Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO APPROVE three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida and the Federation of Public Employees (AFL-CIO), representing the County’s Blue Collar Unit employees, for Fiscal Years 2017/2018, 2018/2019, and 2019/2020; and to authorize the Mayor to execute the Agreement.

ACTION:  (T-10:50 AM)  Approved.
 
VOTE: 7-0.  Commissioner Holness appeared telephonically and voted in the affirmative.  Commissioners Geller and LaMarca appeared telephonically but were inaudible during the vote.

Chapter 447, Florida Statutes, requires that collective bargaining agreements be ratified by the governing body of the Agency, as well as by the Labor Union.

This action resolves collective bargaining with the County’s Blue Collar Unit and establishes labor stability through September 30, 2020.

None.

THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.

The Federation of Public Employees (AFL-CIO), represents a bargaining unit of approximately 1,000 employees throughout various County agencies. The previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (Agreement) provided for this unit expired on September 30, 2017. Negotiations for a successor agreement have resulted in a new three-year Agreement.

Exhibit 3 summarizes the changes to the Agreement.  Specifically, for Fiscal Year 2017/2018, the Agreement provides a 3% base salary increase (within the salary range) for eligible bargaining unit employees, effective October 8, 2017; in addition, effective April 8, 2018, for eligible bargaining unit employees who have five or more years of continuous service experience in their current County job classifications, who are below the 25th percentile of their pay grade, shall have their salary adjusted upward to the 25th percentile of their pay grade. The Agreement further provides the County Administrator the authority to adjust the pay grades upward based on market review outside of the bargaining process.

For Fiscal Year 2018/2019, effective October 7, 2018, eligible bargaining unit employees will receive a 2% base salary increase (within salary range); and effective April 7, 2019, eligible bargaining unit employees who have three or more years of continuous service experience in their current County job classifications, and who are below the 25th percentile of their pay grade, shall have their salary adjusted upward to the 25th percentile of their pay grade.

For Fiscal Year 2019/2020, the Agreement provides a wage reopener clause and the ability for each party to open any three additional articles.  These proposed increases are consistent with the increases recently approved by the Board for other bargaining units for the next three years and for the unrepresented employees for Fiscal Year 2017/2018.

In addition, there are a variety of administrative and operational changes in the Agreement including changes to the promotional increase language to be consistent with the County’s compensation methodology, clarification of the sick leave and annual leave article provisions, inclusion of preference for Veterans in the Reduction in Force provisions, and a change in methodology to pay differential for possession and maintenance of certifications from an annualized rate to an hourly rate.

The Agreement was successfully ratified by the Union on Wednesday, January 31, 2018, and is being presented with staff’s recommendation for approval by the Board.

Mary McDonald, Acting Director, Human Resources Division (954) 357-6044