Letter from Ryan Beaman to county commissioners

Thursday, June 25, 2009 | 10:04 a.m.

Commissioners:

I am pleased to inform you that the County and the Union have reached a tentative agreement regarding the concessions that IAFF Local 1908 is prepared to make to the existing collective bargaining agreement. These financial concessions produce a savings to Clark County for the coming fiscal year starting July 1 of approximately $5.2 million. The Union is returning one percent (1%) of its cost of living increase scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2009, at a savings of $1.2 million. In addition, the Union is foregoing the station security program, already agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement and budgeted by the Board of County Commissioners, at the cost of $4 million. These concessions amount to a reduction for each member in wages and benefits of approximately $7600 (which is a 3.9% decrease per employee).

These concessions are the greatest of any of your Unions or Associations. Your other units have given concessions that are considerably smaller on a per employee basis. For example, SEIU, with 9500 employees, gave up approximately $1700 per employee. Metro unions, interestingly enough, while it has been represented that they made financial sacrifices, have instead seen financial gains in their contracts. The Metro police (LVPPA) contract (which represents approximately 3500 employees) actually cost the County and the City an additional $ 900,000 over the savings that was reported. The Metro civilian (PPACE) contract (which represents approximately 1600 employees) had a net gain of $1.15 million.

IAFF Local 1908's concessions are coupled with an extension of the current agreement, (which is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2010), for two years through June 20, 2012. The extension provides for the County and the Union to negotiate the cost of living increases for July 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011. This is the only subject for bargaining. Also, like most other bargaining agreements, the employees will be eligible to take two personal leave days annually. Both Metro employees and the County's management employees have enjoyed this benefit for many years (decades, in fact, for management employees), and is a new benefit the BCC approved for both SEIU at the County and UMC, as well as for the Operating Engineers at UMC as part of their concession packages.

Your County Manager, who worked along with two of your colleagues, crafted and/or had input in this Letter of Agreement for IAFF Local 1908's concessions. With their involvement in this process, I look forward to their wholehearted endorsement during the briefings to be held regarding this matter. As part of these discussions, the County

Manager has assured me that the measures proposed by IAFF Local 1908, (see attachment March 27, 2009) for overall County-wide cost containment measures will be implemented. Rest assured, I will continue to monitor the BCC agenda and Clark County budget, looking for adherence to the cost saving measures IAFF Local 1908 proposed.

I look forward to continuing working with each of you as together we strive to provide the best, most cost effective Fire Service and Emergency Medical Services to the community's residents and visitors.

Sincerely,

Ryan Beaman

President IAFF Local 1908