Manchester reaches tentative deals with 10 city unions

Manchester officials announced Monday the city has reached tentative agreements with 10 city unions whose deals are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.
Mayor Jay Ruais said the agreements were reached after several months of negotiations.
The 10 unions are: AFSCME Council 93, Local 298 Facilities; AFSCME Council 93, Local 298 Central Fleet; AFSCME Council 93, Local 298 Health; AFSCME Council 93, Local 298 Highway, Parks & Environmental Protection Division; Manchester Professional Firefighters Association-Local 856; Manchester Association of Fire Supervisors-3820; Police Professional Staff Association; Teamsters Local 633 (Airport); City Library Teamsters Local 633; and Teamsters Local 633 Welfare Department.
Current contracts with the Manchester Police Patrolman's Association and the Manchester Association of Police Supervisors run until June 30, 2026.
As of Monday, all 10 unions have voted to ratify their tentative agreements with an effective start date of July 1, 2025. The agreements will now be presented to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for approval.
Given the city's open enrollment period for health care coverage begins in early May, Ruais has asked aldermen to suspend their rules and vote on the tentative agreements at their meeting Tuesday, May 6, (rather than have them lay over two weeks) so open enrollment can proceed 'in a timely manner with no disruptions.'
Ruais thanked Director of Human Resources Lisa Drabik and members of the city's negotiating team and representatives from the 10 unions for their efforts.
'Their good-faith bargaining regarding these new two-year contracts is the reason we were able to reach agreement months before the old ones expired,' Ruais said, adding that the unions represent "the very backbone of our city."
"Additionally, I want to thank our aldermen for their continued commitment to our city employees, and the taxpayers, over the course of the negotiation process.'
Minimum raise 3%
Each of the tentative agreements contains language that effective July 1, employees will be placed on the new pay and classification plan (at the closest step to their wages as of June 30), which guarantees a minimum of a 3% raise.
Effective July 1, when an employee reaches their 15th consecutive year of service, they will receive a 3% retention incentive raise. This doesn't apply to employees who have already received a longevity/retention incentive raise for 15 consecutive years of service with the city .
Effective July 1, 2026, the new pay and classification plan will be increased by a 2% cost of living adjustment.
The tentative contract with the firefighters union contains new language that members deployed by the Manchester Fire Department locally, regionally or nationally will be paid at time and a half their hourly rate for hours worked while on deployment. Deployed members will be selected by the fire chief or designee.
The tentative agreement also contains language on a new Alternate Duty Program, designed to provide alternative work assignments for members unable to perform their normal assignments due to injury or illness.
Alternate duty will be available on a case-by-case basis and not last longer than 180 calendar days. Assignments will be offered depending on department needs, position availability, and the skills, physical limitations and qualifications of the member.
Manchester currently employs about 1,300 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Of those, approximately 860 are in union-covered positions.
Unions representing School District employees are separate.
Once ratified, the new contracts will run from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.
pfeely@unionleader.com

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