The City Council is being asked to approve a tentative agreement for the renewal of a labor contract between the City and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 190.  Negotiations were completed on October 22, 2015. Local 190 approved the contract on November 10, 2015. If approved by the Council, the contract will apply  from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2018.

Changes to the contract include:

• A 3.2% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for FY 16 and FY 17, with the FY 16 increase retroactive to July 1, 2015, plus a 3% COLA for FY 18;
• Inclusion of a requirement that an employee shall have 90 days from the date of hire to obtain a CDL license, and an additional 30-day extension in the event the license cannot be obtained through no-fault of the employee;
• Inclusion of a requirement that if an employee is sick for three consecutive working days, the supervisor may request a return to work notification from a physician.  This requirement was reduced from 6 days previously;
• Inclusion of language that states if an employee can no longer perform the essential functions of his/her position due to an illness or injury, and a transfer to another position is unavailable, then the employee will be terminated;
• Language clarification changing "Necessary sick leave for family" to "Family Emergency Sick";
• Language clarification defining Maternity/Paternity Leave to coincide with FMLA and the Montana Maternity Act;
• Inclusion of a requirement regarding Personal Days that if an employee is hired on or after March 1st, then they will have access to 1 personal day through June 30th;
• Language clarification changing "Industrial Accident" to "Workers' Compensation";
• Inclusion of language requiring the Health Insurance committee to periodically reevaluate the Plan to make sure the City is receiving the best cost and services;
• Inclusion of language stating if an employee is on a leave of absence without pay for six consecutive months, due to job-related injury or illness, then the employee and dependents will become ineligible for active health insurance coverage and be offered COBRA;
• Inclusion of language allowing 20 business days to issue discipline when a due process hearing is involved.  This was increased from 15 days;
• Inclusion of language requiring that all disciplinary notices will be considered current and in effect for a period of 24 months after the date of issue;
• Increase Standby pay $0.12 per hour to equal a total of $1.75 per hour, and eliminating $0.05 per hour premium for ARFF employees during the months of November through February;
• Increase Shift Differential $0.10 per hour to equal a total of $0.65 per hour for afternoon shift differential and $.80 per hour for night shift differential;
• Clarification language stating employees who are on sick leave for their regularly scheduled workday will not be considered for overtime assignments for that day;
• Inclusion of language regarding Leadworker pay requiring that a leadworker who is classified at two or more pay grade increments above the highest grade of any employee that he or she supervises, shall not qualify for any additional pay;
• Clarification language regarding employee's single day vacation picks. A single vacation day may be granted by a supervisor with at least one day's notice from the employee.  That same vacation day may be canceled by the supervisor with at least one day's notice to the employee, except in emergency situations affecting the health, welfare, and safety of the City;
• Inclusion of language that states layoffs will be determined by job description and Citywide seniority, instead of by job title and Citywide seniority;
• Clarification language that an interview will be given up to the four most senior Teamsters' applicants who possess the minimum qualifications for the position.

 

City Council may:

• Approve the contract as amended, with pay retroactive to July 1, 2015;
• Postpone action to obtain additional information; or
• Deny approval of the contract, forcing negotiations to resume.

The 3.2% COLA would cost $732,437 for FY 16 and $755,875 for FY 17, plus 3% or $731,309 for FY 18. The increase in Standby pay is estimated to be $10,300 per year and the increase in Shift Differential pay is estimated to be $11,600 per year.  These pay adjustments are distributed across many of the City's Funds.  The increased spending may require budget amendments for some Funds, which will be presented to the Council in the near future.

Staff recommends that the Council approve the contract, with pay retroactive to July 1, 2015.