Raises aren't the only compensation increases some Phoenix employee unions are asking for in contract proposals as they prepare for labor negotiations with the city.
Labor groups also have requested increased perks and benefits, including better health coverage, more vacation days and more protection for employees' rights.
The proposals are different for each group. For example:
The Police Department union is asking for more vacation and sick time.
The Fire Department union is asking for dental coverage to go up from $2,000 a year to $3,500 a year per employee.
Office workers have asked for the city to increase how much it will match in employee retirement contributions.
Labor groups representing fieldworkers think employees applying poisonous pesticides should get paid an additional 75 cents an hour.
That is just a small selection of wage and benefit increases five employee groups have proposed in the first round of labor contracts they will start negotiating with the city on Jan. 9.
The list of proposals has some elected officials worried that labor groups are going for money and power grabs, but union leaders say they have good reason for each of their requests and know they won't get everything they've asked for.
Mayor-elect Greg Stanton, a former city councilman, said this year's negotiations will be tough and these are times of "shared sacrifice."
"What comes out of the process is very different than what is asked for in the beginning," said Stanton, who who will be sworn into office Tuesday.
United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association President Pete Gorraiz said the groups' first requests shouldn't be interpreted as power or money grabs.
Two years ago, employee groups had asked for increases and wound up giving everything back by way of a 3.2 percent cut in wages and benefits, he noted.
"The way it works is if you don't open a part of your contract in your proposal, then you don't get to talk about it in negotiations," Gorraiz said. "Typically what happens is people try to touch everything to leave it open so they have an option to fall back on, and it increases the opportunity for coming up with a reasonable contract."
More pay and benefits
All contract proposals seek to restore the 3.2 percent in wage and benefit cuts that employees have taken over the past two years to offset budget deficits. But at least two labor groups -- the unit representing landscapers and other fieldworkers and the unit representing the Police Department -- have asked for raises on top of the restorations.
Those asking for raises say it's necessary to keep up with the cost of living.
But some proposals, if approved, would cost taxpayers money even if raises aren't attached. For example, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2384, representing electricians, mechanics and other skilled workers, has asked that the city pay an additional $5 a month per employee to start an insurance plan that would cover non-work-related accidents.
Meanwhile, both the police and fire unions have asked that the city pay an additional $54 and $100, respectively, for each employee each month to cover post-retirement health-care costs. With more than 2,500 police officers and 1,500 firefighters, those proposals alone could cost the city more than $3 million a year.
Some of the groups also are asking for hourly wage increases for employees who work nights or weekends.
Currently, police officers who work nights get paid an additional 60 cents an hour for the shift differential.
The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association has asked for it to go up to $2 an hour.
"It's not that much to ask when working nights and weekends takes time away from your family and what it takes away from your personal life," said PLEA chief negotiator Will Buividas.
Laborers' International Union of North America Local 777, representing landscapers and other fieldworkers, also has asked for a 25-cents-an-hour wage increase for night shifts and employees working 10-hour days, four days a week.
It is still unclear how much these proposals will cost the city, as the Budget and Research Department hasn't put a price tag on everything yet, said Phoenix chief negotiator Lori Steward.
City Councilman Jim Waring said it's still too soon to talk about pay raises or other benefit increases.
"There are benefits city employees get that the private sector just doesn't have," Waring said. "I'm not anxious to cut benefits, but at the same time, we have to look at where the money is coming from and who is footing the bill."
Employee protections
Contract proposals also include language aimed at protecting employee rights if they are disciplined or their jobs are outsourced.
One common request deals with how long disciplinary actions should be maintained in an employee's file. Currently, employee files can be purged every 10 years, but some want the ability to clear out personnel files anywhere from annually to every five years. This would exclude major problems such as suspensions, demotions and violent actions, which are maintained in records either permanently or for a set period of time.
American Federation Local 2960 President Frank Piccioli said allowing employees to clear out their records every year protects them if they are being considered for other jobs in the city. Piccioli said the request is for minor items.
"For example, if an employee is late a couple times, it shouldn't stay in their file for the next decade," Piccioli said.
Buividas said the Police Department's internal regulations allow employee records to be cleaned every three years, and the proposal in the contract would just be a way of making policies consistent.
The Police Department union also has a proposal that would prevent the department from investigating anonymous complaints against police officers unless there is a possible violation of state law.
Buividas said that is a common provision in police labor contracts in other large cities.
"It's hard to follow up on anonymous complaints because you don't have anyone to talk to," Buividas said. "If I get a complaint that says, 'Officer Buividas was rude to me,' how do I objectively investigate that?"
Councilman Michael Johnson, a former police officer who represents south Phoenix, said he worries this proposal could stifle progress the city has made in repairing relations between the Police Department and the minority community.
Just because a complaint doesn't violate state law, there are some issues, such as intimidation or bullying, residents may want to report anonymously out of fear of retaliation, Johnson said.
Balancing act
As the city and unions go through the negotiating process, they will be looking to balance the needs of taxpayers while maintaining a workforce that will provide residents with quality services, both sides say.
"We'll spend time at the table understanding what their main interest is in these proposals, and we'll talk about our interests, and you match those up the best you can," Steward said.
Piccioli said it's important to remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to city services. Having employees work for "subpar wages" could mean that the best talent will avoid applying for jobs in Phoenix.
"You'll get rejects and not the top-of-the-line people," Piccioli said
-Lynn Bui
*As always, if you locate any Piccioli's Points in your daily searches that I have missed, please send them to me so I can add them!*
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