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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.H
Meeting Date: March 22, 2023
From: Eugenia Torres, Human Resources Manager
Title: Ratification of Agreement Between the City of Cathedral City and The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
City Council
RECOMMENDATION:
To ratify the agreement between the City of Cathedral City ("City") and The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees ("AFSCME") via the Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") for the period of January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025.
BACKGROUND:
The City and The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (“AFSCME”) via the Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) began negotiations over a successor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The negotiation teams reached a full agreement for a three (3) year contract for the period of January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The terms agreed to by the parties include the following:
1. Term – January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025 (3-year term)
2. Gender Pronoun Replacement – All references to he/she change to “they”, All references to his/her change to “their.”
3. Remove duplicate sections from Personnel Rules:
i. Equal Employment Opportunity
ii. Criminal Conviction
iii. Military Duty
iv. Family Illness Leave
v. Family Medical Leave
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4. Board Release Time for Union Business (NEW) - Up to six (6) AFSCME Board Members shall be afforded a combined total of up to 120 hours per calendar year to use for union related business and training.
5. Salary Increase –
A. No cost-of-living year 1
B.2.5% effective the first pay period following January 1, 2024 C.2.5% effective the first pay period following January 1, 2025 Any member employed at the time of ratification is eligible to receive the $15K one-time, non-Persable supplemental pay. Employees on probation must wait to receive the one-time supplemental pay until after successfully completing probation.
6. Merit Increase Advancement – Update language to illustrate process.
7. AO Compensation – Eliminate step 1 for both paramedic and EMT and start at step 2; longevity after step 6.
8. Standby Pay shall be dependent on employee’s shift.
9. Acting Appointments – Clarify process.
10.Shift Differential – incorporate side letter excluding AOs for shift differential pay.
11.Re-opener (Dispatch EMD) December 2023. Evaluate EMD job duties, job description, and determine specialty pay.
12.Probationary Period – Ambulance operators serve a probationary period of 12- months, or 2080 working hours, whichever is greater. Add “whichever is greater” to others.
13.Discipline – Clarifying the following discipline sections. Written Reprimand, Demotion, Dismissal, and Most Severe Discipline.
14.Attendance and leave – clean up language; move from Article 12.10.4 to
12.4.2 to align with Articles.
15.Vacation Leave – Shift vacation accruals to begin at 4.62 hours per pay period from 3.69 per pay period keeping the current cap at 8.31 with 10 years or more.
Hrs./Pay Period Hrs./Year
Less than 2 years 4.62 120
2 to 5 years 5.54 144
6 to 9 years 6.46 168
10 years or more 8.31 216
16.Holidays – Follow the Annual Holiday Council Resolution; cannot exceed 11 designated days prior to the parties meeting and conferring.
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17.Holiday Time – Ambulance Operators shall be credited 12 hours per designated holiday; total holiday time shall be 144 hours.
18.Compensatory Time – Change cash out to fiscal year.
19.Effect of Absence on Sick Leave – Clean up language.
20.Health Insurance – Increase health cap effective:
i. January 1, 2024, by:
Single = $110.97
Single + 1 = $222.30
Family = $341.49 i.
January 1, 2025, by:
Single = $108.73
Single +1=$220.19
Family = $397.62
21.HSA Contribution – Increase by $15 per month.
22.Deferred Compensation – Increase by $8.84 per pay period.
23.Wellness Program – Follow City Policy; remove 75/25 cost.
24.Bilingual – Increase by $15 per pay period.
25.The City and Association agree to meet and confer to develop an AO advancement policy by June 30, 2023.
26.AOs Re-certification and Re-licensure – Reimburse reasonable AOs recertification fees and costs upon presentation of the renewed certificate and receipt(s) for proof of payment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Year 1 $ 79,704
Year 2 $194,648
Year 3 $234,681
Total $509,034
ATTACHMENTS:
Cathedral City- AFSCME MOU_ (Final review by Union and City 03.21.23)