Members of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) Local 1122 have approved a contract agreement that does not include any pay increases for 2013 but does provide each of the 264 City of Yakima employees represented by the union a one-time cash payment, an additional paid day off, and the ability to be reimbursed for a portion of their unused vacation time.<\/p>\n
The Yakima City Council is scheduled to vote on the settlement agreement during its June 18th<\/sup> business meeting.<\/p>\n AFSCME Local 1122 is the City\u2019s single largest union.\u00a0 Its membership includes staff in nearly every City department.<\/p>\n It has been since 2009 that AFSCME Local 1122 members received wage adjustments.\u00a0 In 2012, the union agreed to a three-year contract that also included no increase in base pay last year but does provide for \u201ceconomic openers\u201d in both 2013 and 2014.\u00a0 Over the last few months, the union and City management have been working on an economic opener agreement to cover 2013.<\/p>\n Based on a count of ballots on June 10th<\/sup>, AFSCME Local 1122 members voted 115 to 38 in favor of the agreement under which each member will receive a one-time cash payment of $600, an additional \u201cpersonal holiday\u201d, and the ability to be reimbursed for up to one-third of their vacation time earned over the course of a year if it is not used.<\/p>\n Also included in the settlement is a commitment from City management to not pursue managed competition involving any jobs held by AFSCME Local 1122 employees for the remainder of 2013.<\/p>\n \u201cOur members have made sacrifices over the last few years in an effort to help the City weather tough economic conditions,\u201d said AFSCME Local 1122 Staff Representative Eddie Allan. \u00a0\u201cWe appreciate the willingness of City management to recognize those sacrifices, like no base pay increases, by working with us to come up with a fair and reasonable economic opener agreement for this year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe City\u2019s relationship with AFSCME Local 1122 has really grown into a partnership,\u201d said City Manager Tony O\u2019Rourke.\u00a0 \u201cOur management team has been working hard to control costs, particularly personnel costs, and the union has cooperated with the City to meet that goal.\u00a0 Both our management and AFSCME Local 1122 are committed to helping the City become financially stable and putting the community\u2019s public safety, infrastructure, and appearance needs first,\u201d said O\u2019Rourke.\u00a0 \u201cThat is very encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n – end –<\/p>\n