ITEM TITLE:
Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Valdez and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 5618
SUBMITTED BY: Nathan Duval, City Manager
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Valdez and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 5618
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Ordinance 26-02, passed in April 2026, established the process for firefighter collective bargaining by creating Valdez Municipal Code chapter 2.96.
In accordance with the provisions of VMC 2.96.070, the City Manager has negotiated the attached agreement with the Local. The agreement has been reviewed by Legal, HR, and Administration.
The members of Local 5618 have voted to ratify this agreement upon approval by the City Council.
With approval, the Agreement becomes effective on January 1st, 2027. Any articles relating to wages or schedule changes (elimination of sleep time) shall become effective in the first pay period of 2027 (January 4th) and shall remain in full force and effect through December 31, 2027.
Because this is a significant change from current operations, the agreement has a one-year term to allow amendments or modifications to ensure it meets the needs of both the City and the Local.
The Agreement meets the stated objectives of “status quo” financial impact, provides clarity for personnel and administration, provides gap health insurance for Tier IV PERS employees, allows access to training, and supports the City’s position to recruit and retain paid VFD staff.