The City of Buffalo’s building inspectors will have a new contract after working under a collective bargaining agreement that expired about three years ago.
In the labor pact, the union made gains in wage increases, extra personal days and increases in auto allowance, said Keith Ogden, president of AFSCME-AFL-CIO Local 2651.
Concessions were made in health care for retirees going forward including a switch to generic medications unless there is a pre-existing condition or a doctor requires the name-brand form of medication, Ogden said.
The agreement covers 61 budgeted positions. There are 50 filled positions currently, Ogden said. He hopes the remaining positions will be filled in the next fiscal year.
“That’s what we’re hoping for is just to get the full complement of individuals here so we can do our jobs,” Ogden said.
The agreement covers July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2026. It provides for 2% increases in annual salaries on July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021. It also includes a 2.5% salary increase annually on July 1, 2022, and a 3% increase on July 1, 2023, July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025.
The union ratified the contract in August by a vote of 46 to 1.
The new collective bargaining agreement was recommended for approval by the Common Council’s Finance Committee and will be voted on Tuesday by the full Council.
Under the agreement, the city will continue to provide health insurance to a surviving spouse and/or eligible dependent of a Local 2651 member who dies while actively employed by the city for a period of up to 18 months at the deceased member’s contribution rate, provided the dependent is not eligible for Medicare or other alternative coverages.
As a giveback from the union, new hires will not be covered under the health insurance plan when they retire, Ogden said. Prior to the new agreement, anyone hired after 2009 was paying 15% to 20% of their health care coverage after retirement. Ogden said. Anyone hired…
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