MPEA’s Lewis and Clark Members Approve Settlement

            MPEA’s Lewis and Clark County Chapter approved a settlement package at an on-site election held Dec. 3, according to MPEA Chapter Representative Stacey Bird, principal negotiator.

            This is the second year of a two-year contract which was originally opened to “review and make market adjustments for all positions based on the market survey conducted by the county.” Agreement wasn’t reached and the county withheld the COLA adjustment which was part of the existing contract. The dispute was headed for arbitration when a settlement was reached.

            The settlement approved by members provides:

1)     a cost of living adjustment (COLA) retroactive to July 1, 2007;

2)    an increase in the salary matrix of 3.2 percent;

3)    an increase of $30 per month to the health insurance plan to a total of $430 per month retroactive to July 1, 2007;

4)    a memorandum of understanding regarding entry level pay for licensed practical nurses bringing entry level pay to the same entry amount as at the Cooney Convalescent Home, retroactive to July 1;

5)    effective Jan. 1, 2008, numerous job positions will be advanced on the county’s pay matrix.

     The bargaining team of Ann Hamerla, Vi Sworts, Mike Cumley and Dona Wenger, who recently passed away, negotiated the agreement with Bird. Hamerla Sworts and Cumley worked with Bird to see that the on-site election was completed and counted on Dec. 3 so county fiscal staff can be notified by Dec. 5 which will guarantee that the retroactive pay will be in the following check on Dec. 14.

updated 12/04/07

        MPEA’s Bozeman City Chapter ratified a four-year contract October 26. Retroactive pay will be in separate checks and is due out in the immediate future.

        Wage increases can’t be separated from a recently completed classification and market survey which the city outsourced to a consultant firm.

        As approved by members the package will include a minimum pay increase in the first year of 2.5 percent for those employees that are at or above the midpoint of the consultant’s salary survey. The survey was given to the city this past spring. The 2.5 percent is a minimum. The rates actually run from 2.5 percent to double digit percentage increases with the median increase (half above/half below) at 5.07 percent, and the average increase over current salary at 7.41 percent. All pay increases are retroactive to July 1, according to MPEA Field Representative Mark Langdorf, principal negotiator.

        Economics for years two, three and four are inflation plus. In each of those years, all employees covered by the contract will receive pay increase equal to the consumer price index (CPI-U) plus .75 percent of salary. This is the minimum. For those employees who are not yet at the “market midpoint”, as identified by the consultants, there is to be incremental movement to reach midpoint or market of over 3 percent. By way of example, Langdorf noted that a new hire would be at the midpoint after five years. He also pointed out that last year’s across-the-board increase had a cost to the city of $58,601 and that the first year cost of the proposed contract, implementing the market study, costs the city $136,571.

        Langdorf also noted that pay increases in the second, third and fourth year are conditional on an overall performance appraisal that finds the individual worker has an overall rating of at least “meets expectations.” The onus for completion is on management. In other words, anyone not receiving a timely appraisal automatically meets expectation and gets the pay increase. Additionally, the contract provides for an appeals process for anyone in disagreement over his/her appraisal.

        For fiscal year 2008, Bozeman will be contributing $671 per month toward each employee’s health insurance premium. Subsequent year’s contributions are to be determined through the health insurance committee, subject to the city commission’s approval. It will be up to the employee to determine whether he/she wants this contribution as a pre-tax or post-tax. If taken on a post-tax basis it becomes taxable income, but also serves to augment the employee’s eventual retirement benefit.

        The contract also clarifies seniority language. Seniority under the contract will apply to layoffs, recalls and in hiring decisions when qualifications and capabilities are equal.

        The contract provides for a certification pay plan for both building inspectors and plans examiners. A building inspector, for instance, can increase his/her pay by as much as 16 percent through submitting certificates of completed training in a variety of areas.  The plans inspector may enhance his/her pay by as much as 20 percent through the same process.

        Not new but modified is language that allows employees to move portions of the sick leave balance from sick leave to one of the city’s qualified deferred compensation plans. In the past, there was simply a supplemental retirement account which essentially operated in the same manner as vacation leave, sick leave and compensatory time accumulation. Before an employee can look into this and its potential for his/her family he/she must have 192 hours of sick leave on the books.

        The previous contract had a six-month probationary period with a provision that this could be extended by three months. The three month extension for extenuating circumstances has been increased to six months.