City staff finalized a contract with firefighters in record
time, granting them 1.5-percent compensation increases every six
months for the next four years. In addition, the new informal
bargaining approach used could signal a shift in city-union
negotiations.
City staff finalized a contract with firefighters in record time, granting them 1.5-percent compensation increases every six months for the next four years. In addition, the new informal bargaining approach used could signal a shift in city-union negotiations.
Councilmen are expected to approve a contract that gives firefighters pay increases every January and July through 2011 at a Nov. 5 Gilroy City Council meeting. In addition, the contract revised how overtime is calculated, increased the incentive for not taking sick leave and maintained a cap on healthcare coverage.
While the negotiated changes are typical, the bargaining process was unique. Rather than having legal counsel to represent the two sides, members of the parties represented themselves in non-binding talks.
“I thought the informal process … saved a bunch of wear and tear on the city as well as the union,” Councilman Craig Gartman said. “I think both sides were looking for ways to avoid what happened last time.”
The last round of negotiations stretched on for about two years and was contentious at times. The two sides had to call in an independent arbitrator, who ruled in September 2006 for the city to give a 10-percent pay raise over three years backdated from 2005. The cost of attorneys and arbitration was more than $200,000, councilman Russ Valiquette said.
“In the long run, (the fee for attorneys and arbitrators) ends up costing more than if we settled for a little bit higher,” he said.
In addition to the raise, if firefighters have unused sick days at the end of each year, they will receive higher compensation the next year. The two sides also extended the cutoff time – from seven to 15 minutes – before firefighters start counting overtime, saving the city money. The city also benefited by having a multi-year contract, Mayor Al Pinheiro said.
“That’s important for the city to be able to do its planning and not to be at the table every three years,” he said.
About 75 percent of the city’s budget goes toward paying police and firefighters, Pinheiro said. Councilmen deferred questions on the agreement’s cost to the city to Human Resource Director LeeAnn McPhillips. She and fire union representative Jim Buessing both refused comment until an in-person meeting with the Dispatch today.
Though not at the meetings, councilmen noted a friendlier atmosphere during negotiations than past years – an outgrowth of the informal talks, they said.
“You walk away from the table more of a stakeholder – part of the team – instead of an us-against-them attitude,” councilman Dion Bracco said. The informal process “just builds a lot stronger employee relations.”
The agreement – hammered out in just 30 days – marks the first time in 20 years that a new contract has been reached before the current contract ran out. The negotiations’ success has inspired councilmen to expand its usage. Current city contracts with the police union and the staff’s union – the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – expire in June 2009 and June 2010, respectively.
“I would look forward to trying to use the same method in negotiations with other bargaining groups,” councilman Roland Velasco said.
