Five Labor Agreements Approved

I am pleased to announce that five of the city's bargaining units have now approved the modification to employee compensation. Each and every group voted overwhelmingly to approve the modifications. The groups that have approved our proposal include:

Manteca Professional Firefighters, IAAF Local 1874
Manteca Police Employees Association (non-sworn employees)
Technical and Support Services Bargaining Unit, Carpenters Local #25
Mid-Managers, Sworn and Non-Sworn
Executive Management and City Manager

Each group has agreed to forgo their Cost of Living Adjustments for the next two years (2010 and 2011) and to begin paying a portion of their pension. Each group has additional forms of compensation that they are giving up as well. I'll be posting the details of each agreement shortly.

These agreements mean that these groups (and the City Manager) are going to be earning approximately 20 percent less in 2011 than was originally included in their contract. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the sacrifice that each employee is making to ensure that they we are able to preserve service levels to the community and preserve our co-workers jobs.

I'm hopeful that the Operating Engineers and Police Officers Association will come on board as well. The rest of our employee groups and our local citizens all have been battered by the recession and realize that compensation levels have to change in today's environment. I'm hoping that our last two bargaining units will realize this as well.