Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Las Vegas city marshals union OKs concessions

Union agrees to reopen contract to save more than 20 jobs

The union that represents the 71 Las Vegas city marshals employees announced Monday it has approved concessions that will save more than 20 of its members' jobs and more than $900,000 in taxpayer dollars.

In a joint statement, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association and the city said the union members have voted to reopen their contract and take a pay reduction, along with other concessions.

Last week, the Las Vegas City Council tentatively approved the agreement, contingent upon the union members' vote.

The joint statement said the vote was "historic" in that it is believed to be the first time in at least 30 years that a bargaining unit has agreed to open its contract and make concessions.

Chris Collins, executive director of the LVPPA, said the concession offer is good for one year. It waives the cost of living increase of 3.75 percent for the 2011 fiscal year and also waives the step (merit) increases, reduces the base pay by 4 percent, eliminates uniform allowances, sets future merit increases at 4 percent instead of 5.5 percent and requires six months advance notice for any future layoff with the last three months paid as severance.

The offer also sets up a pilot program that would save 10 more city marshal positions and bring in about $500,000 to the city. In that program, six deputy city marshals, two senior office specialists and two public safety technicians would be used to identify and serve warrants in about 33,000 outstanding cases during the evening shift.

Last November, City Manager Betsy Fretwell asked all employee groups to take an 8 percent reduction in salary and benefits, plus hold flat all automatic pay increases. She said the city marshal's union vote reached 82 percent of that goal, or flat plus a 6 percent pay cut.

"The deputy city marshals are the first group of represented employees to step up to the plate to voluntarily reduce their pay and to make other concessions that come close to meeting our target so that we can save jobs and preserve services for the public," Mayor Oscar Goodman said in prepared remarks.

Last month, the council approved a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that includes about 200 layoffs.

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