PORT ANGELES — City officials expect a response from unions by the end of the month on a proposal to renegotiate contracts to eliminate cost-of-living pay raises in 2010, according to city staff.
Port Angeles City Manager Kent Myers, Finance Director Yvonne Ziomkowski and Human Resources Manager Bob Coons met with union leaders at City Hall for about one hour Tuesday to discuss the city’s proposal to cut the 2 percent cost-of-living raises next year.
The city asked them to poll their members and provide a response by Aug. 28, Coons said.
Without the raise, the city would save $400,000 next year in pay, Myers said.
That is needed to to avoid layoffs during a time of declining revenue, he said last week.
Coons said the city’s merit-based pay raise will not be part of any renegotiations with the unions.
Eliminating that would only affect new hires because much of the staff has reached their limit for those pay raises, he said.
“It would really penalize the newest employees,” Coons said, adding that it also would not save the city much money.
“It will be difficult as it is for the bargaining units to agree to no COLAs,” he said.
The city has five contracts with four unions: Teamsters Local No. 589, International Association of Fire Fighters Local No. 656, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local No. 997, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local No. 1619.
The city has 290 employees including part-time and seasonal labor.
Only the approximately 35 management positions and one or two part-time positions are not unionized, Coons said.
He said that staff will recommend to the City Council to eliminate cost-of-living raise next year for management as well.
“We’re looking at the entire city not having a COLA,” Coons said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
