I thought there was something fishy, how could AFSCME endorse a guy that recommended automating the parking attendants and privatizing the Overture. Maybe this is why?
Dear Colleagues,
Yesterday AFSCME representatives approached me with a proposal to extend their contract, which ends at the end of 2012, to March of 2014 in order to mitigate the impacts of the governor’s proposed biennial budget and avoid significant service cuts or layoffs. The City Attorney has advised that that is possible as state law allows for contracts to run for up to three years. So, we could essentially tear up the current contract and adopt a new three year contract starting now.
In incredibly challenging circumstances brought on by Scott Walker, this is how we should be working together with our unions to solve our problems – it’s another example of how collective bargaining works in everyone’s interest.
In exchange for what is essentially a 15-month extension, a 3% pay increase at the end of 2013 and a commitment to work with them to avoid layoffs, we worked out an agreement that would:
* Reduce the pay increase at the end of 2011 from 3% to 2%.
* Require a 50% contribution to retirement benefits starting in January 2012.These two provisions would save the city about $2 million on the levy in 2012 ($2.8 million overall) if applied to AFSCME represented employees alone and $8.6 million on the levy ($9.8 million overall) if applied to all represented employees. We have discussed this tentative agreement with other bargaining units, and they are considering it. The city would save an additional $2.2 million with provisions on pension and health insurance contributions applied for non-represented employees.
Total savings if these provisions were adopted by all bargaining units are estimated to solve one-third to one-half of the total budget hole created by the Governor’s proposed cuts to state aids plus cost-to-continue increases for 2012.
More details on the full three year proposal are in the attached tentative agreement. The union and I will hold a joint news conference this afternoon in my conference room. It is my intention to call a special session of the Common Council next week to approve all contracts that have been negotiated and ratified by the unions at that time. I will work with Council leadership to determine the best time for that meeting.
This proposal is the result of the collective bargaining process. It demonstrates once again that collective bargaining works in everyone’s best interests. Please feel free to contact Brad Wirtz or Janet Piraino if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Dave Cieslewicz
The attachment says:
Tentative Agreement
Between
The City of Madison
and
AFSCME Local 60, AFL-CIO
2011-2014 Collective Bargaining Agreement1. Wages-
2.0% increase effective the last pay period of 2011.
2.0% increase effective the last pay period of 2012.
3.0% increase effective the last pay period of 2013.2. The City will continue to pay Health Insurance at 105% of the minimum premium during 2011 and 2012.
Effective the first pay period of January of 2013 employee’s portion of the Health care premium will be 6% of the total premium cost.Effective the first pay period of January 2014 the employee’s portion of the health care premium will be an additional 6% for a total of 12% of the total premium cost.
3. Effective the first pay period of January 2012 employees’ will pay one half of the pension portion payable to the Wisconsin Retirement System.
4. Layoff protection language.
5. The term of the agreement shall be from March 10th, 2011 till March 9th, 2014.
They have 10 days to pass this.
Nope. That isn’t why. And neither was this.
AFSCME knows that Soglin respects them and won’t hold their endorsement of Cieslewicz against them. Lord knows what Cieslewicz would do if the tables were turned. I do too.