HomeMy WebLinkAboutPersonnel Committee - Minutes - 10/8/2013Minutes of the
Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting
4:00 PM, October 8, 2013
Emergency Operations Center, Bayfield County Annex, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Brett Rondeau, Neil Schultz, John Bennett, Shawn Miller
Members Excused: William Bussey
Others Present: County Administrator Mark Abeles-Allison, Kenneth Jardine, Dee Kittleson,
Kristine Kavajecz-Confidential Secretary.
Rondeau called the meeting to order at 10:00am.
Motion Miller, Bennett to approve the October 3, 2013 Personnel Committee minutes. Motion
Carried.
Motion Bennett, Schultz to enter closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c, e)
for Discussion and Possible Action Regarding approval of closed session minutes of October 3,
2013, discussion regarding employee compensation and union negotiation strategy for
negotiations with WPPA, Teamsters and AFSCME. Motion Carried. Entered Closed session at
10:07am.
Motion Miller, Schultz to return to open session. Motion Carried. Returned to open session at
10:33am.
WPPA representatives were invited to join the meeting at this time. Al Bitz and Ed McKillip
represented WPPA. Introductions were made around the room.
Bitz provided a printed copy of WPPA’s initial proposal. The proposal identified:
1) 3-year contract expiring 12-31-2016.
2) Fair and equitable wage increase
Bitz stated that if WPPA wins the current ETF argument, the county must then negotiate full
benefits as public safety employees retroactive to 12-31-2012, the date that the previous
collective bargaining agreement expired.
Discussion took place whether negotiations would be based upon the 2012 contract, or would
negotiations begin with a clean slate if ETF/WERC decides that Corrections Officers are indeed
Public Safety employees. Consensus was that negotiations would be based upon the 2012
contract language if Corrections Officers are determined to be Public Safety Employees for
purposes of WRS.
Bayfield County clarified that these negotiations are only for the 2013 year at this time. A 2014
agreement will need to be negotiated at a later date.
Bayfield County proposed a 2% wage increase retroactive to March 2, 2013, which was the same
date raises were effective for all other employees. Agreement for 2013 only. Both sides
understand that the contract will be null if WERC/ETF decision places Corrections Officers as
L:\COMMITTEES AND BOARDS\PERSONNEL COMMITTEE\2013\Personnel Committee Minutes 2013-10-
08.doc
Page 2 of 3
Public Safety Employees. Tentative agreement was met at 10:45am. Bitz stated that the
Tentative Agreement must be discussed with the Corrections Officers.
Initial proposal from WPPA regarding Law Enforcement Officers (Deputies etc) was
distributed.
Proposal Included:
1) 3 year agreement expiring 12-31-2016
2) Fair and equitable wage adjustment
3) WRS discussion
4) Discussion regarding Right of First Refusal
5) Deletion of flex schedule side-letter.
Review of the Flex schedule side letter. Reasoning for this request by WPPA is because the
county no longer houses state inmates. The need for the 3a-7a shift no longer exists.
WRS employee contribution: Bitz explained how the topic of WRS contributions has been
handled in some other counties. Barron and Burnett Counties negotiated gradual shift to
employees paying the employee share of WRS contributions. The shift was made in exchange
for wage increases to offset the contributions in those years. Barron and Burnett Counties were
examples provided.
Abeles-Allison distributed the county’s initial proposal.
1) Remove all reference to jailers and CCOs from the document. Tentative Agreement at
11:01am
2) Remove reference to health insurance except for employee share of premiums. Employee
share of insurance increase to 15%, 10% if wellness parameters are met.
3) Holidays: reduce to 11, same as all other employees.
4) Sick Leave: Accrual of 5.3 hours per month, 64 hours per year.
5) Sick Leave Accumulation: Max accumulation of 60 days of sick leave earned as of date
contract is effective. No payout upon retirement. Existing banks grandfathered and
eligible for existing payout.
6) Commiseration Leave: Add registered domestic partner, step0 grandchildren, step
children, and foster children. Remove son-in-law, daughter-in-law. Add one day off to
serve as pallbearer. Add Employee only eligible for commiseration leave if funeral
occurs on scheduled work day.
7) WRS: Employee pay the employee share or WRS.
8) Longevity: Eliminate this provision
9) Vacation: Slight modification in years 17 & 18 to 168 and 176 hours respectively.
Eliminate payout of vacation if requested. Allow for payout of vacation only for
retirement, disability or death.
10) Weekly hours: Change “Deputy II” to “Deputy”. Add the 3a-1p as a regular shift.
Pay in accordance with FLSA. OT paid only on hours worked exceeding FLSA.
11) Sick leave would not be considered work time.
12) Identify the number of representatives allowed to bargain. Suggestion of 3.
13) Leave of absence language of the county personnel manual in place of contractual
language.
14) Replace Workers Compensation language with “All employees shall be covered by
Worker’s Compensation Insurance.”
L:\COMMITTEES AND BOARDS\PERSONNEL COMMITTEE\2013\Personnel Committee Minutes 2013-10-
08.doc
Page 3 of 3
15) Probationary Period: Allow holidays and sick leave to be utilized upon hire, once
earned/awarded.
16) Right of First Refusal. Replace “will” with “may” fill shifts with part-time employees.
Reduce comp-time bank to max of 84 hours. Discuss how to handle existing banks that
may exceed 84 hours.
Both WPPA and the County reserve the right to add, delete, or modify their proposals during the
course of negotiations.
The group set dates for future negotiations: October 30 at 10:00am in County Board Room.
November 6, 10:00am in the County Board Room.
WPPA representatives exited the meeting at this time.
Health Insurance Update: Decision was made to go with the -3% premium offer from Security
Health Plan with no cap in 2015.
Meeting adjourned at 11:25am.