The South Milwaukee City Council has approved a new four-year contract with firefighters represented by the South Milwaukee Firefighters Protective Association Local 1633.
I think it’s a fair deal that is reflective of the city’s financial picture – and a strong example of the type of collaboration that can happen among public employee unions and their employers.
The deal is effective Jan. 1 and expires Dec. 31, 2015. Among the highlights:
- It calls for no pay raise immediately, then a 2% increase on Jan. 1, 2013; 1% increase on July 1, 2013; 2% increase on Jan. 1, 2014; and 1% increase on July 1, 2014. Additionally, the deal calls for a potential “base wage reopener” for Jan. 1, 2105, under which the union notifies the city by Aug. 15, 2014, of its desire to reopen the contract for wage negotiations.
- Effective July 1, it calls for the city to pay the same amount toward firefighter health insurance as it does for its non-represented and civil service employees – 88%. Workers pay anything above that amount for the lowest cost health plan.
- It also brings firefighters in line with other workers when it comes to pension contributions, within a year. Under the deal, the city will pay one half of the employee-required pension contribution effective July 1. Effective Jan. 1, 2013, the firefighter will pay that entire amount (about 5.8% of their earnings), the same amount other non-represented workers pay. All new employees will pay the full amount immediately.
- The deal also relaxes firefighter residency requirements, making their residency standard the same as it is for all non-represented workers. It requires firefighters to live within these boundaries: Highway 20 from Racine west to Highway S; north on S to Highway K; west on K to Highway 164, north on 164 to the Waukesha-Racine County border, east to Highway V (Town Line Road) extended, north on Highway V extended to Silver Spring Road (Highway VV), and east on Silver Spring Road to Whitefish Bay.
The deal also makes some changes to retiree health insurance; sick leave allocation, usage and payouts upon retirement; bereavement leave; and limited duty assignments, among other areas.
Firefighters ratified the contract on Friday.
Of course, I’d like to know what you think of the contract. Post your comments below.
South Milwaukee Blog 