Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
Date:	August 10, 2011
RE:	Consideration of Memorandum of Understanding Agreements between the City of Lawrence and the Lawrence Police Officers’ Association (LPOA) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 1596

The City and the LPOA and the City and the IAFF Local 1596 have successfully negotiated new four-year agreements for 2012-2015. The members of the respective negotiation teams should be recognized for their hard work to date on this item. The negotiation team for the LPOA includes Mike McAtee, Anthony Brixius, Dustin Chase, David Hogue and Casey Cooper. The police negotiation team for the City includes Diane Stoddard, Chief Tarik Khatib, Captain Mike Pattrick, Captain Paul Fellers, and Lori Carnahan. The negotiation team for the IAFF Local 1596 includes Kathy Elkins, Nathan Coffman, Ryan Hornberger, and Aaron Payne. The fire/medical negotiation team for the City includes Diane Stoddard, Chief Mark Bradford, Division Chief Bill Stark, Lori Carnahan and Assistant Douglas County Administrator Sarah Plinsky.

The agreement with the LPOA was ratified by LPOA membership on August 9. The agreement with the IAFF Local 1596 is expected to be considered by IAFF membership on August 15. The City Commission will consider approval of the agreements at its August 16, 2011 meeting.

Background:

The LPOA agreement includes the following major elements/changes from the current agreement.

Compensation:

1% general wage adjustment for 2012, 1.5% general wage adjustment for 2013, and 1.5% general wage adjustment for 2014 for police officers only.
1% general wage adjustment for 2015 for police officers and detectives, subject to an optional reopener clause for the 2015 general wage adjustment that can be initiated by either the LPOA or the City
Annual funding for the step merit program and competency adjustments for those who are eligible

Length of Agreement:

Four (4) years with an optional reopener to discuss general wage adjustment only for 2015 in 2014.

The IAFF agreement includes the following major elements/changes from the current agreement:

Compensation:

1% general wage adjustment for 2012, 1.5% general wage adjustment for 2013, and 1.5% general wage adjustment for 2014
1% general wage adjustment for 2015, subject to an optional reopener clause for the 2015 general wage adjustment that can be initiated by either the IAFF Local 1596 or the City
Annual funding for the step merit program and incentive pay adjustments for those who are eligible

Length of Agreement:

Four (4) years with an optional reopener to discuss general wage adjustment only for 2015 in 2014

Vaccinations:

o A section was added to address expenses incurred by a family member as a result of employee exposure to contagious disease on duty

Fitness for Duty:

Updates to fitness for duty provisions to bring the agreement into conformance with changes to the Family Medical Leave Act

In addition to the major elements/changes listed above, both agreements contain minor updates.

The general wage provisions result from a salary survey jointly conducted by the City and the IAFF Local 1596, and the City and the LPOA, which determined that City of Lawrence salaries for certain MOU-covered positions were slightly behind the market salaries of peer cities. The general wage adjustments provided over the term of the agreements will address this issue.

City staff, the LPOA, and the IAFF Local 1596 jointly recommend approval of the new agreements.

Requested Action:

Approve the 2012-2015 agreements with the Lawrence Police Officers Association (LPOA) and the IAFF Local 1596 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreements.

Attachments: