City will hold hearing over CSEA fact finder’s report

March 13--The Common Council will hold a public hearing March 21 on a state fact finder's report that recommends changing the city's contract with its unit of Civil Service Employees Association.

Mayor Anne E. McCaffrey said the hearing will allow the council to implement the report's recommendations, which include requiring CSEA members to contribute to their health coverage.

The city's last contract with CSEA Unit 7651 expired Dec. 31, 2012, though two one-year contract extensions were granted. The city and the union failed to reach an agreement afterward, and this past June, the union requested that a fact finder be appointed.

The fact finder, Stephen F. LaLonde, recommended union members hired before Jan. 1 contribute $25 per month to health insurance premiums for single plans and $50 per month for family plans. By 2022, employee contributions would rise to $90 or $180 per month.

Union members hired after Jan. 1 would pay 15 percent of the premium costs for either single or family plans.

The report also recommends union members hired after Jan. 1 contribute a portion of their retirement health insurance premiums, and that members who retire after Dec. 31, 2022, pay all their Medicare Part B premiums, co-payments and deductibles.

If the council fully adopts the report's recommendations, CSEA members would receive a $1,800 lump sum payment for 2017 -- to cover their lack of raises in 2015 and 2016 -- and annual raises of 2.5 percent in 2018, 3 percent in 2019 and 2020 and 2 percent in 2021 and 2022.

The report looked at eight outstanding issues: recognition, sick leave, medical benefits, retirement, overtime, holidays, vacations and wages. McCaffrey said that on each issue, the fact-finder sided with the city's position.

"We were very pleased the fact finder's report supported the city's position in all of these recommendations," McCaffrey said. "We concur with all eight of the fact finder recommendations."

Unit President Megan Brewer declined to comment on the report.

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