Title
Collective Bargaining Agreement 2024-2027 with
Senior Water Systems Chemists Association
Body
Agenda of: June 26, 2024
Item No.: 2024- 214
Amount: N/A
TO: The Honorable
Board of Directors
Great Lakes Water Authority
FROM: Suzanne R. Coffey, P.E.
Chief Executive Officer
Great Lakes Water Authority
DATE: June 8, 2024
RE: Collective Bargaining Agreement 2020- 2024 with
Senior Water Systems Chemists Association
MOTION
Upon recommendation of William M. Wolfson, Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer, and Jordie Kramer, Chief Organizational Development Officer, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), authorizes the GLWA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to executive a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Senior Water Systems Chemists Association for a term ending June 30, 2027; and authorizes the CEO to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
BACKGROUND
The Senior Water Systems Chemists Association (SWSCA) and GLWA were parties to a collective bargaining agreement covering the period from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2024. SWSCA and GLWA reached a tentative agreement on a CBA covering the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. SWSCA has since ratified the tentative agreement on that CBA.
JUSTIFICATION
The following aspects of the CBA are highlighted:
1. Holidays and Excused Time Off (PTO). The terms of the CBA with the SWSCA are largely consistent with the terms of its CBA which expires on June 30, 2024, however, retroactive to Martin Luther King Day 2024 the GLWA will align union members’ compensation for holidays and excused time off to their scheduled hours. For example, a union member routinely scheduled to work eight-hour shifts will receive 8 hours holiday pay and a union member routinely scheduled for 12-hour shifts will receive 12 hours pay for that holiday.
2. No additional guaranteed or automatic annual pay adjustments. GLWA utilizes a performance-based system of pay adjustment. Consistent with other GLWA CBA’s and its Terms of Employment, there are no guaranteed or automatic annual pay adjustments in this CBA. GLWA team members are evaluated on an annual basis and any prospective adjustment to their pay is made based upon performance and within available budgeted resources.
3. No change to retirement, medical, or other related benefits. The proposed CBA with SWSCA reflects the same retirement, healthcare, and other benefits package offered to other unionized GLWA employees.
4. Modification of Shift Premium The parties agreed that shift premium payments would be increased to 75 cents per hour ($0.75 for the “afternoon” shift and one dollar and fifty cents per hour ($1.50) for the “midnight” shift.
5. $2,000 Signing Bonus The parties agreed to a two thousand dollar ($2,000) signing bonus if the CBA was ratified by the union on or before May 31, 2024, and subsequently approved by the Board.
BUDGET IMPACT
The adjustments for eligible members of the bargaining unit reflected in the proposed CBA were anticipated in GLWA’s budget and there are sufficient resources available to make these adjustments.
COMMITTEE REVIEW
The CBA was presented directly to the full Board at its June 26, 2024, meeting.
SHARED SERVICES IMPACT
This item does not impact the shared services agreement between GLWA and DWSD.