Workers win new city contract Workers win new city contract (August 20, 2004)

Pact includes pay raises, retiree health benefits

By Jon Wiener

The city of Mountain View's largest employee union ratified a two-year agreement with the city Aug. 12, signaling an end to a contentious negotiating process that both sides had said they expected to last until mid-September.

The 186 members of Service International Employees Union Local 715 had been working under an expired contract since July 1, extending it on a day-to-day basis.

The deal leaves intact one of the major provisions the union had rallied to protect -- full health benefits for retired workers -- and hands them several other victories. The contract also includes a 2-percent salary increase this year and a 3-percent raise the year after, three new paid holidays, a 0.5-percent signing bonus for ratifying and binding arbitration for contractual disputes.

The city withdrew its proposal to put a cap on contributions to the union's most expensive health care plan and made only partial reductions to its on-call "duty program" for maintenance workers.

The two sides also agreed to the formation of a "fact-finding committee" that would look into the costs of the union's proposed increase in early retirement benefits.

Mayor Matt Pear called the contract a "win-win" for both the union and the city. He said the most important thing was to "provide the best possible working environment for our city employees," within the constraints of the budget.

"What it really comes down to is, what's the level of service that we're going to be supplying? That's what's crucial. Obviously, if we continue on this trend (of decreased revenues), there's going to be adjustments."

The contract, which covers mostly parks, utilities and maintenance workers, will not take effect until it is approved by the city council, which it is expected to do at its Aug. 31 meeting, according to employee services director Kathy Farrar. "We're well within the parameters the council gave us," she said.

Union steward Shannon Willis said he believes the workers held a stronger bargaining position after more than 60 union members turned out to a council study session in June and a July rally in front of city hall.

"People were very active this year and taking much more initiative and being involved. That definitely helped," said Willis, a four-year veteran of the parks and recreation department and a member of the union's negotiating team. "I think there's an awareness finally that said look, we're all in this together. It's not like you can sit back and say someone else would take care of it."

The deal marks the first time in over a decade the city has reached a new agreement with the SEIU without first going to an impasse, a process that requires the involvement of an outside mediator.

"It's a signal that the communication gap is closing between the council and the union," said Willis. "We're able to have more of a friendly conversation now."

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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