Teamsters reject deal with North Las Vegas

By Jeff Pope

Tuesday, April 7, 2009 | 12:24 p.m.

North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose recently presented the City Council with a tentative budget that would cut about $13.5 million if the three unions that represent city employees agreed to concessions.

Last week, the union representing the city's 200 firefighters agreed to the city's concessions. Last night, the Teamsters Union Local 14, which represents about 1,200 city employees, voted against similar concessions by a 3-1 margin.

The deal with the Teamsters would have deferred employee cost-of-living increases in return for better vacation benefits, City Manager Gregory Rose said.

"We believe that the plan that we put forth to the Teamsters was very generous from the standpoint that it would have a minimal impact on them. If there are other plans that they would like for the city to consider, we're certainly still open to that," he said.

The firefighters represented by the International Association of Firefighters Local 1607 have agreed to forgo a 3.5 percent cost-of-living increase this year and defer part of that increase to a time when the economy improves. The deal also cuts the firefighter uniform allowances in half and defers for one year a plan in which employees can sell back to the city a portion of their holiday and sick leave.

The deal is pending City Council approval.

"The North Las Vegas Fire Fighters Union takes great pride in its partnership with the City," said I.A.F.F. Local 1607 President Jeff Hurley. "I am proud to announce that our members overwhelmingly supported and passed these measures."

Rose said he hopes to reach a deal with the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association by the end of the month.

The city has already instituted a hiring freeze, eliminated 70 vacant positions and cut $14.4 million from the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. In the 2009-2010 budget, the staff recommended cutting an additional $34.3 million.

"For the long-term financial health of the city, it's very important that we're able to reach an agreement with the bargaining units or that we make reductions in expenses," he said.

Those reductions could mean layoffs in areas other than public safety, Rose said. The city also could consider privatizing some city operations such as parks maintenance and fleet operations.

Rose will seek the council's direction on reducing expenses at their next meeting on April 15.