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HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0014) IR 21-10610 - Collective Bargaining Negotiations w. FW Firefighters Local 440INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 21-10610 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 22, 2021 Page 1 of 1 SUBJECT: UPCOMING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FORT WORTH FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 440 This Informal Report provides an update on the timing and process that will be followed as the City and the Fort Worth Firefighters Local 440 negotiate the terms of a fourth (4) Fire Collective Bargaining Agreement. On May 24, 2021, the Fire Fighters Local 440 President, Captain Michael Glynn, delivered a letter to City Manager David Cooke, requesting that the City and the Local 440 begin negotiations for a fourth collective bargaining agreements no later than October 1, 2021, thereby initiating the collective bargaining negotiation process. The current collective bargaining agreement has a term of July 1, 2019 and expires on September 30, 2022, with a one-year evergreen period, meaning that the Agreement is no longer in effect after September 30, 2023. The contract provides for no wage increases to be implemented during the evergreen period. Members of the City's bargaining team headed by Assistant City Manager Valerie Washington will begin meeting internally in June to develop the listing of items the Fire Department, Human Resources, Finance/Payroll, and City Management believe should be addressed in the next iteration of the Fire Collective Bargaining Agreement. Items of importance fall into the following four (4) categories: across-the-board wages, apparatus staffing, hiring procedures, and promotional processes. As the bargaining team prepares for negotiations, time is spent researching and understanding the current marketplace for fire fighter salaries and benefits. We want to make sure we are offering competitive wages to attract top talent into the Fort Worth Fire Department. The CFW bargaining team and the Local will coordinate to establish meeting locations and times for negotiation sessions. The sessions are open meetings and will be posted on the CFW website. We will work with City Communications on outreach efforts to ensure the public is aware that they can attend these sessions. The city is committed to working constructively with the Local 440 to reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that serves the best interests of both the City and its fire fighters, prior to the end of the evergreen period. Tentative Collective Bar aining Timeline June & July 2021 City and Local 440 negotiating teams meeting internally to develop non -exhaustive list of negotiating items that can be shared prior to the first negotiation session. Final listing will be vetted with the City Manager and ACM team. August 2021 Schedule and hold a CBA Kickoff meeting for City and Local to introduce bargaining teams, agree on ground rules, and share negotiation item listings. September 2021 Hold first official CBA negotiation session prior to September 30'. At first meeting determine the tentative bargaining schedule and set target date to have the CBA completed. September 2021 City and Local 440 actively negotiating through February 2022 March 2022 Goal is to have a tentative agreement in place that can be vetted with CM and ACM team prior to preparing for council presentation. April 2022 Schedule time for court reporter to review tentative CBA with both teams to memorialize intent of items on the record. Also plan for the Local 440 ratification process May 2022 Present CBA to Mayor & Council, follow-up with an M&C approving the CBA agreement, and official ratification process for Local 440 membership If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Assistant City Manager Valerie Washington at 817-392-6192 or at Valerie.washin on ckfortworthtexas.gov. David Cooke City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS