IAFF
2510
And
City
of
Interest
Arbitration
Arbitrator: Robert A. Sutermeister
Date
Issued:
Arbitrator: Sutermeister; Robert A.
Case #: 02396-I-79-00062
Employer:
City of
Date Issued:
Arbitration
City of
and
IAFF 2510
Case Number 2396-I-79-62
Date of Hearing:
Place of Hearing:
Date Post Hearing-Briefs
Received:
Representing the City: Mr. H. John Hall
Attorney
City
of
Representing the IAFF: Mr. Brian M.
Baker
Baker,
et al
Arbitration Panel: Mr.
Jerry Boes
Mr.
F.P. Austin
Mr.
R. A. Sutermeister, Chairman
Background
A collective bargaining agreement between the parties was
entered
into
on
Wages were set for 1977, 1978,
and 1979, but the agreement provided for
negotiation
of wages for 1980. The parties have been
unable to agree on
wages
for 1980, and the Public Employment Relations Commission has
determined
that an impasse exists between the parties.
The matter is now
before
an arbitration panel for resolution.
The
plus
11.4% of the new base. The City has
offered an increase of 8.5%
as
recommended by the President's guidelines.
Issue
What should be the level of compensation for 1980?
Pertinent Provision of the
Collective
Bargaining Agreement
6. Wages ... The wage rates only for 1980 shall
be subject to
negotiations
in 1979, said negotiations to commence
prior to
Pertinent Provision of RCW
41.56.460
Require the panel to consider
the following features:
"(a) The
constitutional and statutory authority of the employer
(b) Stipulations of the parties
(c) Comparison
of the wages, hours and conditions of employment of the
uniformed
personnel of cities and counties involved in the proceedings
with the wages, hours, and
conditions of employment of uniformed
personnel
of cities and counties respectively of similar size on the
west coast of the
(d) The
average consumer prices for goods and services, commonly known
as the cost of living.
(e) Changes in any of the foregoing circumstances during the pendency
of the proceedings
(f) Such other factors, not confined to the foregoing, which are
normally or traditionally taken
into consideration in the determination
of wages, hours, and conditions
of employment."
The City's Position
The President's wage price guidelines recommend an
average increase
in
wages for 1980 of 8.5%. Failure to
comply with these guidelines will
threaten a
loss of over $4,600,000 of federal funds for Chehalis. Moreover,
cities
are threatened with a loss of federal revenue sharing. If this
happens,
general revenue funds in Chehalis would have to be used for capital
expenditures
and would reduce funds available for salaries.
The Consumers Price Indeces of
March 1979, December 1979, and February
1980 (Union Exhibit 7) do not
show a composite percentage increase for all
items
in any major city of
that
inflation will consume more than 8.5% increase in wages.
The City compared wages for Chehalis firefighters with
those from
the
nearby cities closest in population to Chehalis, including
Bothell,
Camas, Tumwater, Port Townsend, and Snohomish. A
Chehalis firefighter
with
two years experience received $1328 per
month in 1979. If 8.5% is
added
to that, the new monthly rate becomes $1441.
If the $50 per month
standby
pay is added to that, the new monthly rate becomes $1491. This is
higher
than all but two of the comparable cities listed above.
A wage increase in excess of 8.5% is not justified under
the criteria
set
forth by RCW 41.56.460 (listed on the preceding page).
The
An increase of 17.75% over 1979 wages is reasonable,
appropriate, and
mandated
by consideration of the factors set forth in RCW 41.56.460. The
Presidential Wage Price
Guidelines are voluntary and adherence to them is
not
required by law or by threat of loss of revenue from the federal govern-
ment.
Wages for Chehalis firefighters may most appropriately be
compared
with
those for Camas,
offer
of 7% would result in wage comparison for 1980 as follows:
Chehalis 1421
Lewis County 1498
Kelso 1585
Camas 1691
If Chehalis firefighters are
granted an increase of 17.75%, their rate
of
pay would be 1564.
The arbitration panel would have to award the Chehalis
firefighters
an
increase of 16.8% just to keep up with the consumer price index for
1979.
Among "other factors" for the arbitration panel
to consider, are
that
other government employees in the Chehalis labor market have
received
increases of 11.3%; the Chief and Assistant Chief of the
Chehalis department received
increases of 12%; and that other city
employees,
having received a 7% increase, may receive an additional 2.5%
increase,
and if they are eligible for a 5% step increase, would get a
total
increase of 14.5%.
The two most important factors for the arbitration panel
to consider
are
the cost of living increase and the comparison for similar work done
in
other cities. On this basis, an increase
of 17.75% is warranted.
Opinion of Arbitration
Panel
The panel, as might be expected, has some reservations
about some of
the
cities designated as comparable cities by the City of
the
the
same work week, the same assessed valuation, the same number of fire-
fighters
etc., as Chehalis.
However, using the comparable cities selected by each of
the parties,
the
midpoints of 1980 monthly salaries are not far apart. The salary for
Tumwater firefighters
was $1395 until June 1980 when it becomes $1445.
This results in an average
salary over 1980 for Tumwater firefighters of
$1420. The 1980 salaries for firefighters on the
City's list follow:
Camas $1691
Bothell $1666
Snohomish $1455
Tumwater $1420
Port Townsend $1410
Midpoint $1460
On the union's list of comparable cities are Camas,
were
$1510 at the start of 1980 but increase to $1539 on July 1. The average
over
the year is thus $1524.50. Included in
this amount is $65 per month
for
EMT training. For comparison purposes,
we have subtracted the $65 to
arrive
at a monthly base salary for
The panel was given
conflicting figures on 1980 salary for Kelso firefighters.
The City submitted $1585 as
the correct amount, and the
$1506
as the correct figure. The
for
1980 shows Kelso at 1406. This is the
figure we have used in the list
below.
Camas $1691
Kelso $1506
Midpoint $1479
An increase of 12% for Chehalis firefighters would set
their base pay
for
1980 at $1487. We have excluded the
standby pay of $50 per month for
Chehalis firefighters because:
1) we excluded
the $65 per month for
2) the $50 per
month is not mentioned in Appendix A, Wage
Rates, in the Agreement but is covered in an
entirely
separate
article (#19).
3) the $50 per
month is not included in the budget, page 23,
items
522 20 10 labelled "Regular Employee Salaries
and
Wages" but is shown as a separate item
on 522 20 12.
This $1487 amount is close to
the midpoint for the City's list ($1460) and
Ivery close to the midpoint for the
A 12% increase would have a further advantage of matching
that granted
to
the Fire Chief and to the Assistant Chief.
It would have the further
advantage
of matching the increases for those city employees who are entitled
to a
step increase.
Decision
An increase of 12% over 1979 wages should be paid
Firefighters for
1980,
retroactive to
hearing
on May 5, other city employees receive an additional cost of living
increase
in 1980, the same percentage additional increase should be granted
the
firefighters.
Arbitration
Panel
Agree: Jerry Boes Disagree:
F.P. Austin