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Contract stalled by cut in raises

The last union contract for about 2,250 Tampa city employees expired Sept. 30.

By JANET ZINK
Published October 10, 2005

TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio wants to cut merit raises in half for union employees, who have twice rejected their city contract because of that.

Meanwhile, say union representatives, Iorio has launched a bonus plan for managers and hired new executives at high salaries.

The Almagamated Transit Union represents about 2,250 garbage collectors, emergency dispatchers, sewer line repair workers, secretaries and other non-professional employees who earn from $9 to $25 an hour. It does not include police and fire rescue workers.

The last union contract expired Sept. 30.

Some members object to the city's proposal to reduce merit raises from 2, 4 or 6 percent to 1, 2 or 3 percent, depending on performance evaluations.

Other than the merit raise decrease, the contract is a good one, said Mary Neumeier, a customer service representative in the water department and a member of the union's executive board.

The contract includes a boost in pension benefits and an increase in across the board annual raises from 3 percent to 3.5 percent.

Iorio said the contract is fair.

"It's important to look at the total package of what's being offered," she said. The mayor said the city needs to save money and give raises more akin to what's happening in the private sector.

She said she'll also cap annual raises for managers at 3 percent and reduce their maximum merit raise from 4.6 percent to 3 percent.

"This year they're going to get less than the rank and file," she said.

More than 800 people participated in the last vote on the contract on Sept. 28, with about 500 voting against it. Typically, about 200 people participate in contract votes, said Martha Stevens, president of the ATU.

"Those who voted against the contract are unhappy with the cuts to the merit increase," Stevens said. "I'm hoping we can come to some kind of agreement that would satisfy the employees."

The union hasn't forgotten that Iorio pushed for higher potential pay and a bonus program for key managers. The bonus program Iorio instituted last year "upset a lot of employees," Neumeier said.

The program allowed Iorio to give city finance director Bonnie Wise, who now earns $147,908, a $6,131 bonus. Police Chief Steve Hogue received a $2,038 bonus, and purchasing director Greg Spearman, who temporarily took over the city housing department, received a $4,393 bonus.

In June, Iorio gave bonuses of more than $4,000 each to police majors Jane Castor, George McNamara and Michael George.

Iorio last year issued an executive order to increase the pay ranges for Wise and city attorney David Smith.

Iorio said that was necessary because the two were at the top of their pay scale and couldn't receive any more raises for outstanding work.

Several other employees, including economic development manager Mark Huey and chief of staff Darrell Smith, have also hit the top of their pay scale at $141,398 a year.

The city is in the middle of a compensation study that will compare the pay of 3,000 city employees to people with similar jobs in other local governments and in the private sector.

The compensation study was played up heavily in contract negotiations, but that didn't ease the minds of union members, Neumeier said.

"A lot of people are afraid when this study is finished they're going to be told they make too much money," she said.

No union members will receive any pay increases until a replacement contract has been negotiated. If talks hit an impasse, the issue may go to mediation.

-- Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 10, 2005, 19:47:03]