Posted: May 26, 2022
Rapid City
Agenda Item Summary

Agenda Item Ref. #: LF060122 09

Agenda Item Title:

Authorize the Mayor and Finance Director to sign agreement between the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1040, and the City of Rapid City for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026

Origination Group:
Legal & Finance Committee
Origination Meeting Date:
06/01/2022
City Council Hearing Date:
06/06/2022
Staff Contact:
Jason Culberson
Location:
10 Main St. Rapid City, SD 57701
Agenda Item Summary:
The proposed contract with the fire department bargaining unit is for a period of 4 years, with a mandatory wage opener in year 2024 for the last two years of the contract. Due to the uncertain financial times both parties agreed they needed to be protected from increasing inflation and/or a recession. The Fire Department is experiencing difficulty in recruitment and retention due to the high work load and low pay as compared to the average of like-sized departments in the region. The Department is the busiest fire department and ambulance service in the state and region, with call volume far exceeding communities much larger than ours. The proposed contract is designed to achieve pay parity and place the fire union employee at the 50th percentile for like positions. The new contract includes a paramedic pay differential increase to better recruit and retain these vital employees and to make us very competitive in the market for paramedics. City administration and fire management feel the wages proposed will provide a good climate for recruitment and retention of employees. Finally, the contract makes several negotiated adjustments to the terms, most importantly streamlining the language with the differing work cycles (8 hour vs. 24 hour employees) to clarify the differences and ease administration of the contract.

Funding Source & Fiscal Impact (if applicable):

Funding Cost Center
General Fund 0202
Ambulance Enterprise Fund 0890
Is Funding Budgeted?:
Budgeted

Recommendations:

Origination Recommendation Action:
Approve

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