The city and its 58 non-uniformed workers have a new three-year contract.

Retroactive to the beginning of the year, when the old contract expired, the new deal will provide a 5% increase the first year and 4% for the remaining two, according to Scott Campanaro, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local.

The increases are “not quite what we wanted, but they’re fiscally responsible,” Campanaro said. “The city sweetened up the (deal as) best they could.”

The cumulative 13% raise over the life of the contract should help offset the 27% cumulative inflation the workers experienced over several recent years, according to Campanaro.

The union’s base rate for 2025 ranges from $22.20 an hour to $27.21 an hour, depending on job classification, according to new City Manager Christopher McGuire.

An “overwhelming” majority of the workers voted in favor of the contract, Campanaro said.

Campanaro credited McGuire and the city’s labor attorney Mike Palombo for finding “a path to satisfy everyone.”

Negotiations weren’t contentious, and the members of the union negotiating committee “understood the big picture,” McGuire said.

It would be nice if the city could have afforded more for workers who labor hard — many “out in the weather” — but the city can’t compete with the private sector on salary and needed to make a good financial decision that didn’t overburden the taxpayers, McGuire said. It’s a fair deal, he added.

“Creative” parts of the contract are designed to help with recruitment and retention, according to McGuire.

Those are longstanding challenges for the city, Campanaro said.

They include a shortening of the time required to reach “base” pay.

Under the old contract, workers started out at 80% of base pay, and took four years to reach 100%. Under the new contract, they begin at 90% and reach 100% after two years.

The creative parts also include adjustments to “longevity” pay — which rewards workers for remaining on staff.

Under the old contract, longevity pay began after five years, with an annual bonus of $480. Under the new contract, that goes to $500, also after five years, with increases of $50 per year in subsequent years. Under the old contract, annual longevity pay was $600 after 10 years. Under the new deal, it is $750 after 10 years.

The new longevity benefits are more frontloaded than under the old contract, targeting workers who might otherwise be inclined to leave at that point in their careers, Campanaro said.

Under the new contract, workers will get two added personal days in exchange for Flag Day and

Columbus Day no longer being paid holidays.

This provides additional flexibility for the city and allows the city to continue to provide services to residents on those days.

Under the new contract, the city can change work schedules with one week notice instead of two; and jobs will be held for those out sick for 12 months, instead of 18.

Under the new contract, temporary employees will be able to retain seniority, longevity and vacation credits and move into permanent positions with no break in service.

Under the new contract, Highway and Electrical department employees will receive a $100 boot allowance.

Under the new contract, workers hired after the beginning of 2005 will earn additional vacation time more quickly, topping out at four weeks after 15 years — five years before the seniority required to earn that much under the old contract.

A more liberal vacation protocol still applies for the dozen or so employees hired before 2005.

The new contract tweaks sick leave buyouts to encourage employees not to take sick leave without justification.

Under the new contract, there will be no increase in worker shares of health insurance costs this year, with costs for the remaining two years being adjusted to align with the city’s costs.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.