INTEREST ARBITRATIONS

City of Bremerton

And

Bremerton Fire Fighters Local No. 437, International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO

Fact Findings

Arbitrator:      Jim Irwin

Date Issued:   09/27/1976

 

 

Arbitrator:         Irwin; Jim

Case #:               00387-F-76-00029

Employer:          City of Bremerton

Union:                IAFF; Local 437

Date Issued:     09/27/1976

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF FACT FINDING

 

BREMERTON FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL NO. 437,     )

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE               )

FIGHTERS, AFL-CIO                                                       )  Report and Recommendations

AND                                                                                    )  Pursuant to RCW 41.56

CITY OF BREMERTON, WASHINGTON                     )  Case No. 1-76-29

 

Fact Finder

Jim Irwin, Public Employment Relations Commission

 

Appearances

For the Fire Fighters Local No. 437:

      F.   Donald Deitch, President

For the City of Bremerton:

      Honorable Glen Jaarstad, Mayor

      Gary Hulbert, Donworth & Associates

 

BACKGROUND

      Negotiating sessions were held between the parties from May 7 to

June 22, 1976. The parties agreed to extend the forty-five (45) day time

limit for negotiations to July 31, 1976 to review the 1977 projected City

budget. The budget meeting was held July 28, 1976. The parties agreed to

waive mediation and proceed to Fact-Finding in the event an agreement

could not be concluded by July 31, 1977. The parties also agreed on

June 8, 1976 the following cities would be used for comparison in the

event of Fact-Finding or Arbitration:

 

                        Bellevue         Longview

                        Everett            Richland

                        Yakima           Renton

                        Vancouver      Edmonds

                        Bellingham     Olympia

 

ISSUES

      The issues subject to Fact Finding and the position of the parties

are as follows:

                                                WAGES

                        Union                                      City

                        15% Increase                         5% Increase

 

                                                Dependent Medical

                        Fully paid                                None

 

                                                Dependent Dental

                        Fully paid                                None

 

                                                Overtime

                        Time and one-half                  Time and one-half

                        after 40 hours                         after 56-hour shift

 

      All other contract terms have been agreed to by both parties. The

City of Bremerton presently provides complete City-paid group medical and

dental insurance programs for Fire Fighter employees.

 

FACT FINDING PROCEEDINGS

      The City and the Union met with the Fact Finder on September 13, 1976.

In response to a request, the City submitted a brief which included tables

showing a comparison of wages and benefits with the above-mentioned ten

cities, several of which are included in this report. The Union presented

a document which included their contract proposals, minutes of negotiating

sessions, and tables of comparison of medical and dental benefits.

 

DISCUSSION

      The wage rates of the Fire Department employees of Bremerton and of

the employees of the ten agreed-upon cities are shown in the table in

attached Exhibit No. 1. A close examination of the table indicates to the

Fact Finder that the Bremerton rates are little, if any, out of line with

the average of the other cities.

      The City of Bremerton provides no medical coverage for dependents

of employees of the Fire Department. The table attached as Exhibit No. 2

shows that all but two of the ten comparative cities do provide such cov-

erage. Six of the ten provide full coverage, one provides 75% coverage,

one 50%, and in the other two cities the employees are required to pay

their own premiums. Exhibit No. 2 shows that the Bremerton Fire Fighters

are substantially below the average in dependent medical coverage.

The dependents of Bremerton Fire Fighters are not presently covered

by dental insurance. Five of the ten comparison cities either have no

dental plan or employees pay for that coverage. Three of the cities pay

100%, one pays 76%, and the other pays 66 2/3% of dependent dental costs.

(Exhibit No. 2). It appears to the Fact Finder that the Bremerton Fire

Department employees are not in a disadvantageous position in relation to

the average of the ten cities in dependent dental coverage.

      Fire Department employees of Bremerton are on a fifty-six (56) hour

week and receive time-and-a-half after that period. The overtime practices

of the ten comparable cities are as follows:

 

City                 Work Schedule           Overtime

Bellingham     52.00/hrs. per week    1½ times after 52.00

Olympia          56.00                           1½ times after 56.00

Richland         56.00                           1½ times after 56.00

Vancouver      49.77                           1½ times after 49.77

Longview        51.33                           1½ times after 51.33

Everett            42.00                           1½ times after 42.00

Renton            49.38                           1½ times after 49.38

Edmonds         48.00                           1½ times after 48.00

Bellevue         54.33                           1½ times after 54.33

Yakima           55.00                           1½ times after 55.00

 

      It is apparent that the average work week of the ten cities (51.38 hrs.)

is less than that of the Bremerton Fire Department. The City states that a

reduction in the work week to 40 hours would incur additional costs in overtime

pay in the amount of $99,586.08, or 14.31% of the 1976 Fire Fighter payroll.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

      In accordance with RCW 41. 56.440, the Fact Finder, in making his

recommendations, is mindful of the guidelines set forth for same contained

in RCW 41.56.460. Special consideration is given the rise in the Seattle

Consumer Price Index (5.3% Aug., 1975 to Aug. 1976), the total cost to the

City, and the comparison of per capita fire department personnel costs (see

Exhibit No. 3). Based on the foregoing, the following recommendations are

made regarding the issues in dispute:

 

Wages:                                   5.3% across-the-board increase, January 1, 1977 -

                              December 31, 1977

 

Dependent Medical:              Full coverage for dependents of Fire

      Fighters beginning January 1, 1977

      (appr. cost, 2.46%)

 

Dependent Dental:                None

 

Overtime:                               Time-and-a-half to be paid after 56 hrs. week (to

                  remain same)

 

Respectfully submitted

 

Date    September 27, 1976

 

Jim Irwin

Public Employment Relations

Commission

 

_______________________________________________________________      Exhibit No. 1

COMPARATIVE SALARIES

                                   1976

City                            Population       Fire Fighter       Lieutenant         Captain                      Battalion Chief

Bellevue                    67,000             $998-1,312         $1,414-1,496      $1,650                        $1,865(1,951 w/degree)

Everett                      52,500             830-1,185           ----                      1,340                          1,516

Yakima                      49,100             881-1,170           1,233-1,294        1,359-1,422               1,491-1,562**

Vancouver                 46500              1,018-1,238        1,122-1,364        1,238-1,509               1,364-1,659

Bellingham                42,100             948-1,098           ----                      1,131-1,311               1,199-1,457

Richland                    30,009             1,058-1,199        1,238-1,295        1,308-1,365               1,360-1,479

Longview                   29,550             1,011-1,201        1,115-1,343        1,225-1,461**           ----

Renton                      26,500             1,147-1,338        1,539                  1,739                          1,829**

Olympia                     25,480             982-1,220           1,203-1,341        1,323-1,459

Edmonds                   25,039             878-1,346*         1,246-1,522*      ----                              ----

AVERAGE (excluding

Bremerton)                                       $975-1,231         $1,264-1,3.99     $1,368-1,473             $1,518-1,624

 

BREMERTON        29,095.            1,038-1,187        1,321                                 1,469***

*    These figures reflect the city's last offer of a 10% increase for 1976 -

negotiations are still under way.

**  These classifications are excluded from the bargaining unit.

***      The City of Bremerton Fire Department does not utilize the position

title of Captain. However, the level and scope of responsibility

of a Bremerton Battalion Chief are comparable to the position of

Captain in other fire departments.

_______________________________________________________________      Exhibit No. 2

COMPARISON OF FIRE FIGHTERS DEPENDENT MEDICAL

AND DENTAL GROUP INSURANCE COVERAGE**

 

                                                      Dependent Medical                  Dependent Dental

                                                      Costs Paid By City                    Costs Paid by City

City                                $/Month           % of Total Prem.                        $/Month % of Total Prem.

Bellingham                         $46.27               100%                 $19.00               100%

Renton                               64.38                 100%                 16.65                 100%

Richland                             47.45                 100%                 10.00                 76%

Bellevue                             47.97                 75%                   8.00                   66-2/3%

Olympia                              32.31                 50%                   No Plan

Vancouver                          44.97                 100%                 No Plan

Longview                                                     Employee Paid                            Employee Paid

Everett                                                         Employee Paid  No Plan

Yakima                               40.49                 100%                 No Plan

Edmonds                            38.82                 100%                 22.20                 100%

**Source: Washington Local Government Personnel Institute, June 1976.

_______________________________________________________________      Exhibit No. 3

COMPARISON OF TOTAL AND PER CAPITA EXPENDITURES

FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL COSTS

                                                                                 1976                         Per Capita

                              1976                                           Fire Department     Fire Department

City                       Population*                                Personnel Costs      Personnel Costs

Everett                  52,500                                        $2,198,049               $41.87

Renton                  26,500                                        1,095,126                 41.33

Olympia                25,480                                        921,007                    36.15

Bellingham           42,100                                        1,470,580                 34.93

BREMERTON    29,095**                                    890,838                    30.62

Yakima                 49,100                                        1,484,399                 30.23

Vancouver            46,500                                        1,404,392                 30.20

Richland               30,009                                        793,127                    26.43

Longview              29,550                                        701,706                    23.75

Bellevue               67,000                                        1,380,540                 20.61

Edmonds               25,039                                        331,952                    13.26

AVERAGE (excluding

Bremerton)           $39,378                                      $1,178,088               $29.88

 

*    Source: Offical Population of Cities, Towns and Countries, April 1, 1976,

published June 30, 1976, State of Washington, Office of Program

Planning and Fiscal Management.

**  Net of Government employees' living on board ships or living on U. S.

Government reservations for which the U. S. Navy provides fire protection.