Stockton Whitten, Administrative Services Director Tammy Gemmati (served as Chief Negotiator), Finance Director Rebecca Bowman, and Fire Chief Jonathan Lamm.
The union held a ratification vote for August 17, 2020 with a 2-1 final vote to ratify the wage increases. The following articles were opened during this negotiation period.
• Article 6 - Grievance and Arbitration Procedures: Teamsters chose to open this Article for negotiations. There was a tentative agreement to make no changes to the Article.
• Article 15 - Wages: Effective the first payroll period of Fiscal Year 2022, bargaining unit members will receive a salary increase of seven percent (7%). In Section 5, there was an increase to Solo Paramedic incentive pay from $215.00 to $260.00 bi-weekly.
• Article 26 - Pension: The City chose to open this Article for negotiations. There was a tentative agreement for the City to modify the Firefighters Pension Plan to include a disability retirement benefit equal to a minimum of 60% average monthly salary if the disability occurs as the result of an active shooter event or mass killing. The Pension Ordinance is under legal review at the moment and will be brought to City Council on a separate agenda item.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
Employees - 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.
Fiscal Sustainability- Approval of a three-year collective bargaining agreement assists the City in long term financial planning.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Budgeted Yes, pending FY2022 Budget Adoption
PREVIOUS ACTION:
At a regular City Council Meeting on September August 26, 2020, 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.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
Approve the contract revisions effective Fiscal Year 2022 for the 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.