Michigan Association of Public Employees

CONTRACT

“Because the part-time Employees were new in our previous contract, most of it was in hindsight to correct a number of issues. I think the management was willing to address a number of things because it was affecting them as adversely as the full-time Employees,” said Union Steward Ray Sharer. “Our focus was long-term benefits for current employees; they had already eliminated retiree health care for the new full-time hires. Prior to the last contract, anybody who retired under the terms was eligible for health care in retirement for themselves and their spouse. It was very challenging to try to find that happy medium for everybody, which was one reason I wanted that larger negotiating committee. We were trying to focus on what was best for the group in years coming.”

“They are subject to four furlough and four unpaid holidays. For the first year of the contract, they can get two days back. I was able to convince the Employer to allow them to use Vacation Time. They could theoretically reduce their furlong days to two,” said MAPE Labor Relations Specialist Joe O’Connor. “Part-time Employees could work the same amount of hours as a full-time person but they wouldn’t get any breaks before or after lunch. We changed it so they have breaks. Part-timers were capped at working 400 hours in a quarter and the problem is the Employer was running out of hours and asking the Union to approve working more hours. We allowed them to work 450 hours a quarter knowing they’ll still be capped by the Affordable Care Act. Some part-time Employees only worked two or three days a week and during any kind of snow emergency, there was nothing forcing the Employer to pay them. The concern was they could switch their scheduled work days. I wanted to be sure they got paid for the hours they were scheduled to work.”

Contract Duration: 3-year agreement, effective 7-1-15 to 6-30-18.
Wage Increases: One-time signing bonus of 1.5% effective July 1, 2015 for each full-time Employee. Tier 2 Employees wages were increased to Tier 1. Tier 2 wages were previously up to 20% lower.
1.5% increase July 1, 2016.
1% increase July 1, 2017.

Fringe Benefits:

  • During the 2015-16 fiscal year only, Employees may opt to receive compensation on four of the six unpaid furlough and holidays by using Vacation Time. Otherwise, Employees may not substitute paid leave, such as Sick Leave or Vacation Time, for unpaid furlough and holiday hours.
  • In lieu of Vacation Time, Sick Leave and Personal Time, full-time Employees hired after July 1, 2015 will be allotted Paid Time Off (PTO) annually on their anniversary date as follows:
    On date of hire 8 days, 60 hours
    After 1 year of continuous service 18 days, 135 hours
    After 5 years of continuous service 23 days, 172.5 hours
    After 10 years of continuous service 26 days, 195 hours
    After 20 years of continuous service 28 days, 210 hours
  • Full-time Employees may not carry over more than 7 days (52.5 hours) of PTO into a new service year. Any unused PTO in excess of 7 days is lost at year-end. Unused PTO is lost in the case of retirement, resignation or death. PTO is subject to advance approval by Employer and may be used in one-hour or more increments if approved.

Part-time Employees:

  • Part-time Employees cannot exceed the hours specified per calendar quarter without Union approval: 450 hours for all part-time Employees except for part-time inspectors working in the Office of Engineering and Office of Building Services, who are limited to 400 hours.
  • The part-time Employee shall be considered probationary and not entitled to Union representation the first 180 calendar days of part-time employment.
  • A part-time Employee shall accrue 3.125 hours of PTO for each full month of employment until June 30th. Thereafter, annually on July 1, part-time Employees will be credited 37.5 hours of PTO.
  • Part-time Employees on an assigned daily work schedule will receive the following breaks and lunch:
    Less than 4 hours: No break or lunch
    4–6 hours: One 15 minute break (paid), no lunch
    6-7.5 hours: One 15 minute break (paid), 30-minute unpaid lunch
    7.5 or more hours: Two 15 minute breaks (paid), 60-minute unpaid lunch
  • If due to unforeseen circumstances, City operations are delayed or cancelled, a part-time Employee excused from reporting or continuing work shall be paid for scheduled hours affected by the delay or cancellation.

Health Insurance: Each Employee or Retiree who chooses not to enroll in the City-sponsored health care plans, and whose spouse or parent provides coverage, will be paid $3,000 each calendar year that spouse or parent has coverage. The annual allowance amount will be prorated and paid monthly for every month the Member is eligible. If an Employee’s spouse works for Employer, only one of the two is entitled to medical insurance with the other spouse being covered on their policy. The Employee not taking direct coverage will instead be provided the $3,000 health allowance. Both spouses shall be entitled dental coverage.
Retirement:
The Early Retirement Incentive Program is eliminated. The spouse of a deceased Retiree that received DC pension benefits shall continue to receive retiree medical benefits so long as the surviving spouse does not remarry. Retiree medical benefits can be amended under this provision only twice in retirement and limited to amendments made in the next two successive collective bargaining agreements.
Job Vacancies: A promotion is defined as a change in classification with a higher maximum pay rate including a change from part-time to full-time employment. The successful Employee will be on probation for 180 calendar days to qualify on the job. Employees to be laid off may exercise their bargaining unit seniority for bumping purposes with no limit on Inspectors having bumping rights and no limit on those in other classifications bumping Inspectors.
Bargaining Team: Labor Relations Specialist Joe O’Connor with Union Steward Ray Sharer, Alternate Steward Todd Quertermouse, Secretary/Treasurer Camille Goscicki, Dean Martindale, Pam Pasternak, and Joe Vitale.