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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-21-2023 Union MinutesCITY OF SEBASTIAN INTERNATIONAL UNION OF POLICE ASSOCIATIONS, AFL-CIO LOCALS 6054 AND 6056 WAGE ARTICLE NEGOTIATIONS MINUTES OF THE MEETING APRIL 21, 2023 Present: Nicholas Voglio, Union Representative, Locals 6054 and 6056, International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO Paul Carlisle, City Manager, City of Sebastian Ken Kilgore, Chief Financial Officer, City of Sebastian Joseph Vergnaud, Cemetery Supervisor Kim Maison, Accountant Dave Hamp, Maintenance Joseph Perez, Help Desk Technician Janet Graham, Technical Writer (ON THE RECORD AT 9:02 A.M.) Mr. Carlisle began the meeting at 9:02 a.m. Those present at the meeting introduced themselves. Mr. Carlisle stated that he took Mr. Voglio's letter back to City Council. He went over a couple of the articles that were mentioned in the letter as follows: Article 3, Subsection 2 — The City did not have a problem with the elected board members serving as a panel, just not all employees. There are seven elected officials. The City did not have a problem with those being there, just not every employee could sit at the bargaining table. He asked if that is agreeable. Mr. Voglio agreed. Article 14.5, Incentives —The City would either pay for the course if they took something after hours and they passed it and, just like education, the City would reimburse them for the course, or they could get the $50.00 bonus for the course. Article 7.2 — The increase for 911 from $1.00 to $3.00 was agreed to, as Mr. Voglio noted in his letter. Article 18.6 — The eyeglasses will go from $120.00 to $200.00. Article 18.8 — The boots will go from $120.00 to $200.00. Article 7.1 (d) — The City's position was '/2 hour at the last vote. There was a lot of discussion on 1 hour versus''/1 hour. That was the City's best and final offer, and if you rejected it, that would be considered an impasse, and there would be no retro pay. He met with City Council, and there is a level of frustration. However, in a spirit of Page 2 cooperation, they will consider the 1-hour lunch, but the start and stop times must be adjusted to account for that 1 hour. An additional condition was, if you rejected it, there would be no retro pay. The City's position now is, as a gesture of goodwill, the City will give retro pay back to January 1 sc Using the status quo contract is not something that the City would consider. Mr. Voglio clarified that the City is flat out rejecting the contract as is with the amendments that his group agreed to. So they want to have a new contract which affects the vacation, sick leave, and he asked for clarification in the 30 minutes. He asked what would the new hours be for someone like Miss Maison as opposed to Dave Hamp. Mr. Carlisle explained that the department can choose if they want to start a %2 hour earlier or work a Y. hour later. That would be department wide. Mr. Perez asked why that is the case. Mr. Carlisle explained it. Mr. Voglio reiterated that the union representatives sent the agreement out for a vote. Obviously, it failed with 43 no votes and 16 yes votes. He proposed that, considering the givebacks that the union has semi -acquiesced to, he is of the opinion that changing the contract in the manner that City Council wants it to be changed in one negotiation cycle is tantamount to a revolution as opposed to an evolution. He knows that Mr. Carlisle has his instructions, but he wanted it on the record for City Council to ponder. He asked if it would be fair for the taxpayers to have to foot the bill for an impasse. What is being discussed is an impasse that is going to be tantamount, on both sides, to thousands of dollars, and it would not be just for one year. If it's the City's position in year 2 as well, there will not be the 5% raise, there will bean impasse for that. In the third year there will bean impasse. He estimated that will cost probably upwards of $50,000.00 or more just on the City's end for an attorney. He thought it had been agreed on 80%—a rough estimate —of the contract. The Evergreen Study was more important to the City Council than it was to the workers. The union finally acquiesced and said they will take the Evergreen Study. They agreed to the second year of 5% and agreed to the third year of 5%. If you look at what the union's demands are and what that would entail for the City's budget, outside of the raises, it is really minimal. If the City can afford the Evergreen Study and 5% and 5%., the union is open to doing something other than the Evergreen Study. It is his understanding from the feedback he received that the meal break was really critical on driving the no vote of 43 to 16. It was sent out for a vote even though he did not think there had been a meeting of the minds. It was done with the hopes that it would pass. He opined that if the City would reconsider the meal, he thinks that would swing the vote. Mr. Carlisle said the City did reconsider the 30 minutes, and they agreed to go to the hour. They also did not stick by their guns by saying no retro pay; they went back to January 15t. He stated he is not going back to Council. He thinks he has his direction from Council, and he asked that the union think very clearly and very concisely on voting on this agreement. He again stated that he cannot go back to Council. Mr. Voglio understands that this is not an issue with Mr. Carlisle; the issue is with City Council. Page 3 Mr. Carlisle stated that it is his understanding that there are only two items outstanding, those being the lunch break going from 30 minutes paid lunch to an hour unpaid and the bonus pay. Other than those two items, it is his understanding that every other article of this contract has been agreed upon as we went through it. Mr. Voglio stated that comp time was another one that was just brought to his attention. Mr. Carlisle said he is not going to consider comp time. They are already getting their comp time according to the Labor Standards Act. Mr. Voglio asked for a break in order for him to caucus with his union representatives. (OFF THE RECORD AT 9:17 A.M.) (BACK ON THE RECORD AT 9:44 A.M.) Mr. Voglio stated he has caucused with the union Board and as a sign of good faith, they will send this out for another vote. He asked that Mr. Carlisle send him a clean, updated copy of the contract, meaning Article 3.2 left as is in the old contract, and with language property inserted for Article 7.1 (d) to read that the department heads will be the ones who decide what time their crews start and end. Mr. Voglio added that, before he sends the proposed contract out for a vote, he wants to review the language. Another item that Mr. Voglio asked for is, for employees in the field, if their mealtime could start when they get back to the compound. Mr. Carlisle said no, that their mealtime starts when work stops and work begins, one hour. Mr. Voglio stated that after he receives the clean copy of the new proposed contract, it will be reviewed for a period of time. So there may be a lag time before the vote actually happens. Mr. Carlisle added that there are a few items to go before Council that will benefit the employees which are on hold until this contract is finished. One of those items is short -time disability. Mr. Carlisle said his staff would get the contract changes out to Mr. Voglio this coming Monday, April 24, 2023. He asked that Mr. Voglio email him a time when he thinks that the vote needs to happen so that we can get the notices out, and we will provide a room in the public works compound for the vote. Mr. Voglio said he would do that. Mr. Carlisle adjourned the meeting at 9:52 A.M