Carson City, union reach collective bargaining agreement following months of deliberation

Following the expiration of the prior collective bargaining agreement which was in place from July 2015 to June 2021, Carson City and the worker’s union, Carson City Employees Association, have come to an agreement regarding the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement which will have a contract term through 2026.

The agreement was then voted in unanimously during the Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday.

“The negotiating teams were able to negotiate an agreement through June 30, 2026,” said City Manager Nancy Paulson.

The fiscal impact for the city is projected to be 1.8 million for the term of the agreement.

Changes include cost of living increases from 2 percent to 3 percent, increasing standby pay, adjustments to annual sick leave and health insurance benefits, and more.

“I want to thank everyone that was part of the negotiating team I know they did a lot of work and they did a great job,” said Paulson.

Union President Uriah Wise said, “I want to thank everyone on both sides of the table who came together to work this out.”

Now that a bargain has been struck, there will be a 1 percent cost of living increase in January, followed by a 2 percent cost of living increase thereafter in July until the end of the contract in 2026.

The changes that were agreed upon are as follows:

Article 1 (Recognition): recognizing employees who work more than 1039 hours.

Article 9 (Overtime): allowing employees to receive payment for 80 hours of compensatory time twice a year for a maximum of 160 hours rather than 120 hours.

Article 12 (Grievance): inserting language that does not give grant-funded or special-funded employees the right to backpay if a suspension is reduced or if the employee is reinstated following a termination.

Article 14 (Compensation): adding a 1 percent cost-of-living ("COLA") increase on January 1, 2022, adding a 2 percent COLA increase on July 1, 2022 and each July 1 thereafter for the term of the proposed CBA, changing the merit increases from 3.0 percent, 4.5 percent and 5.5 percent beginning on July 1, 2022 to 3.0 percent for a performance rating of "meets expectations" or better, implementing an informal process by which an employee may request reconsideration of a disputed performance rating, and increasing standby pay from 10 percent to 15 percent effective on the date the proposed CBA becomes effective.

Article 16 (Holidays): allowing for holiday pay to compute on shift differential, if applicable, paying holiday pay at 2.5 times the employee's regular rate of pay for work performed on a holiday for an employee required to work on a holiday which falls on the employee's regular day off, and eliminating the prohibition against the accrual of compensatory time in excess of seven work shifts.

Article 17 (Annual Leave): increasing the maximum accrual of annual leave from 280 to 300 hours.

Article 19 (Other Leave): increasing the maximum allowed usage of bereavement leave from 5 to 10 days.

Article 24 (Insurance Benefits): providing a 50 percent subsidy of dependent coverage to those employees who elect the high deductible PPO insurance plan rather than the 65 percent subsidy given to employees who elect the standard PPO plan.

Article 27 (Layoff Policy and Procedure): inserting language that prohibits a grant-funded or special-funded employee to bump when layoffs are instituted by the City as well as add clarifying language that the City is under no obligation to renew grant funding or special funding upon the expiration of the grant or special project.

Attachment A (CCEA Bargaining Unit Position Titles and Grades): making the following changes: Property Appraiser Grade from T1 to T2; Senior Property Appraiser Grade from T2 to T3; Skilled Trades Technician Grade from T2 to T3; Landfill Worker Grade from T1 to T2; elimination of the Environmental Health Specialist Grade P1 and creation of an Environmental Health Specialist 1 Grade T3 and an Environmental Health Specialist 2 Grade P1; elimination of the Water Meter Technician Grade A3 and creation of a Water Meter Technician 1 Grade A3 and a Water Meter Technician 2 Grade A4; Public Safety Communications Operator from Grade A4 to T2; Public Safety Communications Supervisor from Grade S1 to P1; elimination of the Parks Maintenance Worker Grade A2 and creation of a Parks Maintenance Worker 1 Grade A2 and a Parks Maintenance Worker 2 Grade A3; Building Maintenance Worker from Grade A2 to A3; creation of a new position- Public Guardian Case Manager Trainee Grade A2 - and moving a current Office Specialist Grade A2 in the Public Guardian's Office into the position; and removing positions that no longer exist.

Although not a part of changes to the labor contract, the Water Distribution Foreman and the Water Production Foreman job descriptions will have "responsible charge" language added. The addition of the language will not apply to any employee currently occupying one of the positions but will be added when an employee is promoted into the position or a new hire is brought into the City from the outside.