Minutes 09-10-09
MINUTES OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATION SESSION BETWEEN IAFF LOCAL 1891
AND THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, HELD ON TUESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 10, 2009, AT 1:30 P.M. IN THE FIREFIGHTER'S CONFERENCE
ROOM, FIRE STATION NO.5, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
Present:
For the City:
For the Union:
Bill Bingham, Fire Chief
Dean Kinser, President
Larry Lederhandler, Treasurer
Thomas Murphy, Jr. Secretary
Adam Turey
Absent:
Robert Kruse, Vice President
The meeting was opened at 1 :28 p.m.
Bill Bingham, Fire Chief, announced this meeting was the second negotiating session
since the contract was reopened. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the City's
proposal and mandate of a pay freeze, which would be defined as they moved along,
and as originally stated, the provisions for longevity and holiday. Chief Bingham advised
the holiday provision was off the table and because longevity was not agreed on at the
implementation of the contract. That provision would not be discussed with this
reopener.
The City would hold the first reading of the budget on September 14, 2009 and then
September 22, 2009. The City Manager wanted all five City unions to negotiate through
reopener, or in the case of the Blue and White Collar contracts, to negotiate new
contracts with those provisions in mind. The City was interested in a pay freeze and the
3% pay cut was withdrawn.
Dean Kinser, Union President, announced the Union reviewed the budget and would
work with the City. The Union's offer to the City was contained in Article 14 of the Union
contract, pages 25 and 27 having to do with language representing freezing the October
1, 2009 wage adjustment to September 30, 2009 and freezing the April 1, 2009
adjustment based on performance appraisals to the September 30, 2009 date. Those
raises previously negotiated prior to the contract constituted roughly over 7.5% the City
would save over the coming 12-month period.
Mr. Kinser explained they intended to address language about the reopener; however,
the proposal still needed to be ratified and signed-off on by the members prior to
October 1. A special meeting requires seven days posting. The Union could meet back
if necessary to clarify any language as to the contract and articles regarding their offer
to the City. Mr. Kinser thought the vote could take place between the 20th through the
25th of September, 2009.
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Meeting Minutes
IAFF Negotiating Session
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 10, 2009
Chief Bingham inquired if there was any consideration to language for the third year of
the contract for October 1, 2010 or just leave it and allow the third year of the contract to
run as originally intended. The Union responded they would leave it alone. They came
into negotiations with the understanding they were only discussing this year's contract.
The opener would apply to next year as well.
Chief Bingham confirmed the Wage Article was the only article under discussion and
any concessions provided only pertained to wages.
With regard to the Union's proposal, Mr. Kinser explained they wanted to restate that on
September 30, 2010, the wages from the original freezes would be returned to the
employees.
Chief Bingham explained on September 30,2010, the Union would look for the wages
to revert to the point of where the employee's wages would have been had they
received their two increases.
Mr. Kinser responded they were freezing the October 1, 2009 2.5% increase, and that
portion of the raise will go into effect September 30, 2010. The salary in 2010, once the
transition was made would reflect a wage as if both of the increases had been provided.
Mr. Kinser confirmed that was correct. It was inclusive of the October 1, 2009 and the
April 1, 2010 increases. The contract would then enter its third year. Chief Bingham
inquired if the City needed to reopen the contract in the final year of the contract,
whether the Union would be amenable to it. Mr. Kinser confirmed that as correct.
Mr. Murphy noted the date of April 2009, should be 2010 as the market adjustment of
April 2009 already passed. Chief Bingham confirmed increases referred to should be
the October 1, 2009 market adjustment and April 1, 2010 merit adjustment would be
frozen until September 30, 2009, at which time it would be reinstated without
retroactivity. The Union ran the numbers and it reflected a tremendous savings to the
City.
The proposal would need to be approved by the members and taken to the City
Manager. At some point the proposal would be submitted in writing. The Union would
provide draft language.
The meeting closed at 1 :43 p.m.
~~OkuvJ,
Catherine Cherry r
Recording Secretary
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