A tale of two unions

All the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Union wants for Christmas is a new three-year contract with higher salaries, plus a major reduction to their required pension contributions. If these gifts aren’t part of a new contract offer, the union indicated at a Dec. 8 negotiation session that it is likely to go to impasse with the town next year.

Meanwhile, as the Longboat Key Police Union began negotiations on a new three-year contract one year early at a session that was also held Dec. 8, it had a modest proposal that drew praise from Town Manager Dave Bullock and town labor attorney Reynolds Allen: It seeks pay increases for officers and sergeants, but members won’t ask for changes to their retirement plan or additional perks such as take-home vehicles — both of which every other local department offers.

“We’re not asking for either, but we need to make up some ground somewhere,” Police Detective Sgt. Robert Bourque said.

Change of plans

Bullock announced plans to freeze all three town employee pension plans and transition employees to defined-contribution 401(a) accounts in 2012, when firefighters were negotiating a new contract.

To maintain a defined-benefit plan, firefighters agreed to a Florida Retirement System (FRS) pension plan that currently has firefighters contributing 14% of their salaries toward retirement. 

Firefighters agreed to split the town’s required contributions 50/50 up to 13% for the town. If the town’s required contribution rises over 13%, firefighters would pay additional costs.

Firefighters met with the town 16 times over the course of 11 months before approving a contract in February 2013.

But the police union accepted a modified 401(a) retirement plan Oct. 30, 2013, after meeting with the town just five times beginning in March 2013.

Firefighters approved their last contract in February 2013 after meeting with the town 16 times over the course of 11 months.

By contrast, police approved their last contract Oct. 30, 2013 after meeting just five times from March 2013 to October 2013.

With the new contract, Longboat Key Fire Rescue became the only department statewide that pays more than the 3% FRS mandated amount —now a major point of contention in negotiations.

“Our pension issue is still a big stumbling point,” said Longboat Key Fire Rescue Union Vice President Keith Tanner. “All they (Longboat Key commissioners) have to do to make Longboat Key competitive is to pay their fair share of the pension like every other department in FRS does. This is opening old wounds for us.”

Allen, though, said the commission has directed that pension contributions won’t change.

“This issue is one you proposed and ratified in the last contract,” Allen said. “We have no ability to make any change in the current pension situation.”

Pay issues

Both departments are worried that if wages aren’t adjusted, they will have a hard time finding more experienced candidates in the future.

Bullock offered the fire union $312,546 over three years in October to boost salaries by 1.5% to 15.78% for firefighter/paramedics and 3.96% to 27.11% during the first year of the new contract.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Lt. Jason Berzowski said the union is receptive to wage increases but said the pay disparity for lieutenants needs to be addressed.

“I could basically take a demotion and less responsibility and only be making $262 less a year than I do now,” Berzowski said.

Similarly, Bourque said pay disparity between officers and sergeants results in high turnover and needs to be addressed. He requested an early negotiation of the contract in hopes of retaining current employees.

“Since the last contract, we’ve lost two to three people a year,” Bourque said. “That’s one quarter of our small agency of 16 people.”

He presented a proposal that would raise both the starting salaries and pay for current officers and sergeants. (See sidebar.)

Bourque hopes the moves will attract more talent and reduce turnover by two-thirds by compensating for not offering a defined-benefit plan or take-home cars — which amounts to approximately $10,000 in benefits, according to the police union.

“We’re not trying to be greedy,” Bourque said. “We’re trying to be paid fairly and maintain our officers. We don’t need anything else.”

To be continued

Bullock and Allen expressed optimism at the end of police negotiations Dec. 8.

“This is an interesting proposal and we appreciate you wanting to wrap things up and get things settled for the long-term as soon as possible,” Allen told police. “We’re off to a good start.”

The parting comments for the fire union, though, weren’t as cordial.

Allen and Bullock asked the firefighters to come back in February with a concept that eliminates the disparity in pay for lieutenants using the extra $312,546 Bullock has already offered — which Berzowski said would not be enough.

“Give it your best shot with what we’re offering,” Bullock said.