At the February 2 City Council meeting, the North Royalton City Council approved all of the City’s union contracts for 2021, except for the Firefighter’s Union. All of the City’s union contracts expired on December 31, 2020. In addition, Council also approved ordinances following suit, for the following: Police and Fire Chiefs, Police Captain, Assistant Fire Chief, Police Lieutenant and any non-union full time city employee. At the time of this writing, the City is still in the process of negotiating with the Firefighter’s Union.
The unions represented in the city include the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Patrol), Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Sergeants), Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Corrections), Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Clerical/Animal Control), International Association of Fire Fighters AFL-CIO, Local 2156 and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Ohio Council 8, Local 3410 (AFSME).
The agreement extends the current contract with the unions for one year, rather than a three-year contract that has been typically negotiated. The last contract agreement, which went into effect for 2018, included a wage increases of 2.5 percent in 2018 and 2 percent in both 2019 and 2020.
The 2021 agreement states that effective the first full pay period in July 2021, all employees will receive a salary increase of 1.25%. In addition, “a lump sum amount of $1,000 as a bonus which shall not be computed in any overtime compensation calculation. The lump sum bonus shall be paid by February 26, 2021 to all eligible employees. All active part-time non-union employees who worked 24 or more hours per week in 2020 shall receive a $500 lump sum bonus. Active part-time non-union employees who worked between 15-23 hours per week in 2020 shall receive a $250 lump sum bonus. Active part-time non-union employees who worked less than 15 hours per week in 2020 shall receive a $100 lump sum bonus.” According to North Royalton Finance Director, Eric Dean, “Looking at all employees, part time and full time, the bonus is going to cost the city an estimated $170,000 for the year.” He estimates the total of the bonus and raise will equate to an average of a 2% raise. In addition, Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz said that the city will pay out an additional $70,000 to cover the cost of the medical portion of the contract.
The employees’ monthly contribution for family or individual coverage shall remain at the following rates: Family: $220.00, Individual: $83.00. The Employer’s medical exposure shall remain as follows: Family Plan: $800.00, Individual Plan: $500.00. This will replace the following old section: “Family: $199.36, Individual: $74.17. Effective January 1, 2019: Family: $210.00, Individual: $ 79.00. Effective January 1, 2020: Family: $220.00, Individual: $83.00.”
The Employee’s medical in- network deductible, in- network co-pay, and/or in- network out of pocket maximum, or other plan design, as offset by other payments, including but not limited to HSA employer contributions shall not exceed $800 for the family plan and $500 for the individual plan, which is rolled back to the 2018 rate. The last contract stated the deductibles as follows: 2018 Family $800, Single $500; 2019 Family $1,200, Single $750; 2020 Family $1,300, Single $800.
“We are grateful to our employees in the Fraternal Order of Police (patrol, sergeants, corrections officers and our police clerks and animal control) and AFSCME (building, wastewater and service workers) for working with the Administration during these uncertain times to arrive at a fair and reasonable compromise during our contract negotiations,” said Antoskiewicz. “The 1.25% pay raise will not go in effect until July 2021 which is contrary to the customary effective date of January 1, 2021, while providing our employees with a lump sum payment currently. I believe the negotiations have resulted in a fair but prudent financial compromise for 2021 and we appreciate our employees for all their hard work and dedication during the pandemic.”
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer