Title
Adoption of Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the Electric Utility Professionals Association and the City of Alameda for a Twenty-Four Month Term Commencing July 1, 2025 and Ending June 30, 2027. (Human Resources 10025060)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The prior agreement with the Electric Utility Professionals Association (EUPA), representing approximately 100 City of Alameda (City) employees, expired on June 30, 2025. Negotiations between the City and MCEA commenced in January of 2025.
The revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) submitted for approval represents a twenty-four month agreement, commencing July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027, and includes equity adjustments and increases to base salary, one-time lump sum payment to offset healthcare premium costs, administrative leave, and increases to compensatory time off (CTO). Additionally, the agreement increases the Education Reimbursement amount to $2,000 annually to create parity with the Management and Confidential Employees Association (MCEA), transitions the classification of Line Superintendent to a forty (40) hour workweek, and provides a total compensation survey to be conducted for all EUPA classifications in January 2026 and 2027, providing equity adjustments to classifications found to be below market median.
EUPA members have ratified this agreement.
BACKGROUND
The City has nine labor groups and administers two compensation plans. This includes four Public Safety groups and five miscellaneous groups.
The agreements with the five miscellaneous groups and the two Compensation Plans expired in June of 2025. The City has now reached agreement with the Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA), Alameda Police Officers Association: Non-Sworn (PANS), Management and Confidential Employees Association (MCEA), Electric Utility Professionals Association (EUPA), and the Alameda City Employees Association (ACEA). The City is currently meeting with the Alameda Police Managers Association (APMA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1245 (IBEW) groups.
DISCUSSION
Proposed MOU wage increases for the term of the MOU will be based on the Base Revenue Index (BRI), defined as one-half (i.e., 50%) of the year-over-year growth measured between successive fiscal years of the combined dollar amount of the following four (4) Alameda taxes: Property tax, 1% Bradley-Burns Sales Tax, Utility Users Tax, and Transient Occupancy Tax. The minimum base wage increases will be 1% and the maximum will be 5%. The MOU provides base wage increases as follows:
• Wage increase for 2025 will be based on BRI from fiscal year 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, with the minimum increase of 1% to base wages taking effect the first full pay period following July 1, 2025. Upon finalization of the BRI calculation, any additional increase to base wages will be implemented retroactively to the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• Wage increase for 2026 will be based on BRI from fiscal year 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, with the minimum increase of 1% to base wages taking effect the first full pay period following July 1, 2026. Upon finalization of the BRI calculation, any additional increase to base wages will be implemented retroactively to the first full pay period following July 1, 2026.
Additionally, thirteen (13) classifications will receive equity adjustments ranging from 1.80% to 18.0%, upon City Council approval.
• The Line Superintendent and Electrical Equipment Superintendent classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 18.0% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Compliance & Safety Superintendent - AMP classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 12.54% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Electrical Distribution Technician classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 7.41% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Distribution Engineer, Electrical Engineer, and Senior Electrical Engineer classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 8.51% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Engineering Manager classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 11.89% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Finance & Utility Billing Manager classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 1.80% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Energy Resources Analyst and Senior Energy Resources Analyst classifications will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 1.81% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Support Services Manager classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment of 2.90% effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
• The Executive Assistant - AMP classification will receive a one-time equity adjustment to align with the MCEA Executive Assistant salary range, approximately 9.12% increase, effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.
The proposed MOU provides that the City will conduct total compensation surveys for EUPA classifications in January 2026 and January 2027. Any classifications found below the median will be provided salary adjustments to the median effective January 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027.
The City and EUPA agreed to transition the Line Superintendent classification to a standard workweek of forty (40) hours effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025. Applicable MOU provisions, such as vacation, sick leave, and holidays, were revised to reflect leave accrual at the forty (40) hour workweek.
The MOU provides one-time lump sum non-PERSable payments of $1,000 in July 2025 and $1,000 in July 2026 in recognition of rising medical costs and to offset medical premium cost increases.
The City agreed to provide up to an additional three (3) days of Administrative Leave, to commensurate with the employee’s regular workday schedule, upon employee request to exempt management employees in recognition of work performed outside of their normal work week. The additional hours of Administrative Leave are subject to supervisor approval and is not available for cash out and will be forfeited if unused.
The City and EUPA agreed increase the compensatory time off (CTO) cap to eighty hours. On the last pay date of the fiscal year, CTO hours exceeding forty hours, up to a max of forty hours, will be cashed out.
The City and EUPA also reached agreement move the half day “holi-eve” for Christmas Eve or New Years to the Floating Holiday bank for a total of four Floating holidays per fiscal year; increase the Education Reimbursement to $2,000 and include a Management Development provision in parity with MCEA; and expand immediate family members, as well as codify City practice, for the funeral Leave provision.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider a number of alternatives, including:
• Approve the resolution as recommended. The City has bargained in good faith with EUPA and reached a successor agreement that provides equity adjustments to the median, modest wage increases, and workplace improvements.
• Deny the resolution. Staff does not recommend as it would trigger a delay in implementing a successor MOU that has been ratified by the bargaining unit.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact of implementing salary and other special pay changes agreed to in the EUPA MOU as shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1
The transition of the Line Superintendent classification to a standard forty (40) workweek will cost approximately $23,000 annually. Additionally, the cost of the increased Education Reimbursement and CTO cash out is expected to be approximately $35,000 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 in conformance with the Alameda Municipal Code and all policy documents.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution approving an MOU between the EUPA and the City for a twenty-four month term commencing July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2027.
Respectfully submitted,
Noelle White, Acting Human Resources Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Memorandum of Understanding between EUPA and the City of Alameda, July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 - Redline
2. Memorandum of Understanding between EUPA and the City of Alameda, July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 - Clean
3. EUPA Salary Schedule, Effective July 13, 2025