Mayor says union benefits are “out of whack”

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Mayor says union benefits are “out of whack”

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

WENATCHEE — Mayor Frank Kuntz says he would like to rein in union medical benefits and pay increases that he called “out of whack” with private sector benefits.

Negotiating new employee contracts will be a top priority this year for the city, Kuntz told The Wenatchee World editorial board on Monday.

He said his goals are to have all employees on the same medical insurance plan, the same sick leave and vacation plan, and to make pay increases tied to the local economy rather than to other cities.

At the city’s annual retreat two weeks ago, Kuntz said standardizing the benefits for all city employees “is the right thing to do. I don’t care if you carry a gun or a shovel or an iPad, you should have the same benefits.”

The contracts for all three of the city’s unions expire at the end of the year.

Police union officials said this morning that the mayor is taking an idealistic approach to the union contracts that is sharply different than the way they have operated in the past. Police and fire departments across the state develop contracts based on other cities, not other departments within a city or solely on the local economy.

“He’s looking at the city as a for-profit business,” said Detective Edgar Reinfeld, vice president of the Wenatchee Police Guild. “But it’s complicated by the fact that the private sector doesn’t compare to the industry standard for public safety and government.”

The Guild represents about 36 employees, the Wenatchee Firefighters Local 453 represents about 25 employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSME) represents about 65 employees.

Representatives from the city’s other unions either did not return phone calls or could not be reached for comment.

Kuntz said the negotiated cost of living increases over the last 10 years have amounted to a 40-percent pay increase for police officers, nearly 35 percent increase for firefighters and about 30-percent increase for public works employees.

By comparison, non represented employees have received a compounded 24 percent pay increase during the same time.

As a result, some union employees are making more money than their non-union department heads, Kuntz said.

“When I look at it I see a systemic issue that needs to be dealt with,” he said.

He also said that pay is increasing even though city revenues have decreased for the last three years. If that continues, the city will have to keep laying off employees to balance the budget. Last year, the city laid off a police officer and four museum employees and four police officers and firefighters took early retirement because of revenue shortfalls.

“We’ve got to fix our spending problem,” Kuntz said.

He said that five or six years ago the city had 55 police employees whose salary and benefits made up about 26 percent of the city’s general fund budget. Today there are 45 police employees who make up more than 30 percent of the general fund budget, he said.

Reinfeld said police wage increases are tied to an economic index from the Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton areas, which serve as guideline statewide. He said Wenatchee city officials and the Guild agreed to use that indicator eight years ago.

Kuntz said he also wants to fix the disparity between benefits for employees. For example, police officers pay $135 a month for their medical insurance, while some employees and managers pay $376 a month. And firefighters who have been on the job at least 26 years get six more days of vacation a year than police officers or public works employees with the same longevity.

Historically, the city has not calculated employee benefits based on what other departments or unions within the city are doing, said Wenatchee Police Sgt. John Kruse, negotiator for the Guild.

Basing benefits on what other police departments are doing “is making an apples to apples comparison. What the mayor is proposing to do is bring oranges to dump into the apple cart. ... That’s completely different from the norm for negotiations.”

The City Council decided earlier this year to hire attorney Stan Bastian to oversee the union negotiations, rather than having city officials do it this time around.

Michelle McNiel: 664-7152

mcniel@wenatcheeworld.com

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highmarker 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Love this quote:

The private sector can't run deficits, and has to take in enough revenue to cover expenses. Must be nice to be in an "industry" that doesn't need to do that.

EDDIEWAYNE 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Nothing has changed in the City of Wenatchee. It's being run into the ground by elected politicians pretending to be public administrators and catering to their anti-government constituants who don't know the difference between a public and private enterprise. Wenatchee will continue it's decline to the bottom if it doesn't re-organize and professionalize it's city administration.

DLeary 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I believe the office of the mayor has more than doubled in cost over the last ten years, and the decisions from that office has cost the city millions and each and every resident of North Central Washington more in sales taxes.

lonedog3 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Good luck breaking the unions mr. mayor! what are you going to do if and when they all go out on strike? What the Wenatchee city council has done to the entire region in the form of higher taxes is an atrocity in itself. Now to intentionally set out to single handedly destroy the unions and the public safety sector is shear ludicrous! Every day those men and women go out on your streets with a target pinned to their chest. Are you willing to do that to your family mr. mayor? Doubt it! find another way to cut your cost! perhaps you should start with your wages and benefits! Then ms. Williams and keep going down the line!

Dudleydoright 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Heaven forbid if the unions have to give up some of what they got from past city leaders how had ZERO to lose giving away the farm. The Mayor is doing exactly what needs to be done. Had it been me, I would be pushing to privatize those departments. A mayor pushed this through in Florida as I recall and saved the tax payers a pant-load with better service noted by the public. What do we get, threats of strike, red light cameras and who knows what else coming down the pike to stick it to the citizens.

cbuick 3 months, 2 weeks ago

What?? Call a rent-a-cop to your house at 2 AM when an intruder is breaking in????

H20skier 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I am tired of union employees and leaders acting as if they are under paid and their benefits are not enough when they know full well they are cnsiderably ahead of the private sector. If they feel undervalued let them persue opportunities in the private sector and chances are they will realize how good they have it when nothing they find will offer them what they already have. They of course will not do this, they will get in line at the trough and ask for more. And finally goverment should be run with the same finacial accountability as the private sector. Raising taxes is not the answer. Way to go mayor!!

Rebelrouser 3 months, 2 weeks ago

That rent a cop's name is Smith & Wesson

Rebelrouser 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Mayor Frank Kuntz says he would like to rein in union medical benefits and pay increases that he called “out of whack” with private sector benefits. I do not recall that being one of his campaign promises

Mikeh 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I always had to laugh when we negotiated using the so-called comp-cities. They had absolutely nothing to do with the situation in Wenatchee. The city has to remain solvent for any of you to have a job. If the wages and bennies are so much better in Seattle, then head west. You guys have good jobs...try harder to keep them by adjusting to the times. It's obvious the Mayor has bills to pay and if you cops and FF's have a problem with still getting good pay and benefits, then remember your jobs are always up for discussion and this is a nice place to live.

lonedog3 3 months, 2 weeks ago

so it would be, based upon your comment, a great idea and offering for the mayor and all city staff to take the first reductions in pay and benefits?

DLeary 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"How unfortunate"...that you continue to take shots at the police officers and fire fighters in this valley. Sad legacy to adopt.

Dudleydoright 3 months, 2 weeks ago

It's called the real world Dennis, where budgets need to be balanced.

NotaHomer 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"He also said that pay is increasing even though city revenues have decreased for the last three years."

Wonder why there had been little to no development along Riverside Drive or in the area of the arena. Would be nice if the City pushed in some nice big franchise like a Best Buy or a big restaurant, like Famous Dave's, to spur the development along the river which was basically promised to come.