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Adoption of Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between the Alameda City Employees Association (ACEA) and the City of Alameda for a Thirty-Six Month Term Commencing July 1, 2022 and Ending June 30, 2025. (Human Resources 10025060)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The prior agreement with ACEA, representing approximately 130 City employees, expired on June 30, 2022. Negotiations between the City and ACEA commenced in February of 2022. Employee salary and benefits continue until a successor agreement is approved.
The revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) submitted for approval represents a thirty-six month agreement, commencing July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2025 and includes increases to base salary, equity adjustments, COVID recognition pay and increases to various reimbursements, standby by and commercial driver’s license pay. Additionally the agreement includes an increase to the City’s medical contribution. Elements of the proposed MOU are summarized below.
BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda (City) has nine labor groups and administers two compensation plans. This includes four Public Safety groups and five miscellaneous groups.
In 2020, the City reached an agreement on a contract extension with the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) through December of 2023. This year, the City reached agreement with the Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA), Alameda Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA) and Alameda Police Management Association (APMA).
The agreements with the five miscellaneous groups and the two Compensation Plans expired in June of 2022. The City has now reached agreement with the Alameda City Employees Association (ACEA), the Management and Confidential Employees Association (MCEA), the Electric Utility Professionals of Alameda (EUPA) and the Police Officers Non-Sworn Association (PANS). City Council has approved the agreement with PANS and the other agreements are being presented to City Council. The City is currently meeting with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) group.
DISCUSSION
The proposed MOU provides salary increases as follows:
• Four and one half percent (4.5%) effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval;
• Three and one half percent (3.5%) effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2023; and
• Two and one half percent (2.5%) effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2024.
Additionally, nine classifications will receive equity adjustments ranging from 2% to 10.5%. The Library Technician and Gardner classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 2% effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval. The Librarian classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 10.5% effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval. The Senior Librarian classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 10% effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval. The Maintenance Worker I classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 5.5% effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval. The Maintenance Worker II and Park Maintenance Worker II classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 3.5% effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval. The Early Morning Street Sweeper Operator will receive a one-time equity adjustment to maintain the 5% differential over the Maintenance Worker II classification. Finally, the Parks Maintenance Worker classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment effective July 3, 2022 upon City Council approval to bring their salary in alignment to the Maintenance Worker I classification.
The City also agreed to increase its monthly contribution for employee medical insurance for eligible employees through a contribution to the Flexible Benefit Amount. The ACEA medical contribution amount will increase by 50% of the increased cost of the CalPERS Kaiser Plan. In the 2023 plan year, employees are able to choose from eight health plans, two of which will be fully covered at all levels of coverage by the City’s medical contribution amount.
The City agreed to update the standby provision providing for 0.1875 hours of compensation for every hour the employee is placed on Standby. The City and ACEA also reached the following agreements to increase certain special compensation pays including increasing the Safety Boot or Shoe allowance from $250 per year to $350 per year; increasing tool allowance from $600 per fiscal year to $800 fiscal year; and increasing Commercial Driver’s License pay from $65 a month to $150 per month to employees working in a classification that requires possession and maintenance of a commercial driver’s license.
The City and ACEA agreed to recognize the Juneteenth holiday increasing the total number of authorized holidays from ten to eleven.
ACEA members who were required to report on-site during the COVID state of emergency and were employed with the City as of July 1, 2022, will be provided with a flat monthly payment of $200 a month beginning in July 2022 through June 2023 in recognition of employee’s work to maintain City services and functions during the COVID Emergency.
Finally, the City and ACEA agreed to meet and confer on policies covering remote work and GPS on City vehicles.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact of implementing salary and other special pay changes agreed to in the ACEA MOU are described in the chart below.
COVID Pay will be funded through the Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. will be funded through the The cost of increased healthcare premium contributions is expected to be approximately $15,000 annually and the cost for other increases including increase to commercial Driver’s License Pay, Standby Pay, Boot Allowance and Tool Allowance is expected to be approximately $67,500 annually. It is anticipated that additional fiscal year costs will be included in future fiscal year budgets.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, pursuant to Guideline section 15378.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution approving a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Alameda City Employees Association (ACEA) and the City of Alameda for a thirty-six month term commencing July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2025.
Respectfully submitted,
Jessica R. Romeo, Human Resources Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Memorandum of Understanding between ACEA and the City of Alameda - Redline
2. Memorandum of Understanding between ACEA and the City of Alameda, - Clean
3. ACEA Salary Schedule, Effective July 3, 2022
cc: Erin Smith, Acting City Manager
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