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BACKGROUND <br /> The International Association of Firefighters, Local 1974 (IAFF) covers a total of 103 <br /> sworn fire personnel, which includes 99 suppression and 4 prevention employees. (The <br /> ranks of Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief and Fire Chief are designated management <br /> employees and not represented by the IAFF.) The recently expired Memorandum of <br /> Understanding (MOU) with this group covered the period August 1, 2007 through <br /> December 31, 2011.In accordance with the agreement between Livermore and <br /> Pleasanton creating the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department (LPFD), the Joint <br /> Powers Authority Board and the City Councils of Livermore and Pleasanton are the <br /> appropriate agencies to approve labor agreements with represented employees. <br /> Representatives of the partner cities met and conferred with representatives of IAFF <br /> and developed a successor agreement with term ending June 30, 2014. <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> In accordance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, the parties are required to meet and <br /> confer in good faith over items covered within the scope of representation, including <br /> wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment. The significant results of <br /> the negotiations include: <br /> Term of agreement: The expiration date of the proposed MOU is June 30, 2014, just <br /> under two (2) years from the date the document becomes operationally effective. This <br /> shorter contract allows for greater flexibility to make adjustments should the economic <br /> environment or the City's financial situation change significantly. <br /> Wage adjustments: Historically, the parties have engaged in wage adjustment <br /> discussions centered on two primary factors: market data obtained from neighboring <br /> agencies that are similar in size and perform municipal fire services, and the consumer <br /> price index (CPI), which reflects the general cost-of-living increases in the San <br /> Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area (approximately 2.7% in June 2012). The proposed <br /> contract does not include any wage adjustments. <br /> Benefits: <br /> Pension — Member Contributions: <br /> The cost to fund the CaIPERS pension program is comprised of two parts. The <br /> first is a variable employer rate which is expressed as a percentage of salary for <br /> covered employees (in FY 2012/2013, this rate is 33.3%). The second is a fixed <br /> 9% contribution for which members are responsible. When the City pays the <br /> member contribution on behalf of the employee, it is known as the "employer <br /> paid member contribution" or EPMC. The City has been paying EPMC on behalf <br /> of its fire employees, an agreement reached in previous years in lieu of the <br /> employees receiving salary adjustments. Since September 2010, IAFF <br /> employees began paying 2% of the member contribution and, as a result of the <br /> current contract discussions, agreement was reached for the employees to pay <br /> the full 9% member contribution by July 2013, in less than one year. Once the <br /> contract has been ratified and approved, employees will pay an additional 4% for <br /> a total of 6%, followed by an increase to 9% in July 2013. The cost savings to <br /> the LPFD as a result of employees paying the member contributions for the FY <br /> Page 2 of 4 <br />