CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: September 7, 2021
Agenda Date: September 14, 2021
Prepared By: Tammy B. Gemmati, Administrative Services Director
Through: Stockton Whitten, City Manager
Requested Action:
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Approve the three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (CFPBA) for the contract term of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2024.
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BACKGROUND:
Since May 2021, the City of Cocoa City Staff has been working with the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (CFPBA) Union to renegotiate a new three-year agreement. The negotiation team for the City included: City Manager Stockton Whitten, Police Chief Evander Collier, Finance Director Rebecca Bowman, and Administrative Services Director Tammy Gemmati, who also served as Chief Negotiator for the City. On September 3, 2021, the CFPBA Union tentatively approved the contract proposal for a three-year term of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2024. The PBA Union held their ratification vote on Wednesday, September 8 and ratified the contract with a vote of 39 - Yes and 3 - No.
This contract includes the classifications of Police Officers, Police Sergeants, and Dispatch/Communication Officers. Since this was a complete contract negotiation, there were many changes made, some administrative in nature with little impact. Highlights of the contract modifications include:
Article 6 - PBA Business
• This new contract allows for up to eighty hours of union business to be used for union items such as grievance handling or training. Prior to this the contract allowed for a time pool system where members could donate and then use the time for union business.
• Changes to this article were mostly administrative in nature to account for the new union business time procedures.
Article 7 - Promotions
• This article will be reopened during Fiscal Year 2022 to negotiate possible changes to the Police Sergeant’s promotion process.
Article 8 - Assignments and Transfers
• Clarification made to the way patrol shift bids are conducted, which is done by rank seniority.
• Assignments to specialized units are at the discretion of the Police Chief.
Article 10 - Seniority
• Two employees hired on the same day will now be done by the highest numeric of the last four digits of social security number versus the last two digits.
Article 17 - Working out of Classification
• Working out of Classification pay will now be given when the duration is for a full shift or more instead of a full week.
Article 19 - Bereavement Leave
• Added eligible relationships for bereavement leave consistent with City policy.
Article 20 - Education Assistance
• Tuition assistance will now be on a 100% basis up to a certain annual amount with a passing grade of C or better. Prior to this it was up to 50% based on grade.
• The annual limit will now be $1,500 for Bachelor’s Degree programs and $2,500 for Master’s Degree programs (based on budgetary availability).
Article 22 - Hours of Work and Overtime
• In the event the work schedules for sworn officers are changed to a schedule with a workweek that exceeds 40 hours, the work period will change to a 14-day work period versus the current work period of 7-days.
• Communications Officers shall have a minimum of an 8-hour rest period between shifts and not required to work more than 16 hours in a 24-hour period.
• Hours work will now include Sick Leave if it is used with mandatory overtime.
• Minimum court appearance time for pay purposes increased from two hours to three hours.
• During Fiscal Year 2022, if there is a universal patrol schedule change, the City will provide a 30-day notice versus the normal 10-days.
• Flexible schedules may be provided on a case-by-case basis for short-term situations with mutual consent.
Article 27 - Vacation
• Added tier for 20+ years of service with 200 annual hours.
Article 28 - Wages
• For Fiscal Year 2022, sworn officers will receive a 7% wage increase and non-sworn will receive a 5% increase
• For Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, all employees will receive a 3% increase unless the budget appropriations cannot be made. In that case, the City would open for negotiations. Anyone hired during the fiscal year will receive a prorated increase based on the number of full months employed with the City.
• Increased the pay range minimums and maximums for all classifications covered in agreement.
• Increases to shift differential by $.25/hour for both evening and midnight shifts.
Article 29 - Rules and Regulations
• All policy changes will be done with a minimum of 20 calendar days of notice versus 30 days.
Article 30 - Liability/Accident
• Changes made to the responsibilities and actions of the police accident review board where a recommendation is made to the Police Chief for discipline, if warranted.
• A new section was added to cover the take-home vehicle process which allows for up to 50-miles in each direction of City limits.
Article 35 - On-the-Job Injury
• The work schedule may be temporarily modified with no loss in pay.
Article 37 - Duration
• Three-year term through September 30, 2024 with reopeners as specified in:
o Article 7: Promotions
o Article 16: Pension
o Article 28 - Wages.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
Employees - Having a three-year contract in place enables stability in the workplace. Additionally, annual wage increases committed for three years will also help retain a qualified workforce and build strong labor/management relations.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Budgeted Yes
The budgetary impact of this three-year contract renewal is illustrated in Article 28: Wages. Additionally, there are other Articles with budgetary impact for benefits. Police wages and benefits are in the respective accounts under the Police Department.
PREVIOUS ACTION:
At a regular City Council on September 23, 2020, Council approved Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Cocoa and the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) to modify the wages for Fiscal Year 2021.
At a regular City Council on September 25, 2018, Council approved a three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) for the contract term of October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2021.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
Approve the three-year contract between the City of Cocoa and the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (CFPBA) for the contract term of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2024.